To speak or not to speak was the dilemma members of the general public faced at Tuesday’s, Aug. 10, Jackson City Council meeting.
Numerous Jackson residents showed up to voice their concerns regarding a proposed ordinance by the planning committee discouraging racial and ethnic profiling and other matters during the public comments segment.
However, an argument erupted, among council members, over whether each of the residents who signed up for public comment should be allowed to address the council. According to the City Clerk’s Office, 26 individuals signed up to address the council: 13 regarding racial profiling; five regarding the wrecker service issue; six regarding a golfing issue that was not on the agenda; and two without any topic.
“All these folks have taken the time to be here,” said Ward 2 Councilman Chokwe Lumumba, who made a motion that public comments be extended another 30 minutes. The motion failed by a 4-to-3 vote.
Councilwoman Margaret Barrett Simon, who voted against the motion, addressed President Bluntson to explain her vote. “What is happening today is not what public comment is meant to be. It should be listening to the public and not listening to the council members, and constant interruptions make it very difficult for the presiding officer. For that reason, I voted with [Mr. Bluntson] on this,” she said.
Lumumba reacted to Simon’s comments without addressing the council president. “What we should be doing is allowing folks to speak. Just because you don’t like what the people are saying doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to say it,” Lumumba stressed.
Bluntson then pointed out to Lumumba that he had not been recognized to speak. “As an attorney, you should know when you’re out of order,” Bluntson, said.
“I’m not out of order,” Lumumba fired back. That exchange went back and forth until Bluntson called for a five-minute recess.
Immediate buzz was heard from the crowd going into the recess. Someone was heard saying, “this is sad, sad, sad.”
“In terms of the public comments by rule, anyone who signs up for comments should be able to speak, but the president, with the majority vote of the council, decided not to let the full public speak,” said Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes later to reporters outside of the meeting.
Many of the residents in the crowd who came to comment on the racial profiling ordinance adorned light green t-shirts imprinted with the message, “No Racial & Ethnic Profiling” on the front, and “No Tea Party” on the back.
“We are wearing these t-shirts so we can affirm that we are against all of these things that they are doing – very much against them,” Stacy Chisholm told The Mississippi Link as she was leaving City Hall. “And, these t-shirts came through the People Task Force that represents or assists City Council member Chokwe Lumunba.”
Chisholm and a number of residents filed out of council chamber after the meeting resumed and upon hearing the council’s decision to return the ordinance to the planning committee.
A public hearing on the ordinance is schedule for Thursday, Aug. 19.
Lumumba authored the anti-racial profiling ordinance. Stokes chairs the planning committee.
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