In his letter [“The abridged version,” Aug. 6] Mr. Wood cites a Federal Court ruling that “The City Council cannot pass rules of decorum.” If this is true, then we may need to change resolution 91-24, Sec B, Rule 5, which spells out rules of decorum for Malibu City Council meetings. This resolution was authored by then-Mayor Walter Keller and passed unanimously by that council on March 28, 1991, long before I was elected to office.
I can appreciate Mr. Wood’s concern that many in the military gave their lives to protect our First Amendment right to free speech. (Many years ago, as the widow of a marine, I became painfully aware of the sacrifices made in the name of freedom.) I can assure Mr. Wood that it was not my intention to inhibit his right to speak during “Community Comment” when I asked him to refrain from engaging in personal attacks. However, as a soldier, Mr. Wood should appreciate that when rules are established, they must be enforced equally and fairly, or abolished altogether.
If Mr. Wood feels that personal attacks are appropriate, relevant and necessary to Malibu’s public deliberations, then I suggest he petition the City Council to abolish the established rules governing public decorum.
Mayor Joan House