WALKER, BHA BOARD MEMBER, DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

We notice where local architect and Brownsville Historical Association board member Calvin Walker complains in a letter to the local daily about having to "endure political signage for three or more months."

He complains that the signs clutter the landscape at seemingly every intersection and wants an ordinance restricting the signage to four weeks - three weeks before election and one week to remove them, except for runoffs.

It's funny how Walker complains of seeing the signs for three or four months, which he does not want. But has he ever thought that the residents of E. Fronton Street must live with the unwanted signage in the name of McNair Family Drive on every corner of their historic street from now on for the rest of time?

As a member of the BHA - where former city commissioner Harry McNair also serves to "preserve" local history - he might have spoken out against changing the name enshrining his colleague's family. But he didn't.

Political signage is put up by aspiring candidates seeking to represent the voters in their respective offices. They are in full exercise of their constitutional rights in a democracy. Democracy, Calvin, is messy sometimes, but would we want any other system?

While we're discussing this thing called democracy, let's review what kind of constitutional representation was granted the residents of E. Fronton where the city commission voted to change to McNair Family Drive.

They followed all the rules.

They gathered petitions, submitted the signatures to the proper officials, attended the meetings to make their feelings known in the proper forum, and expected their elected officials to represent the wishes of the majority.

And what did they get?

Betrayed. And so were we who elected the city commissioners to appoint members of the BHA to preserve our history, and not to glorify themselves or their kin.

The road is open for you to lobby the same majority on the city commission to pass an ordinance limiting political signage. Since it will probably be supported by the likes of your colleague  McNair to limit democratic expression, it might find a sympathetic audience on the majority of the city commission with whom they seem to agree.

Bu then again, maybe it's just me.