HomeMy WebLinkAbout01 - City Positions and Supporting a Diverse Community - Public CommentsCe�k-
July 14, 2015
Special Meeting Item No. 1
Public Comments
Members of the City Council,
My name is Thomas Badin and I am a physician in the community.
I rise in support of the right of free speech, which is guaranteed by the United
States Constitution.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press"
Councilman Scott Peotter is entitled to publicly proclaim his own personally held
views, as supported by this First Amendment.
Councilman Peotter should be free to express these views to his constituents
without fear of reprisal.
Those who want to muzzle Councilman Peotter..... are guilty of the same type of
repression that gays have suffered for so many years. We should all remember
that the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutional right to gay
marriage is a radical departure from centuries of settled law.
ALSO, we should remember that until just a few years ago, our own president,
Barak Obama, was opposed to allowing gays to marry.
The same is true of
George W. Bush,
Bill Clinton, and a
long line of U.S. presidents before them.
Therefore:
Councilman Peotter's views cannot be said to be radical or out of the
mainstream.
You may or may not agree with his personal views, but we as a community all
must stand up for his right to publicly state his views without fear of repression.
Again I repeat, you may or may not agree with his personal views, but we as a
democracy must stand up for his right to publicly state his views without fear of
reprisals.
Thank you.