Eye on the Town

As just about everyone knows this week marks the fifth anniversary – strange concept in this case – of the war in Iraq. About 140 people gathered on the Plaza to acknowledge this devastating, stupid, illegal, immoral and totally unnecessary blunder. Most of us know by now whom the murderous miscreants were who are responsible for this disaster, and the real reasons why we’re in this mess today. Astoundingly there are some who still support this mad adventure that has proved so profitable for the war-mongering industries and the oil companies. One of them is even running for president. Don’t look now Alice, but we’re about to drop into hundred-year-deep hole if this Mad-hatter gets his hands on the wheel of state.

Back on the Plaza home front the vigil proved a successful gathering – protest signs a-waving, car horns beeping in approval, and a general congeniality and solidarity among the throng. There was even a bit of street theater provided by longtime activist and anti-war stalwart Mike Smith. Mike decided to call attention to the war and occupation that has cost so many lives and so much treasure – estimates range in the trillions – and from which repercussions will be felt for decades. Bush and Cheney and the other principals responsible for this deadly insanity have burdened our children, grandchildren and generations to come with a debt load that may never be repaid. It is only now with the nation’s economy going into a recession that may last for years that the results of this war are coming home to roost.

So Mike decided to make a statement and deliberately get himself arrested in a minor act of civil disobedience. Yes, this can be considered a token gesture and its efficacy can be questioned. But symbolic or not it’s not an easy thing to do and not without some risk. No one else joined in this symbolic action including this reporter. I did accompany Mike’s legal observer, Betty Ann Spencer, to the local police station that held Mike for about a half hour, cited him, and let him go. He rejoined the vigil. Anyone who thinks it’s easy to take a principled stand, get arrested and handcuffed by 4-5 burly policemen, and taken in a squad car to sit alone in police custody should try it sometime. Token or symbolic gesture, it takes guts.

Mike had prepared a statement as to why he was taking this action, which says in part: “I am committing civil disobedience and bearing moral witness in the tradition of Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr., by breaking a law of our government [blocking the flow of traffic]. I am acting out of love and compassion for the members of our armed forces; my sorrow for the suffering of the people of Iraq; my respect for our Constitution, and love of my country.” *Editor’s note: Mike’s full statement can be seen at the end of this column.
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Town follies

There are certain personalities that exude a kind of arrogance not based on any particular accomplishment, achievement or outstanding personal characteristic This was the defining demeanor of a member of the public who mouthed a distasteful little sermon at last Wednesday’s council meeting. The perpetrator’s name is irrelevant as is the man himself – an individual of absolutely no standing or significance in this community who used his 3-minutes for public comments to attack City Councilman Ken Brown on purely personal, completely unsubstantial grounds. The man’s comments did not address any issue, large or small, that has come before the council or is a matter of interest to the public at large. Nothing, zero, zilch was uttered critical of the policies, procedures, programs or services of the City Council, or anything within the jurisdiction of that political agency. Just a personal attack about clothing style, personal “grooming”, and a perceived attitude of the councilman toward other than his constituents. And in cowardly fashion the speaker left the room before hearing any response from the council.

And here is where it really gets interesting. Instead of nailing this guy, who didn’t even have the guts to state his full name, Mayor Joann Sanders let him rattle on, and said absolutely nothing. Not a word of admonition that this was a purely personal, ad hominen attack related to no council business whatsoever, or that protocol requires all public pronouncements to be directed to the sitting mayor, not to individual council members or city staff. No, the mayor sat dumb, inscrutably silent; never objecting to the personally insulting remarks or cautioning the speaker that he was way, way out of line.

In point of fact, Robert’s Rules of Order, which is the protocol employed by the council, states: “All remarks must be directed to the Chair [in this case the mayor]. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment – avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives!”

Now it’s true that there is practically no matter within the realm of city business and affairs that members of the public cannot address, but no city council will entertain vicious, personal attacks of its members or other members of the public. In over 20 years of council watching I’ve never seen anything like this allowed or brooked. But Mayor Sanders sat mute, and in fact let the speaker go over the allotted 3-minutes, and at the conclusion thanked him for his remarks – yes, you heard that right – and without a word went on to the next speaker.

