Recent editorials from Alabama newspapers:
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Nov. 22
The TimesDaily on public access during the coronavirus pandemic:
One of the greatest losses of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the public’s access to local government.
Many of our city and county governments have used the pandemic as an excuse to literally shut the door to open dialogue with their constituents. They’ve done so in the name of safety, they argue. How convenient.
But honestly, the latest steps taken to exclude citizens from playing an active role in government are just an extension of trends that have unfolded for decades.
Once upon a time, government meetings were held after daily business hours, which allowed working-class residents the chance to attend. Not so any more. Most of the meetings begin at 5 p.m., which is problematic for many who don’t get off work until that time or later. But it’s more convenient for elected officials.
And lest you think that’s not part of the equation, consider the decision made just last week by the Colbert County Commission.
Commissioners voted against a proposal by new Chairwoman Tori Bailey to move the starting time for meetings to 5:30 p.m. Her fellow commissioners voted against that idea. The reason cited: Department heads who attend the meetings have already been at work a full day.
Really? Consider this point that none of the commissioners bothered to mention. Most of those department heads are salaried workers. Having to give up another 30 minutes on a meeting day isn’t much of an inconvenience for the wage benefits of a management position.
However, the meeting time aggravation pales in comparison to the purposeful steps government leaders have taken to limit public feedback to their actions and decisions.
Take the recent announcement by the Florence City Council as a prime example. Council President Dick Jordan sent out a notice last week that effective immediately, citizens who actually want to attend a council meeting can no longer take a seat inside the meeting room. You’ll be kept outside. Those who want to speak about an item on the agenda will be led into the chamber one at a time. You’ll be allowed one minute to state your case. One minute!
How gracious of city leaders to provide their constituents such a forum for feedback! Who could ask for more than 60 seconds to state their concerns?
We couldn’t help but notice the one minute rule doesn’t apply to council members. They are free to pontificate at will for as long as they want.
Better yet, their comments aren’t limited to just the agenda items. They can banter about anything they’d like. Citizens ushered before them, however, can only talk about an item that’s on the agenda. That also is an inhibitor to free speech since most agendas aren’t readily available to the general public in advance of meetings.
But why show up at all? You can’t really voice your opinions, and you can’t sit in council chambers, so just stay home and watch the rubberstamp voting live on the city’s Facebook site.
That’s the ultimate public exclusion. Government chambers are empty except for elected officials and their paid cadre of managers. They’re free to do whatever they like, without having to pause to consider what their constituents would like.
It makes you wonder just how important freedom of speech is to our elected officials.
Online: https://www.timesdaily.com/
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Nov. 19
The Decatur Daily on domestic violence:
The tragic story of the death of Kay Letson Stevens, who a jury ruled Wednesday was killed by her ex-husband Roger Stevens the day after their divorce was finalized, is a wake-up call for anyone who fails to take domestic abuse seriously.
A year before her death, Kay Stevens had petitioned the court for a protection-from-abuse order, which was denied. Evidence at trial indicated that she was the target of numerous threats before those threats turned into deadly action.
Mental health experts tell us that all the usual stressors in domestic relationships are exacerbated by the pandemic that is now raging locally and in much of the nation. Social isolation limits a woman’s ability to reach out for help, especially if she is isolated with her abuser. Financial problems stemming from the pandemic and from efforts to control it create tensions. Typical social outlets for the abuser are less feasible, leaving the abused more vulnerable.
It is a rare day since the pandemic began when at least one protection-from-abuse petition is not filed in Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone courts, and usually several are filed. From the distressingly large number of examples comes one filed in Morgan County this week.
A jealous man, according to the petition, has been threatening his wife. “He told me he’d put a bullet in (another man’s) head, have his head laying in my lap, and then put a bullet in my head as well,” the wife wrote in her petition.
Or another, also this week, also in Morgan County. The husband allegedly “cornered me in my minivan with our son in the car so we could not leave. He choked me and hit me. … (He) harassed and threatened all my friends who have tried to help me and took a 2-by-4 to my van and broke headlights and window in front of our son. … I am scared to death and I just want protection for my son and myself.”
These are just two of the hundreds of protection-from-abuse petitions filed locally this year. Each petition tells a horror story of a woman who believes her life is at risk and is stymied in her attempt to escape her abuser. And it may well be that these women are unique in that they were able to take their abusers to court and have at least some hope of receiving protection.
Now more than ever, it is essential that friends check in on those who may be a target of domestic violence. It is critical that courts and police respond quickly and aggressively to protect those who allege abuse. No doubt some such claims are spurious, an effort to get an advantage in a custody dispute or financial settlement, but many ring true.
Women who are subject to abuse must also find the courage to escape. Call 911 if you are at immediate risk. Numerous other resources are also available, including Crisis Services of North Alabama (csna.org) at 256-716-1000 or its text line at 256-722-8219. A national crisis line available 24/7 can be reached by texting 741741.
The lesson of the murder of Kay Letson Stevens is that domestic violence is real, and that it too often ends in tragedy.
Online: https://www.decaturdaily.com/
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