Voltaire once said, “I may not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
The City of Stillwater is taking a hard stance in the opposite direction. City policy states that any person or group wishing to use county property must seek permission first.
Basically, this undermines our constitutional right to freedom of speech and petition. The First Amendment reads,
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
If the U.S. Congress cannot stop us from protesting, then surely the City of Stillwater does not have the authority to do so.
For years this policy has not been enforced. Peaceful picketers held signs that read “Peace on Earth” since 2005. Only when Dr. Morton Skorodin raised a sign protesting the war did the City intervene.
Bill Deering, district 1 commissioner, quoted in the Stillwater NewsPress stated, “Your sign is a political statement. I’m not going to approve that sign being used.”
At what point did an elected official gain sovereignty over constituents? If democracy is for the people, of the people and by the people, then why does this man feel the need to tell people what they can and cannot do?
Bill Deering did not solely pay for the Court House nor does he own the land that it sits on.
The courthouse and grounds are public property. It’s a traditional public forums Anyone can and should protest if they feel any occurrence of injustice.
The Supreme Court precedent set by Lovell v. City of Griffin (1938) protects the distribution as well as the publication of news, opinions and ideas.
For shame, Stillwater. We hope you get sued.
Loading ...
All Articles
>Voltaire once said, “I may not agree >with what you have to say, but I’ll >defend to the death your right to say >it.”
Actually, Voltaire never said this–it is a commonly misattributed quote, and it’s already been pointed out on this forum within the last few months, due to a previous misattribution of the same quote, in another editorial. A simple google search will reveal the story behind this quote, and the true source.
I’m really disappointed in how lazy the City of Stillwater is in regards to trampling free speech. Much more nefarious and crafty taskmasters like the Bush Administration would merely move all war protesters to a designated Free Speech Zone located in a broom closet or maybe an abandoned coal mine.
Once again the City of Stillwater is behind the times.
Basic high school civics teaches the difference between a County government and a Municipal government. The Payne County Commissioners are reinforcing a County policy. It has nothing to do with the City of Stillwater. Bill Deering is a County Commissioner and is not a member of the City Council. You should do some research before publishing your next story, and someone should double check your facts.