So, we’ve voted on the Mayor’s plans for Halloween. Austin King and I voted against the final piece last night with the rest of the Council voting in favor (Sanborn, Thomas and Cnare absent).
I thought I’d take some time to explain my vote (before others to it for me).
Given that we haven’t had serious injuries or property damage in recent years and we are moving in a positive way away from the troubles we had been having, I don’t think we need to take such drastic measures. And by drastic measures, I mean confining people’s civil liberties. i.e. blocking off access to a public street. I don’t believe someone should have to pay $5 to get on to State St. to go get a gyro. I was even more appalled when city staff suggested that if you had a ticket to go to the an event at the Overture the security people could use their discretion and ask you not to pay. Yet, if you were on your way home from the hockey game you would need to walk several blocks out of your way to cross State St. (That’s a whole other topic about why people who go to the Overture Center could get privileges that people who live downtown wouldn’t have.) This is still America, these are still our public streets and we shouldn’t be required to pay $5 to use them. I believe our jobs on the council are to balance the competing interests and here, we have an improving situation that doesn’t need to impose on the civil liberties of the citzens of Madison. In this case, I don’t believe the case has been made that imposing on people’s civil liberties is necessary and I don’t find it appropriate.
Last night, I didn’t trot out the quotes of our forefathers, but they are worthy of mentioning here:
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations. ~James Madison, speech, Virginia Convention, 1788
Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. ~Abraham Lincoln
I’m proud of my vote last night in defending our civil liberties, cuz when its all said in done . . .
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. ~Thomas Paine
I wish everyone the best of luck on Halloween weekend. I hope this plan works. I have severe reservations because whenever you start putting up roadblocks and pushing people around, they tend to push back. A fence represents a challange to authority to rip it down. Clearing the street at bartime provides the opportunity for resistance. Letting the party die down on its own accord and not providing interest in hanging out to see when the police will start pepperspraying would be a much better plan. It takes two to tango . . . and we’re creating part of the problem. I hope by providing private security as opposed to police officers some of this anti-authority sentiment will be missing from the event and that the private security will use a soft touch and not be drunk with power. And most of all, I hope I am wrong that this year will end the same way as the last few.
p.s. Sorry I was out of the blogosphere for a few weeks, I had a recent death in my family, but I should be back now after I’ve had a chance to catch up on a few things.
