At minute 18:15 of this video, speaker Randy Thompson makes his case that the board should censure Doug Underhill over some comments Underhill made regarding recent marches in support of tightening gun legislation...
At the completion of Thompson's remarks, the board considered his comments and no censure of Doug Underhill occurred.
It was a good discussion about free speech and also the consequences of free speech, but we as a board were not convinced that we were the ones that needed to act to censure a colleague.
For my part I opposed a the idea of censuring my counterpart, because we are not his behavior police. I stand by that. He is free to say what he wants, and he will have to bear the consequences of his remarks--but it is a slippery slope to go down if we are to start micromanaging each others' speech at the behest of citizens who request this at our public forum meetings....
This is America, we have free speech. But even in America with our free speech rights--there are limits. If the speech reaches a level that is unacceptable, the court of public opinion and more importantly the ballot box tally will right the wrong. That is the appropriate mechanism to correct behaviors and speech of independently-elected constitutional officers.
John Denver testifies before congress on the importance of free speech in 1985
In 1985, wives of U.S. Senators attempted to censor the Music Industry because these ladies felt some of the music was offensive. One of the speakers they brought in, ostensibly to back their position and agree with censorship, was beloved and highly regarded Country-Western artist John Denver. But something interesting happened at the hearing that day. A very eloquent John Denver destroyed their arguments and stood steadfastly in opposition to censorship next to Frank Zappa, Dee Snider (of Twisted Sister) and many record company executives. So impressed was Dee Snider after that hearing, he was quoted saying "I'll Kick the S&#T out of anyone that says anything bad about John Denver" I'll never forget watching Denver's testimony that day--and it kind of reminds me of this issue.
John Denver was right then, and I am right now. In America we don't censor Art, Music, and speech. Not if we want to keep the liberty we all enjoy...
3 comments:
Everyone can't vote in D2.
Censor and Censure are two separate actions, not the same thing. I believe by your failure to put this on the agenda and up to a vote signals that you condone the continual verbal abuse to the public as unacceptable behavior of one of your peers. Perhaps you Commissioner Bergosh entertains his behavior as appropriate but why don't you put it up to a vote, civil process that citizens have asked you to do as chairman of the board please?. Then see what happens. By what authority do you deny this request? The evidence is clear. This is not merely about the comments relating to the March but has been going on during his tenure in the public sector of Escambia. It is unacceptable and needs to be discouraged. Your excuse that he will be disciplined at the ballot box is unmerited as Escambia County honors separate districts. Do you need further proof?
to the public as *acceptable behavior
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