Power corrupts

[armedandsafe]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Ordinance threatens citizens' constitutional rights

Reported by: Katherine Johnson
Email: kjohnson@fox16.com

Updated: 7/14 1:38 pm Published: 7/13 9:38 pm

GOULD, AR - "I feel as though our city is being held hostage by the city council," said Gould Mayor Earnest Nash.

Gould, Arkansas is made up of about 850 people. 850 people the Mayor believes will soon have cause for 850 lawsuits.

"This is America and even though this is Gould, Arkansas, this is still part of America. And in America, you can't just vote and violate peoples constitutional rights," said Nash.

Monday night, the city council wrote an ordinance disbanding a citizen's group and forbidding any future groups from forming without city council approval.

The ordinance states, "No new organizations shall be allowed to exist within the city of Gould without approval from majority of the city council."

Another ordinance bans the mayor from meeting with anyone without council approval.

"To tell me that I can't travel and I can't go to meetings and I can't get the money that we need - that's ludicrous!" said the Mayor.

"In everything, you have somebody in control over it. In everything," said Council Member Sonja Farley.

Farley says no matter the group, if you discuss the city at all, the meeting must be approved by the city council.

"You couldn't just come in here and get with four people and decide you want to start an organization," said Farley. "You will go through your city council with documentation, the right paperwork and get an approval."

"To tell me as the mayor I can't meet with all of the people in this room and inform them of city business, that's ludicrous," said Nash.

The Gould Citizens Advisory Commission is banned from meeting in the ordinance. They argue this new potential law would violate their constitutional rights.

"This will not be signed," said the Mayor. "This will not be signed into law. I promise you that. If they want it signed into law, I'll repute it again. They can take me to court."

Currently, as written, the ordinance is extremely vague. Right now it encompasses boy scout troops, book clubs and even discussing city matters with your family in your own home.

The Mayor vetoed the ordinance at Monday night's meeting on a technicality but fears once it's brought up at the council's August meeting, he won't be able to stop it from becoming law.

This is what is coming nationally if we don't put a good fight. Vote in 2012.

Pops

[Hatch]

Originally Posted by armedandsafe

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.



This is what is coming nationally if we don't put a good fight. Vote in 2012.

Pops

This is only the beginning.

[permafrost]

That is the silliest thing i've seen in a while! Isn't there something about the peoples right to assemble in the US constitution. Seems the mayor and council haven't bothered to read it. They would be laughed out of any court in America. All politicians need citizen oversight. Most states have an open meeting law which forbid council meetings from being held in private.

[Hatch]

Originally Posted by permafrost

That is the silliest thing i've seen in a while! Isn't there something about the peoples right to assemble in the US constitution. Seems the mayor and council haven't bothered to read it. They would be laughed out of any court in America. All politicians need citizen oversight. Most states have an open meeting law which forbid council meetings from being held in private.

There's a really big difference between Federal law and State law, and then even local ordinances. in some cases, Federal law doesn't apply. That's how it's supposed to be. The problem is the whacko's that do things like this.

[chubcobear]

Yes, permafrost, these folks will run right smack into the "First Amendment" to the Constitution. Sounds like some big egos at play here. Have always been some cranky people in that county, some real hardheads.

[al45lc]

I don't see the concern, just live as before and dare them to do anything about it, then sue when they do. Such a law would never hold up in any real court.