The Velvet Rope
Shaking hands, conversing, and listening to concerned citizens – What do these things all have in common?
They're all activities that City Council will not be doing with us commoners.
This reorganizing of chambers and the way business is done there is part of council's mission to beef up security after the death of Kabaka Oba on the steps of city hall. Ironically, while it was a citizen that was shot coming out the front door of a regular council meeting, all of the security measures being taken are measures that will make the members of council more safe while doing little for the actual citizens.
Appropriate for any swanky downtown nightclub and apparently any democracy, the VIPs will be separated from rest of us by a velvet rope. The rope, while not likely to stop bullets or deter an assassin, will keep us in our place – now we know we're not supposed to pester those people who we voted for and are too busy representing us to talk to us.
That's not the only security precaution being taken though.
From the Enquirer:
Even the Enquirer has a sense of humor about this as we can tell by reading their headline: Finally, Council's legs protected.
A bulletproof desk, perhaps stolen from Wayne Manor, must be there in case the velvet rope, powerful as it may be, fails to thwart the would-be assassin's plan.
As for democracy, just e-mail it. You may get a response in a few days.
They're all activities that City Council will not be doing with us commoners.
This reorganizing of chambers and the way business is done there is part of council's mission to beef up security after the death of Kabaka Oba on the steps of city hall. Ironically, while it was a citizen that was shot coming out the front door of a regular council meeting, all of the security measures being taken are measures that will make the members of council more safe while doing little for the actual citizens.
Appropriate for any swanky downtown nightclub and apparently any democracy, the VIPs will be separated from rest of us by a velvet rope. The rope, while not likely to stop bullets or deter an assassin, will keep us in our place – now we know we're not supposed to pester those people who we voted for and are too busy representing us to talk to us.
That's not the only security precaution being taken though.
From the Enquirer:
Bullet-resistant paneling has been installed on front of the long desk at which the mayor, council members, city administrators and clerks sit during city council meetings. Before the paneling was installed, a drape covered their bottom halves from the desk to the floor.
Even the Enquirer has a sense of humor about this as we can tell by reading their headline: Finally, Council's legs protected.
A bulletproof desk, perhaps stolen from Wayne Manor, must be there in case the velvet rope, powerful as it may be, fails to thwart the would-be assassin's plan.
As for democracy, just e-mail it. You may get a response in a few days.
That is pretty funny...
Posted by Maureen | 1:26 PM