Who decides who decides?

The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education has a decision to make; they intend to decide who decides what gets talked about at a public forum, link, (item VI).

The coward David Peercy, link, will chair. He is not a big fan of public forums; I cannot immediately recall a single meeting where he allowed the public any opportunity to be heard.

From Wednesday on; either citizens will exercise their rights to free speech and to petition their government at the public forum by speaking about whatever they chose (subject only to the limits of the law), or the government; politicians and public servants, will decide what they will listen to from the people.

The tail will wag the dog.

Government of, by, and for the people; subject to limitations created and enforced by the government, is self contradictory; it is oxymoronic.

The right to petition one's government is a constitutionally protected human right. To allow petty politicians and public servants to put limits on that right is an abomination. It is utterly indefensible.

The terms of service of politicians and public servants are the prerogative of the people. They are not the prerogative of politicians and public servants.

It is the people who decide. It is their power, their resources
and it is their prerogative to decide what will or will not be
talked about at a public forum.

The public forum belongs to the people; not to the school board and not to the administration. It is our forum.

But only for as long as we are willing to defend it.
If we really don't give a hoot, it becomes theirs by default.

If we cannot summon the will to stop this decision, it seems
unlikely that we will be able summon the will to reverse it, ever.

This might well be your last chance to stop them. It would be a shame to be almost anywhere else doing almost any thing else.




photo Mark Bralley