February 22, 2005
Freedom of Speech: Part Two
Barnum and Bailey would have been proud.
Last night's City Council meeting was a circus.
Julia Ludwig's wonderful speech was, however, a moment of clarity.
So was her letter in Sunday's South Haven Tribune.
After challenging the new rules restricting topics for public speech at council meetings, Julie was attacked by some Council members via email and phone this week. I suspect that is why she chose to go public again at the meeting. The reception was not just icy, but downright hostile. Her speech was courageous and absolutely right on the mark.
But the real head-scratcher mystery is that The Mayor would like us to believe another thoroughly absurd notion. (Remember when we were asked to believe that IF the city sign ordinance didn't permit advertising banners on city lightpoles...THEN we couldn't have American flags or Christmas decorations either? Yah, kinda like that.) The Mayor angrily pontificated (he seemed to actually be spitting) that the two new restrictions on public speech at Council meetings are NOT restrictions. In further blurring of the lines between reality and mania, he orders us to believe that the new rule that all topics must be "actionable by Council" and/or "approved by the Chairman" are "EXPANSIONS of freedom of speech opportunities, not restrictions".
Huh? Sorry, but that's just plain clueless.
Mayor Lewis also angrily denounced some unnamed citizen who emailed him this week (also to question the new rule restricting speech). This person, it seems, called the mayor "Hitler". Oh my. This truly serves no purpose other than to further alienate the Mayor from his frail connections to reality and citizenry. Not helpful.
Anyway, the wicked pleasure of watching The Mayor totally lose control of the meeting and appear to not have the slightest idea of where he was or what he was doing.....priceless. Kudos to Janet Fahs for actually apologizing for "the worst meeting I have ever attended" in her post-meeting comments.
Kudos also to Tim Stegeman, who seems to have found his voice and is showing passion and tenacity at the Council table. Scott Smith continues to display his unwavering desire for responsible, compassionate and open government. Orley Vaughn displayed his willingness to bare teeth in his love for The Michigan Maritime Museum and the tall ship Friends Good Will. Bill Bradley was, as always, a reliable yet affable watchdog for government responsibility. Larry King is frequently the only Robert's Rules of Order thread that keeps these meetings from unraveling altogether; and he even made a self-proclaimed "protest vote" by voting No to the proposition that money be assessed to the schools to cover the administrative costs of getting tax money to them.
Jeezo, I am starting to admire this gang. They are doing their homework, thinking, communicating, listening, establishing real opinions, fighting for what they think is right....!!!!!!!!
Hallelujia!
We don't have to agree with them but we can certainly be
proud of their transformation into activists lately.
And we will always have comic relief as long as this mayor is trying to run a meeting.
Was it a circus?
Well, they didn't all get out of a tiny little car as they entered the room, but the rest of it belonged in 3 rings. :-)
BTW, the Council also appointed me to The Planning Commission last night.
I am not sure yet if I will be in the ring with the trapeze artists or the lion tamers.
Posted by Elaine at February 22, 2005 09:49 AM