Amazing, and not in any grace-ful way.

Perhaps the mayor let this verbal mugging go on because the man was ostensibly coming to her defense because she’d received a lousy grade in environmental conservation and public accessibility by Sonoma County Conservation Action (SCCA), which has been grading all the city councils, and the board of supervisors in Sonoma County for many years on these criteria. It’s not possible to divine Ms. Sander’s thinking or reasoning as to why she let her pathetic paladin get away with dumping on Brown, and all his constituents to boot, but it speaks volumes as to her fitness and capabilities as a city council person. You see, the speaker had couched his assault on Brown by “grading” his strictly personal characteristics.

Just as she irresponsibly, irrationally and unilaterally launched into an annexation of the Springs, Sanders showed the same lack of deliberate thought, careful consideration and measured judgment in dealing with an outlandish situation. This and other such actions on her part calls into question her ability to function in a political system that at minimum requires the capacity to see beyond one’s ego and personal ambitions.

When it came time for council comments three members, not including Brown, voiced their displeasure about the public speaker’s comments, but Mayor Sanders had no words of redress or admonishment to offer. Brown, in a show of remarkable restraint, did not dignify the personal attack with a reply.

In light of full disclosure: I’m a friend of Ken Brown’s and have been for 20+ years, but I’d write the same about any council member who was attacked in this craven manner, like him/her or not. I think that those who know me, friend or (political) foe, would back that up. A sizeable majority has elected Ken Brown for three terms. I believe that anyone who knows him will agree that he’s one of the most accessible politicians Sonoma has ever had – to any and all, liberal or conservative – often to the dismay of some of the more hard-nosed liberals like me.
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*WHY CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE - MIKE SMITH

“LAST WEEKEND AT THE "WINTER SOLDIER" GATHERING IN MARYLAND VETERANS OF THE IRAQ OCCUPATION TESTIFIED OVER THREE DAYS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THE MILITARY AND SERVING IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.

IN 1971 VIET NAM VETERANS TESTIFIED IN THE FIRST "WINTER SOLDIER" CONVENTION ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN VIET NAM. IN THE SUBSEQUENT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING VIET NAM VETERAN JOHN KERRY ASKED HIS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES..."WHO WILL BE THE LAST TO DIE FOR A MISTAKE?". THE VIET NAM WAR WENT ON FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS!

FIVE YEARS AGO, MANY OF US STOOD ON THIS PLAZA PROTESTING THE START OF THE IRAG INVASION. I JOINED 18 OTHER SONOMANS IN A SYMBOLIC ACT OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AGAINST THE BEGINNING OF OUR GOVERNMENT’S ILLEGAL, IMMORAL, AND UNJUST WAR.

FIVE YEARS LATER ALMOST 4,000 MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED SERVICES HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES, THOUSAND MORE HAVE BEEN MAIMED AND CRIPPLED AND OVER ONE MILLION CITIZENS OF IRAQ HAVE DIED. OUR ECONOMY IS IN RUINS. OUR PEOPLE LACK JOBS, HOUSING, HEALTH CARE, AFFORDABLE EDUCATION, AND A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. GEORGE BUSH AND DICK CHENEY HAVE NOT BEEN IMPEACHED FOR THEIR LIES, ILLEGAL ACTS, AND ASSAULTS ON OUR CONSTITUTION.
I AM COMMITTING CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND BEARING MORAL WITNESS IN THE TRADITION OF THOREAU, GHANDI, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., BY BREAKING A LAW OF OUR GOVERNMENT. I AM ACTING OUT OF LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR THE MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES; MY SORROW FOR THE SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ; MY RESPECT FOR OUR CONSTITUTION; AND LOVE OF MY COUNTRY.

I AM ALSO CALLING FOR THE THREE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO IMMEDIATELY CALL FOR A CONGRESSIONAL "WINTER SOLDIERS" HEARING TO TAKE DIRECT TESTIMONY FROM THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE TRUTH OF THE IRAQ WAR.”