Freedom of speech

THE ISSUE

Some complain that they are not allowed to speak what's on their minds at city council and other public meetings. Governing bodies should allow robust public comment, but the public should also tailor comments to matters local governments have influence over.

Everyone expects to be able to stand before their local governing body and make a complaint or comment, even though some authorities say that First Amendment right doesn't extend to local governments. Others say it does - or should - and that local governments have an obligation to let the public speak on any topic.

It's rare that a local government prohibits the public from speaking during meetings, though many have adopted time limits and other restrictions in a effort to keep meetings orderly and on-topic. While those limitations are mostly reasonable, sometimes officials become too restrictive.

One recent example of quashing public comment occurred during a Florence City Council meeting, during which Council President Leland Howard stopped a comment by a member of the audience about banning smoking. Howard, in a later atricle published in the TimesDaily, said the smoking ban has been discussed repeatedly for three or more years and further comment was pointless.

On this, we disagree with Mr. Howard. Whether to ban smoking in public places in Florence has been a popular topic inspiring strong opinions on both sides of the issue. The council has failed to make a decision on the matter, and recently had a 3-3 vote that prevented placing the ban on a ballot as a referendum question. The topic is far from extinguished.

Florence, the Shoals' largest city, attracts the largest number of speakers at council meetings on a regular basis. That's to be expected because Florence is also the economic center of the region and the city government's decisions are of considerable interest to many people.

But those addressing local governments have an obligation, too. Being cordial goes a long way toward getting a complaint or concern acted upon. If ever there was a place for civility, it's in government. Political discourse in this country has taken a nose dive in the past 15 years, and the partisan gridlock in Washington and Montgomery proves it. It's also important to tailor comments to local elected officials to matters they have some influence over, though that's not to say broader issues don't sometimes have a place in city halls and courthouses.

Freedom of speech is one of the most cherished rights that we, as Americans, have. Abusing that right - whether from the floor of a meeting or from the seats of power - only erodes that right.