Occasionally, we complain about a Commissioner or about Staff during public commentary. There have been a few occasions where members of the public have been asked to leave or have been escorted out of the Chamber. But if you think our right to free speech is sometimes hindered, read Willie Howard's article on what Riviera Beach just did.
Barbara Petersen, president of the nonprofit First Amendment Foundation, said the city's decorum policy seems to give elected officials broad authority over deciding what is said during the public comment period. "This is a time when the public gets to express its opinions and concerns to elected officials," Petersen said. "Does the city only want to hear what we want to say if we're praising them? It doesn't make sense to me."
No comments:
Post a Comment