UPDATE: So this happened today! The 1st Amendment prevailed. I like the part where they pretty much describe a certain zombie mayoral candidate in the suit as a ‘Gadfly’.
I get it, some people struggle with the rights the US Constitution and 1st Amendment has given us. Our forefathers had the vision to realize a strong Republic depends on it’s citizens ability to challenge our government very vocally and publicly. If you don’t like those rights, and some don’t, you can leave the country (if anyone will have you).
As I have said in the past several times, the 1st Amendment and especially ‘prior restraint’ gives citizens the right to say whatever they want to at public input. In fact, the US Supreme Court, has backed this up several times.
During the council meeting last night Mayor TenHaken cut off several inputers because he didn’t like what they were saying. At one point he claimed it was his meeting (he actually said this and didn’t mumble or grunt it into a microphone for once).
The guy really needs to take his act on the road . . . like permanently.
City Council meetings are public meetings and belong to the public. We own the building, we pay for the resources to run the meetings and we pay the salaries of those running the meeting.
There seems to be a consensus by a majority of our council and mayor’s office that once you win an election you can do whatever you want to, but quite the opposite should happen. When someone leaves the comforts of their private life to run for office and they win a seat this is when you START LISTENING to constituents.
When an elected official threatens you with arrest because you said something they didn’t like that is called FACISM.
If Mayor TenHaken thinks he is correct in the way he interrupts the US Constitution why doesn’t he follow thru with his arrest threats? But like most bullies they say stuff to intimidate and scare constituents.
One of the reasons why citizens have been challenging our city government at meetings and ignoring the Mayor’s empty threat of arrest is because they know they have the 1st Amendment on their side. In fact, once again, Mayor TenHaken failed last night to stop anyone from saying what they wanted to. Not that he didn’t try, but I think at this point most people just wave his interruptions away like flies.
I challenge PTH to follow thru with his threats and arrest someone for speaking their minds, then the real education starts.
Be careful, he claims to have a “tool bag”.
( and Woodstock adds: “Yah, but so did Gordon Liddy and look where it got him”…. )
I like this quick reference,
https://jurassicparliament.com/first-amendment/
Two things really stick out;
• In its rules, the body may authorize the chair to make a brief response to a speaker.
• However, the right to speak and ask questions does not, in and of itself, include the right to an answer. It is important for the chair not to get involved in a back-and-forth exchange with members of the public. We all have a natural impulse to defend ourselves when attacked, but remaining calm and moving on the next item of business may be the most prudent and appropriate response.
• Members of the public may not disrupt the meeting. However, the courts have found that words alone do not constitute disruption. The body may request that speakers be courteous and refrain from profanity, personal attacks, and so on, but it cannot require them to do so.
• We advise caution in considering whether to order someone to leave. Consult your attorney and be sure that your actions are defensible under the First Amendment.
While Roberts Rules are a framework, when it comes to what constituents say at a podium, that cannot be limited, BUT, they can ASK to limit your speech but they cannot make you.
“‘jurassicparliament’?”…. “I’ve heard of the Rino Party, or Rinoes in a political party”…. “But Dino Democracy?”….. “Oh, what a minute…. Dino Democracy must be when Minneosota Republicans pretend to be South Dakota Democrats”…. 🙂
This mayor has a major issue with vanity. Can’t wait until his term is over. I’ve never met anyone as arrogant as he is. Then again, par for the course considering his arrogant Dutch Roots. (I can say that because, I too, have Dutch roots, and experienced the arrogance.)
I personally experienced a mayors ‘Tool Bag’. It involves varied unofficial harassment. It’s in the form of unsubstantiated citations or sending the police to your door with some sort of unidentified neighbor complaint. In my case they tried to freeze bank accounts without a court order. I bank out of state now where the city can’t get bank information and money is safe from local government.
You can fight city hall but it’s an 8 year process to get them into State Supreme Court. Then, you’ll win constitutionally but there’s no compensation and the court doesn’t supervise charter change.
Any enemy of the city of Sioux Falls is a friend of mine.
The ACLU stays busy with Native American issues. The best hope is that they and the FBI (contracts corruption) will some day show up locally. Meanwhile, the inside syndicate controls everything. They’ll insert a new mayor with $500k. Once elected, he’ll pardon everything and start more of the same.