Shreveport City Council meetings have become a Wild West show with plenty of shouting, clapping, verbal taunts and other disrepectful behavior. This needs to stop before virtual anarchy becomes the norm.
The right to participate in democracy by attending meetings of government bodies and addressing concerns to elected officials is not an unrestricted privilege for disruptive behavior. By its own actions and inaction, this council has contributed to this growing pattern of socially unacceptable conduct.
In January of last year, the newly sworn in council amended its rules of procedure for citizens speaking to the council. A longstanding rule only allowed agenda items to be addressed at the beginning of the meetings. Non-agenda items could only be addressed at the end of the agenda.
The speaker rule was amended to put all speakers on any topic at the top of the agenda. This has prompted several citizens to speak at every meeting to have their three minutes of fame at a streamed meeting in prime media time.
This change also inconveniences citizens attending to be present for key council discussions and votes by adding an additional 30 to 45 minutes at the front end of the meeting. When non-agenda items could only be addressed at the end of the meetings, less media presence resulted in less speakers.
The council is now enforcing the threeminute speaker rule strictly. This was not the case last year, which led to more speakers requesting more time. Additionally, council members have become much less receptive to motions to allow additional time for speakers.
The bigger problem this year has been the language of citizens speaking to the council. Shouting, verbal taunts, many bordering on threats, and name-calling are not appropriate in any public forum, much less the city council. Rarely have these citizens been corrected during their tirades.
City marshals were hired last year to provide security to council meetings. On a few occasions, speakers and citizens have been escorted out of the chambers for inappropriate behavior.
The marshals should be used more to actively police the chamber.
Before the meeting begins, a marshal should explain the rules of decorum. Thereafter, unruly behavior by speakers or audience members should result in immediate removal from the chambers, even if the meeting must be stopped and large numbers escorted to the large area outside the chambers with the TV monitor.
Unruly behavior at council meetings is not acceptable. By default, the council should not encourage this at council meetings.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE March 13 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.