City governments are generally loathe to change but after what happened last night, when a punk wearing an offensive hat, and his creepy homies were able to disrupt the Santa Ana City Council meeting to the point that it ended up being canceled, it is clear that we need to restore order at the Council’s chambers.
It actually can be done, without violating free speech, in a few easy steps:
- Station a drug-sniffing K9 officer outside the entrance to the Chambers and if he identifies someone that could be under the influence of illegal drugs or could have them on his person, then frisk him and have police officers check out his car. The miscreant will be carted off to jail if any illegal drugs are found.
- Equip police officers with hand-held metal detectors and have them check any visitors who a) don’t have business with the city (if they are at the City Council to receive an award or have business with the City then they just have to show I.D. to get in) or b) or are suspicious. Make sure that the decorum ordinance specifies that weapons are not acceptable at Council meetings unless you are a police officer.
- Develop Reserved Seating rules:
- The first two rows in the Chambers will be reserved for a) those being recognized by the Council, as well as their friends and families, b) members of the media – not including bloggers, c) anyone with business before the City or who is there to make a presentation at the Council meeting, and d) any city employees, or appointed officials or officials from other cities, the County or other public agencies.
- Anyone who is a resident of Santa Ana or who owns a business in town and has filled out a speaker card on a subject pertaining to the City Council agenda will be seated in the next two rows.
- Anyone who is not a resident of the city and does not own a business in our city will be seated in the last two rows. The last row will be dubbed the “free speech zone” and anyone with questionable attire or signs will be seated there.
- Any remaining seats will be made available to residents or business owners or anyone else who might be there to support a friend or family member who has business with the city or is being recognized. All will have to show an ID and fill out an attendance card.
- Finally the police will conduct both warrant and probation checks on everyone who attends. If someone is flagged they will be arrested and carted off to jail.
So there you go. A simple way to regain control of the City Council meetings while allowing the narcissistic, self-absorbed Occupiers and anarchists to have their free speech. Hopefully a few of them will get arrested, thinning out the pool.
so lets “not violate” any free speech rights by violating other basic constitutional laws such as racial profiling, class profiling (questionable attire could be anyone who can’t afford “nice clothes”), segregation of the “good people” at the front and “bad people” at the back”, violate a persons privacy with metal detectors that can be triggered by anything such as belts jewelry or female interior clothing, have them show ID which goes back to racial profiling specially when the only time you are required by law to show legal identification is when you are driving or when boarding a plane, and last, the police will provide warrant and probation checks without the authority of a judge……
Don’t blame me. Blame that punk in the FTP hat!
They found a weapon after the council chambers were cleared last night. It was a buck knife, but next time it could be a gun. Should we wait until someone shoots the place up before beefing up security measures?
Art and I have been calling for metal detectors at these meetings for several years now. The crowds have become more and more uncivil and recently have gotten to a point where something must be done.
How is the use of a metal detector violating anyone’s rights? Should they ban them in airports too? What about when entering federal buildings or even the OC Central Courthouse?
Big changes are coming at the Council Chambers. I guarantee that some sort of weapons search will be implemented. I’m sure law abiding citizens that conduct themselves in a civil manner won’t mind at all.
Ha Ha Ha. That’s the best one I have heard in 24 hours!
“The Mayor is corrupt” that is a good one!
Also. “U.S.A.” that is pretty damn corrupt and bankrupt also.
What about “I.S.I.S.” or “I.S.I.S.A.”?
Islamic State in Santa Ana!
Yeah Boi!
Can we wear clothes that say that ?
What about :
“Mirna is a damn sexy fox”
Is that threatening? Can we wear that?
We need to put that shirt on Theo!
If you read the Brown Act you would immediately realize that this would be highly illegal.
Please specify what part of the Brown Act you are referring to.
First and most blatantly, requiring people to give personal information as condition to attend or participate in the meeting is illegal according to the Brown Act.
That’s ridiculous. So wanted serial killers can attend such meetings without fear of repercussion? Give me a break.
The only thing ridiculous here is your wild hypothetical situation where a wanted serial killer attends city council meetings that are guarded by the police. Sounds like an SNL skit, maybe you should quit blogging and get into writing comedy. Spend 3 minutes reading a cheat sheet on the Brown Act then maybe you can actually make your “ordinance” constitutional.
I doubt that the legislative intent of the Brown Act was to allow criminals to attend public meetings.
CONDITIONS TO ATTENDANCE: Public may not be asked to register or identify themselves or to 54953.3; Ch. V pay fees in order to attend public meetings. 54961
PUBLIC SECURITY: A body may meet with law enforcement or security personnel 54957 Ch. VI concerning the security of public buildings and services.