Town hall turbulence

Published 1:01 pm Monday, August 17, 2009

Norman Rockwell, the iconic American artist, is known for his poignancy, detail, and accurate depiction of small-town life.

One of his paintings that I admire is called “Freedom of Speech.” It depicts a blue-collar worker standing up in a town hall, possibly posing a question or giving his opinion. What strikes me about that painting is the others surrounding him. They are mostly business men, well dressed and probably well educated. But they are all sitting down, glancing up at him and respecting the man’s right to be heard. To me, the painting depicts pride and responsibility.

In case you hadn’t noticed, this Norman Rockwell-type scene isn’t exactly what we’ve been seeing in many of the town hall events being held by lawmakers lately.

One of the great rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights is freedom of speech. It was a revolutionary idea at the time – citizens could speak up without fear of reprisal from a king or any other coercive arm of government. It is a concept that countless men and women have died for since the War for Independence, and one that Americans hold most sacred.

Freedom of speech has played an invaluable role in generating significant and important change in our country. Without it, there would have been no abolitionists fighting slavery, no Civil Rights Movement or anti-war protests.

What has become obvious in recent days about freedom of speech is that it can be done well and it can be done poorly, it can be constructive and it can be destructive. We may agree or we may disagree. In short, it can be messy. Freedom is like that at times.

In town halls around the country, the right to free speech has been on display as Americans of all stripes have come out in force to express concern about many controversial issues, healthcare reform being the hottest of the hot. And while it has been messy at times, it’s the latest manifestation of one of America’s great traditions.

Still, the behavior on display by some elected officials and some attendees is a little troubling.

Some public officials’ responses in recent town hall meetings have been snarky and ill advised. In an op-ed in USA Today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wrote, “These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called town hall protestors “evil-mongers.”

Other members of Congress have criticized people at these events based on their appearance and race, while assigning sinister motives to their behavior.

Ridiculing people who are expressing their convictions and viewpoints is risky business for politicians. While citizens should not fear reprisal for their legitimate public expression, public officials should always be a bit concerned about ballot-box reprisals driven by citizens exercising another right – the right to vote.

And even if reelection is not a concern for them, it is unseemly for members of Congress to disparage their fellow citizens. It’s fine to disagree, but not to insult.

All that being said, I think more could be accomplished at these events if not only public officials, but ordinary citizens, focused on raising the level of the public discourse.

It’s not hard to see why so many of us are outraged by a free-spending Congress that is expanding its reach into so many areas of our lives – including healthcare. Lawmakers are rushing through major legislation that they (by their own admission) have not read and raising deficit spending to record levels. Voters feel like they are being ignored and taken advantage of, and they are ready to vent.

While these emotions are easy to understand, it doesn’t change the fact that little is accomplished by disruptive outbursts, shouting down the speaker and hurling insults. If the goal is to try and change people’s minds while being heard and understood, doesn’t it make more sense to take an approach that actually guarantees you’ll be heard?

Just as public officials ought to respect the average citizen, the citizen should respect the public official – even while expressing deep disagreements.

Many public officials, through their policy positions and public statements, are giving citizens all the reason they need to show up at a town hall and register their disagreement. There is certainly a heavier burden on elected officials to be civil, and when they demean outspoken citizens they invite more of the same. But we don’t need to make it personal either. Personal insults do not advance the debate. They only make it harder to be heard. It’s something that is far too common on both sides of the political spectrum.

As we challenge government leaders, it’s best to focus on ideas. After all, one reason to speak at a town hall meeting is to change people’s minds. To do so, we have to understand the issues, including the opposing viewpoint. It’s easy to be critical, but it’s helpful to have our own ideas about what should be done (if anything), and why. Good ideas can withstand scrutiny and criticism.

Public debate is healthy and essential to our system of government. It is a hallmark of our republic. What we’ve seen in the past few weeks is public debate at its best and its worst.

Town hall meetings may not always look like a Norman Rockwell painting, but the freedom we all enjoy to speak our mind comes with a responsibility to do so in a way that we can be heard and understood.



Georgia Family Council is a non-profit research and education organization committed to fostering conditions in which individuals, families and communities thrive. For more information, go to www.georgiafamily.org, (770) 242-0001, stephen.daniels@georgiafamily.org.