Charlottesville’s City Council three-ring circus continued on July 17, as Mayor Michael Signer again lost control of the meeting.
This time, citizen-performers addressing Council during the meeting’s “matters by the public” segment, blatantly ignored Signer’s dictate to state their name and address for the record before beginning their remarks.
These long standing rules are codified in Charlottesville’s “Council Meeting Procedures”:
D. Matters by the Public & Public Hearings
Time shall be reserved during each regular City Council meeting for “Matters by the Public”. Public comment shall also be allowed during specific agenda items if a public hearing has been scheduled and designated on the agenda. Members of the public may request one of fifteen (15) speaking slots for the first session of Matters by the Public by e-mail, telephone, or in person with the Clerk by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting. Through this process, ten (10) slots will be allotted by email, telephone, or in person, and five (5) slots will be allotted for individuals who sign up to speak at the City Council Meeting. Individuals who wish to speak during a scheduled public hearing should provide their name and address to the Clerk of Council in accordance with the process established by Council. [emphasis added]
Of 24 individuals who approached the dais to speak under “matters,” only three fully complied with the requirement. The vast majority offered neither identifier.
One of the final citizen-performers, when asked directly to identify herself, stared defiantly at Mayor Signer and seethed, “I’m not giving you my name.”
Local government observers have taken to calling Charlottesville City Council, instead, Charlottesville Silly Clowncil. In an environment where just-about-anything goes—and rules, apparently are for fools,—that moniker works. If the tent fits, Ringmaster Signer, wear it.
Of the so many not willing to publicly divulge their own address, have to wonder what quantity of them were or would’ve been [how to put this….. gingerly yet bluntly] humiliated or compromised by it public known?
I suspect they would be ready, willing, and proud to give their info now. Everyone is justifying and finding excuses for such behavior. God Bless those who lost their life in the latest fiasco however they have become an excuse to act out in any manner the self righteous left chooses because it will be condoned and even supported. The rally was a typical example of what happens when thugs from both sides are imported from outside the area. It was a huge tactical mistake to bring in the KKK, Neo Nazis, and admitted white supremacist. I believe I understand why it happened but it was a colossal mistake. Conservatives no longer have representation in Virginia. Republican candidates are running to be elected which means appeasing Northern Virginia.
Kessler explicitly invited the violent Right. I’ve seen no evidence that the Left “imported” anyone from out of town, as opposed to interested individuals deciding to come to oppose Kessler’s evil clan. Even if they were invited, they came freely, not because they were paid, and is being claimed. That’s just a standard right-wing conspiracy theory and excuse. Until you guys firmly repudiate hate-spewers like Trump you’ll continue to lose Virginia. This is a time for both sides to look for common ground and work for consensus wherever it can be found, not to continue to pull further apart and demonize the other side. Blessed are the peacemakers.
“No Nazis”, “white privilege”, “white supremacy”! Yeah, there some common ground we can wrap out hands around. I have no idea how you justify the crap your post here other than you’re a true believer in the city council and their agenda. You’re a polar opposite of Jason Kessler who has become so obsessed in his feud with Signer, Bellamy, and Szakos that he is willing to enlist support wherever he can find it. Unlike you, I actually understand his anger and disgust although I would never have reached out to the people he enlisted. You lack the ability to even attempt to understand where he and supporters of the statue remaining in place come from. Carry on with your self righteous pathetic attempts to debate your points here by parroting time honored liberal “I’m for the poor and downtrodden” talking points so long as you vote for me.
Al, you keep debating a figment of your imagination. I’ve written that Bellamy should have resigned after his racist tweets came to light, that I favor keeping the statues in place and adding signage explaining why they were erected, that SURJ’s behavior is juvenile, self-righteous and self-indulgent, and that it’s dishonest for the Left to pretend that the KKK and other white supremacists represent the views and behavior of most conservatives. I understand that people want to be proud of their ancestors. Can you understand why many African-Americans are offended by the statue? Why should the feelings of white people take precedent over the feelings of black people, when the first so greatly wronged the second?
I’ve learned to expect silence when I ask hard questions.
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