Remarks To Houston Council About Mayor Whitmire's Anti-First Amendment Ordinance

I spoke today before Houston City Council about Mayor Whitmire's anti-First Amendment ordinance.

I prepared my remarks for three minutes which is what I signed up for. Mayor Whitmire said there were so many speakers that everyone was limited to one minute. It was good that were so many people signed up to speak. 

Here are my full three minute remarks:

Mayor Whitmire has proposed Council approve significant restrictions on the rights of Houstonians to protest and hold elected officials accountable. Council must reject this attack on the First Amendment and freedom.

The spur for the ordinance is personal grievance. Mayor Whitmire is mad about a specific group protesting at his home. Score-settling is no way to make law. 

The ordinance says a person can be cited or arrested for protesting in front of a specific home “with or without signs.” How can the intentions of a person without a sign be known? 

Because of Texas law, this ordinance would mean someone could walk down a residential street with an AR-15, but could not stand outside an elected official's home in peaceful protest. 

Democrats on Council ask us to volunteer and block walk in 100 degree heat with stray dogs at our heels. But not too much democracy please. We might be inconvenienced or      frightened. I’m supposed to volunteer for you so you can take my rights away?    

Republicans trumpet the endorsement of the Kingwood Tea Party. I assure you that folks back in Tea Party times in Colonial Boston went to the homes of the authorities.   

But the deeper thing is that its us who need protection from you. You’re the ones who’ve   navigated systems that have brought us the edge of authoritarian outcomes and mass migrant round-ups, to reach the important position of Houston City Councilmember. You didn’t navigate these systems to take risks for us.         

Doesn't chronically low municipal election turnout, special interest campaign funding & the endorsement of law enforcement unions that support traitors like Ted Cruz, sufficiently insulate you all from the public?       

Who’s the danger here? The six Council Republicans --until they say publicly otherwise-- support a sexual assaulting, felon who promises violence if he loses and dictatorship if he wins, for President. That sure is extremism. Who’s the danger? Don’t look out here--Look at the Councilmember sitting next to you.   

At core this ordinance is a threat from elected officials to the public. Ted Cruz can support insurrection, but don’t you stand outside his house with a sign. Councilmembers can work for election of Republicans who would take our democracy, but don’t bug them outside office hours. Democrats say it’s about democracy. Just not on my street. 

Don’t like it? Tell it to the officer here.    

These systems you all prosper from from sent my dad to the Korean War as a combat medic to his lifelong detriment. All he ever told me about that war was the shared humanity of American, Chinese and Korean soldiers and civilians. 

You sit here in positions of privilege, protected by legions of cops, but still no safer than any of us from the threats of the political right--But instead of rising to the occasion like my father did, you cower from the public, from the Constitution and the duty you signed up for, when you chose to run for public office knowing full well the political realities of this moment. 

If you’re afraid, then quit. Let us find officials who are up to the challenge of protecting the public and standing strong for democracy.    

I've also written a letter to each Councilmember about this wrongful ordinance.  Here is the letter. 

Here is a story on the ordinance from the Houston Landing.  

Here is the ordinance. Click on the bottom left where it says "Redline"

 Here is how to speak at Houston City Council. 

Here is contact information for members of Houston City Council.  Your voice matters. 

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