I recall the first RAMSEY3 meeting at the new oppulent over-built City Hall, Alexander Ramsey Room, where Sarah Strommen stood up at the beginning, and praised the building and how the meeting rooms are available as a community asset, for citizen groups such as the RAMSEY3 organizers to hold sessions. At the time I was offended because any praise for that costly building WE never had a referendum chance to vote on offends me greatly. I would have voted against it. I believe the citizens would have voted it down. I believe Gamec, Norman, Elvig - that whole crowd knew that - or felt the same way and hence there was no official thought of ever having a referendum. That building was a cram down. Pure and simple.
But a meeting place for citizens. Okay. It's there. The thing got built. You cannot fight continuously against a finished item, no matter how you'd have liked to have scuttled it along the way.
So. Citizens can get together and hold a meeting. That's a nice enough idea.
It does not have to be an official thing. Stormmen said so. Nor approved paternalistically. By some official or an official body. Citizens are paying and will be paying for years for the cost of that ediface, and at least the officials who did the cram down recognize citizen usage is a good PR thing. They do realize that, don't they?
The RAMSEY3 people did not meet that way initially because the building was not available to them. It got built. Now they meet there. Official sponsorships or official ties are not required or demanded or expected. Are they?
NOW ANOTHER GROUP OF CITIZENS WILL BE MEETING THERE TOMORROW.
AND THE CITY SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HARASS, HINDER OR DELAY THAT.
IT WOULD BE AN ACT OF EXTREME HUBRIS AND IGNORANCE TO OPPOSE CITIZENS DOING WHAT, EXACTLY WHAT THE RAMSEY3 INITIATORS DID AT THE START OF THEIR EFFORTS - NAMELY, GETTING TOGETHER FOR DISCUSSIONS TO SEE WHERE CONSENSUS MIGHT EXIST. WITHOUT THAT, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? BODIES OF GOVERNMENT TELLING US WHAT WE WANT? PROPAGANDA?
NO BODY OF GOVERNMENT IN THIS NATION SHOULD BE SO STUPID AS TO OPPOSE CITIZEN ACTIVISM, SHOULD THEY? INDIVIDUALS SHOULD WELCOME IT FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST THEMSELVES AND THEIR COHORTS HOLDING LIKE-MINDED VIEWS.
BOTTOM LINE: CITIZENS STANDING UP IS WHAT OUR NATIONHOOD IS BASED ON - IF NOT FOR THAT WE WOULD ALL STILL BE SINGING "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN." WE WOULD NOT HAVE STATES, AND HENCE NO STATE MOTTOS SUCH AS "DON'T TREAD ON ME," AND "LIVE FREE OR DIE."