Posted on 04/11/2003 11:22:58 AM PDT by honeygrl
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A California city councilwoman who sought to encourage civility in public discourse by calling for an end to offensive body language said on Thursday that she has received piles of hate mail. "I've been receiving hate mail from all over the world," said Palo Alto Councilwoman Judy Kleinberg, who headed the committee that drafted the rules encouraging more politeness. "I've been called a Nazi."
"I've been told I need to be in a straight jacket with a bag over my head."
The city council in the Silicon Valley town was hoping to improve civility in the town's political debates and make it less intimidating for the public to address the group.
"Do not use body language or other nonverbal methods of expression, disagreement or disgust," one of the proposed conduct rules reads.
"People feel we were treading on the First Amendment and we aren't," Kleinberg said in an interview. "There is no ban, we are not outlawing any expression."
"We were considering a way to promote more open and free debate by discouraging, and that's a pretty important word, discouraging, not prohibiting, intimidating body expressions."
After all the publicity about the rules, the councilwoman said the measure is unlikely to pass and said she herself may vote against it.
"After all the publicity about the rules, the councilwoman said the measure is unlikely to pass and said she herself may vote against it."
So what's the point? How useless can a governing body be? [rhetorical question ;)]
She should form a comedy team with Baghdad Bob. This could be part of the routine.
Meet Your Mayor & City Council
|
|
PERSONAL
Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut
Raised: Providence, Rhode Island
Palo Alto resident since 1984
OCCUPATION
Attorney at Law
EDUCATION
BA, University of Michigan; JD, Boalt Hall, University of California, Berkeley
Do I understand this right?
Apparently it was the council members who were using the "offensive body language"...
That would certainly insure that she didn't break her own rule.
Hey, you're in the center of the cereal bowl, surrounded by fruits, flakes and nuts. You people threw away the rules and guidelines for civility years ago. Don't be surprised when your children revolt against having to live within your "guidelines". You reap what you sow.
Well, Bill Clinton's sycophants ejected a Willie Nelson fan for using body language at a birthday bash.
"I've been told I need to be in a straight jacket with a bag over my head."
She is a smarmy looking cow, sort of reminiscent of Tipper Gore:
Strictly speaking, I believe that was digital communication. :-D
Sure, but they'd have exempted themselves from their own requirement. But as an attorney, she has a bigger problem:
"People feel we were treading on the First Amendment and we aren't," Kleinberg said in an interview. "There is no ban, we are not outlawing any expression.""We were considering a way to promote more open and free debate by discouraging, and that's a pretty important word, discouraging, not prohibiting, intimidating body expressions."
This is why they're REALLY dropping her *great idea* like a hot potato. I also suspect some other lawyer has filed a complaint with the local bar association's disciplinary committee, or with the California state ethics Ccommission, since she has a duty *to avoid even the appearance of impropriety as an attorney and elected official:
United States Code, Title 18, U.S. Criminal Code, Section 242:
Deprivation of rights under color of law:
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or ,if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
You reckon they have an armed bailiff or city cop at those Council meetings?
Title 18, United States Code, U.S. Criminal Code, Section 241.
Conspiracy against rights:
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; or If two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured - They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
And that would constitute a felony conviction leaving her ineligible to either hold elected office or practice law in the State of California....
-archy-/-
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JUDY KLEINBERG