Today I have lost my voice, but not my resolve…
October 1, 2009 – 7:32 pmToday was a sad day for me. I went to a council meeting, to participate in the due process of my local government, only to find that I had no voice in that hallowed chamber.
I was forced to sit mute while others decided issues that affect me and many others directly without any apparent regard for the legitimate concerns that were voiced.
At the heart of the issue was the approval of the proposed site plan for a large Islamic center to be built in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood. Just the show of hands from close to 100 people against the approval of the proposed site plan, the very people whom you are sworn to serve in your capacity as a district representative, should have been enough to give you pause.
But it didn’t.
Instead, after a mere 11 minutes you refused a request for more time, and closed the public portion of the hearing, citing more important issues that need the attention of the commissioners time.
Contrary to the wishes of the very people that you serve, the people whose votes elevated you to that lofty position, you did not choose to listen to us.
Contrary to our reasonable request that you take a moment to pause, and look into the many concerns of the impact that the increased traffic such a large center will have on our rural roads, you chose not to even take a moment to discuss it.
Even though we did manage to voice our concern for the safety of our children and the other residents who walk on these roads for lack of public sidewalks, you assuaged us not.
We sat and watched as our duly elected Board of Commissioners instead focused their discussion on sewers and easements, and then unanimously vote to let this project go ahead.
Fortunately, like a bout of laryngitis, I may not have been heard today but I will be heard tomorrow and every day after until election day, as I remind the people around me that when you had that chance to hear us, you turned a deaf ear.
I sent somthing similar to each of the commissioners, and to the local Forsyth County paper, but thought that I would post something here as well, and invite anyone who may read this to feel free to contact them to remind them that they cannot serve the people if they do not hear the people…
http://www.forsythco.org/department.asp?DeptID=31
5 Responses to “Today I have lost my voice, but not my resolve…”
The arrogance of some (many? most?) elected officials is common. Many such are of a mindset, not that they represent you, but that they *know what’s good for you*.
Your solution is the ideal one. Reward their arrogance with electoral defeat
By Nik on Oct 2, 2009
Noticed the guy that lost his voice did not leave a name either ,,, does he / she know what “Jurisdiction” means … That GA council is a normal mind programmed council that exist all over the U S of A ,,,so what are you going to do about it ??? if you don’t have a “Law” Dictionary to find out that “Jurisdiction” DOES NOT MEAN Venue… Charles
By Charles on Oct 3, 2009
Keep at them. They may not listen – now – but you may connect with enough like-minded souls to be able to get their notice later on. We stopped an airport land-grab under the rubric of ‘eminent domain’ by packing every meeting the City Council held, by having questions ready that they couldn’t answer, by picketing City Hall, and in general by making it known that a large number of citizens were mightily unhappy. Even if you don’t succeed, you have the satisfaction of having fought.
By ssgconway on Oct 4, 2009
Charles, are you really Ray Charles? I ask because Because I don’t think you could see what I was saying…
I did state that I was taking action, and that this post was an invitation to let these local politicians know that they have failed in their duty.
I am not sure what you reference to jurisdiction and venue have to do with this post either.
Just an update:
I received a message back from one of the Council members, who told me that he felt that he “had no choice” but to agree because he felt that there was no legal reason to oppose it, even though he had reservations about the project.
I have since responded to him to remind him that he should have used his position to openly discuss his own reservations, ans well as addressing the issues that were brought up by the local citizens.
I also chastised him for not asking for a continuance on the issue until the next board meeting to have a chance to address these concerns.
By RestlessKnight on Oct 5, 2009