July 20, 2021 - Scottsboro, Alabama - Scottsboro City Council Meeting Recordings on You Tube and Facebook-Transparency, Sunshine in Government - Jackson County Commission Meetings Info - Critical Thinking and Media Resourcing, Tools for Transparency

 

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

The City of Scottsboro, Alabama has began videoing and placing on Social Media, You Tube and Facebook, their City Council Meetings. You Tube City of Scottsboro Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnca4uius_sv4T_kvoDbErQ/videos

Facebook Link, which also contains their meeting Agenda: https://www.facebook.com/cityofscottsboro

Many Thanks to the Jackson County Commission for Their Commitment to Transparency in Government

The Jackson County Commission had began live Facebook video of their meetings earlier in the year. The video record and live showing of the Jackson County Commission meetings may be seen on Facebook at, link: https://www.facebook.com/JCCommissionAL 

Agendas and information - Agenda link: https://www.jacksoncountyal.gov/agendacenter

Information link: https://www.jacksoncountyal.gov/

 BRAVO TO THE CITY OF SCOTTSBORO

GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY 

 LET THE SUNSHINE IN

Quote by the Honorable Louis D. Brandeis, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, 1916-1939. 

"Sunlight" and quote image - Fair Use for non-profit news and discussion, courtesy of the 

Sunlight Foundation: https://sunlightfoundation.com/about/

Justice Brandeis did not have the benefits of technology as we do today, the technology of the internet, the information dissemination of social media in our world, nations states and communities of the 21st Century. "Judge Brandeis and the History of Transparency:"   https://sunlightfoundation.com/2009/05/26/brandeis-and-the-history-of-transparency/

We hear many complaints regarding the dissemination of disinformation, "fake news," on the internet's social media platforms and formal media. Disinformation and misinformation is a problem, utilize critical thinking, media referencing and resource skills to sort out disinformation and misinformation, the internet is your friendly tool to accomplish the task. 

Beware of those who would attempt to diminish the importance of information technology and the benefits of social media in the dissemination of information to you the individual in our communities. Beware of the government endorsed censor who would endeavor to remove the expression of thought and words, even that of disinformation and misinformation. --- The Tools for discovering Truth in all media formats = critical thinking, media resourcing and research: https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/digital_media_literacy_draft_v5.pdf , verbal and written expression are our personal tools; our system of Justice, our Constitution and Laws, protect our Rights of Speech and insure responsible actions, these are our individual and societal tools.

In the words of James Madison, 1822: "A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." 

April 15, 2019 Scottsboro, Alabama - Jackson County Commission Work Session - Historical Documents, Ten Commandment Displays, May Be a Dangerous Expensive Road to Travel!

Jackson County Courthouse, North Entrance photo by G. Morgan

COUNTY COMMISSION IS THIS THE ROAD YOU WANT TO TRAVEL??

Fair Use for Non-Profit News and Discussion, photo by Universal Life Church Monastery

"The right to religious freedom is guaranteed to all faiths in the United States. Obviously, Christianity remains the dominant religion – but does that mean Christians should get special treatment?"

Read more at: https://www.themonastery.org/blog/2018/04/return-of-the-ten-commandments-arkansas-replaces-embattled-statue/  More on this issue below.

AGENDA

ROADS and BRIDGES

The Jackson County Engineer, Jonathan Campbell commented that the bridge on County Road 82 is closed due to an unsafe structural support. After the meeting I asked Mr. Campbell how long he anticipated the bridge being closed, he commented unknown at this time, several weeks until repaired. County Road 93 is also closed due to slide damage, it is unknown when the repair to this road will be finalized, Mr. Campbell commented repairs will cost over a million dollars for this road.

FEEL GOOD POLITICS - Theocratic Right Wing Ideologies Instead of Sensible Leadership

Historical Documents Board was also on the agenda, item 2, an excuse for the 10 Commandment displays. An example of feel good Political Party ridiculousness before good sense. Take note of the article links listed, but I doubt if it will do any good regarding the right wing theocratic ideologues on the County Commission. The county has serious financial problems, what does the commission do, proposes to implement a Historical Documents Board as an excuse to display the Ten Commandments; this has the possibility of landing the County Commission in Federal Court costing the people of Jackson County hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more. 

BAPTIST JOINT COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Opposing Government sponsorship of Religion - "...government-sponsored Ten Commandments monuments violate government neutrality, lead to ‘desacralized’ religious texts."

https://bjconline.org/bjc-government-sponsored-ten-commandments-monuments-violate-government-neutrality-lead-to-desacralized-religious-texts/

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS with Footnotes from Cornell Law School

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-1/religious-displays-on-government-property

FREEDOM FORUM INSTITUTE

Ten Commandments and Other Displays: by the Honorable Avern L. Cohn, Senior District Judge

https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/topics/freedom-of-religion/establishment-clause-overview/ten-commandments/  and  https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/about/faq/are-religious-displays-on-public-property-such-as-ten-commandments-in-historical-documents-exhibits-legal/

VIDEO

"Gun Control" and Weapons Confiscation, a Tyrants Tool of Oppression

Remember Waco, note the U.S. Flag and the State of Alabama Flag flying on the M-60 tank. Make no mistake, the purpose of the Second Amendment is for the citizens to take arms in the prevention of such tyrannical actions of criminals and government.

