For the first time in a long time I attended a Pinole City Council Meeting last night and it appears little has changed. A council member left the dais and spoke from the podium during the citizens to be heard segment of the meeting. This was an obvious attempt to disassociate the member from the council in order to take a biased political stance in the current city council election and to deliver a slur aimed at the candidates who that member does not support. The Council Member should have spoke from the dais seat instead, as a council member or should not have raised this implication at all, it's pure and unsubstantiated speculation. The slur, directed at the three candidates not supported by this member, was "All the questions they're being asked by individuals are probably questions that they've already developed the answers to."
What I saw during this maneuver was a City Council Member donning the "NOT AS" hat again and that has prompted me to re-post the article I posted in the Patch on April 27, 2012 titled "Hats Off ! To City Council". Here's the post:
(from April 27, 2012)
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As members of our society, all of us "are" a lot of things. Myself for example, I am a "taxpayer". I am also a "father", a "citizen", a "A longtime resident of Pinole", a "union member", a "voter", a "mechanic", etc...etc...etc. I am always all of these things, 24-7, and more in some other people's opinions.
If and when, I speak at city council meetings, I speak as me. If I introduce myself as any of the things I am, that doesn't mean I am not any of the other things I am. I am always all of these other things too. If I am a member of anything, then I am always a member, 24-7, unless I withdraw, resign or my membership is severed in some way.
If someone speaking at a city council meeting says, "I am not
speaking as a commissioner, or "not as a councilman", or "not as a
member of the CCOP", then this is an attempt to disassociate themselves
with what they "are" 24-7.
If hats were worn for what we are, everyone would need an array of hats, or just one hat that says, "ME". Some people have special hats donned at Pinole city council meetings. These hats are the "Not As" hats.
I ask this, If someone states that they are not what they are 24-7, is this misleading the public?
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My opinion is, YES, most definitely. They say this to try to separate
their opinions and values expressed in public, from their performance
as a commissioner, councilman, committeeman or whatever. For example, if
a commissioner speaks at a council meeting but puts on the "Not As" hat, you must understand that this person "is" a commissioner, 24-7,
and that persons opinions and values expressed in public are still the
same when they are acting as a commissioner. Plain and simple.
This may be the reason why our city council asks speakers to take their hats off when they speak to the council, so "you" can speak as "you".
Remember, speak responsibly. Take responsibility for all of your opinions, actions and your associations.
Sincerely,
Allen Dorsey