 

 

A horrible picture; a picture of a burned child in the aftermath of Waco. Did this child and the other 46 innocent women and children deserve to be murdered. Where is the outrage now when agents of the United States Government murdered 46 innocent women and children at Waco Texas utilizing gas outlawed by the Geneva Conventions, military equipment in our own nation was used against BABIES? Many were infants and children under 12 years of age. There was no prosecution for the murdering of the innocents. 

Now misinformed folks want to remove the citizens right to defend themselves with semi-automatic assault weapons from tyrants in our own government and criminals? The move to confiscate weapons: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/16/feinstein-to-introduce-assault-weapons-ban-bill/comment-page-8/

Have you not seen the news crew video of armed officers beating up an old woman and citizens who were attempting to defend their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? Their homes folks, police and the military broke into their homes conducted illegal searches, assaulted citizens and stole their firearms. No prosecution for those crimes.

Here is the video

How about it, do you think this is justice in the United States of America?

The following mixed media displays make good points.

Legal Drugs resulting in school shootings. Is there a move to ban these drugs, a likely cause of psychotic behavior?

 

Death by physicians. Should we ban doctors and health care??

 

Shall we ban vehicles because idiots drive drunk or inebriated because of drugs?

 

 Commentary and quotes by famous Americans on the Right to Bear Arms, our Second Amendment.

“And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the Press, or the rights of Conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms; …”Samuel Adams

quoted in the Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer, August 20, 1789, “Propositions submitted to the Convention of this State”

 

“Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence … from the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable … the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.”George Washington

First President of the United States

 

“Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not.”Thomas Jefferson

Third President of the United States

 

“The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that … it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; … “Thomas Jefferson

letter to Justice John Cartwright, June 5, 1824

 

Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive. ---Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787).

 

The whole of that Bill [of Rights] is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals...[I]t establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of.

---Albert Gallatin to Alexander Addison, Oct 7, 1789, MS. in N.Y. Hist. Soc.-A.G. Papers, 2.

 

Saint George Tucker (1752-1828) served as a colonel in the Virginia militia, was wounded in the Revolutionary War, was a law professor at William and Mary, and later was a justice on the Virginia Supreme Court from 1804 to 1811. He was also a friend of Thomas Jefferson. In 1803 he published a five-volume edition of Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England. Some of his quotes:

 

"This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty .... The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." 

 

"If, for example, a law be passed by congress, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates, or persuasions of a man's own conscience or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to assemble peaceably, or to keep and bear arms; it would, in any of these cases, be the province of the judiciary to pronounce whether any such act were constitutional, or not; and if not, to acquit the accused from any penalty which might be annexed to the breach of such unconstitutional act."

Disappointment, Consequences and Racism

Scottsboro,  "the other side of the tracks."  photo by G. Morgan

Last night the Jackson County Voters League held their annual Political Candidate Forum. It was an eye opening experience into the realm of social justice and the dilemma of racism that plagues our community. 

Unfortunately some of the candidates did not show up,. another group that did not show up was the local press. 

Folks we have a sickness in Scottsboro, Alabama. Like a patient with cancer, ignoring our social ills, neglecting that which is part of our body will not heal the cancer. 

The cancer is not the Voters League or the African American community. The cancer is in the hearts and souls of the WHITE folks of this community who practice racism. White folks may very well be the majority, but ladies and gentleman we are not a democracy, the majority does not rule. We are a Republic where the rule of law is the realm of justice, codified in OUR Constitution, along with our unalienable rights to insure liberty. 

If you neglect part of your body, you will face the consequences. Such exists in the dilemma of our city we call home, Scottsboro, Alabama.

Scottsboro, Alabama is a good place with fine people. I know this to be a fact or I would not be writing this challenging article and saying to you, life is what we make it and we have the capability to make or break our community, to change our course of neglecting part of our community.

What's it gonna be, are we to treat all taxpayers in our community as equals or will we treat those who live on "the other side of the tracks" with cancerous neglect?

8AM update: On a local discussion forum which I frequent, a local citizen made the statement: "Sorry, but I do not understand what racism has to do with a forum that I take was poorly attended. That seems a huge leap to call it Racism." My reply: "Neglect, intentional neglect, intentional non-participation due to the fact the community on the other side of the tracks has been neglected. "

Many in the poor and minority community despise some local public officials and their historical discriminatory actions.. 

Sometimes, in small communities, the press attempts to cover-up the fact that RACISM is practiced today, that is the case in Scottsboro, Alabama. The local press, at this time in our history, attempts to suppress the cold hard facts of racism in our community.

My words are this, some public officials work very hard at making arrangements for influential members of the community and their children to receive a pass on crime, while the poor and minorities face the full brunt of the criminal justice system, this is one of those secretive facts about our quaint city which the influential do not want discussed in public. 

I'll add, facts seem to bring on the wrath of right wing extremists on the local Scottsboro forum, al.com-linked on this blog, which makes me wonder exactly what some public officials represent in Scottsboro, Alabama.