In high school, I’d announce “Assembly” and my English class would erupt in cheers. Cheering was expected. Games were clear-cut battles: someone wins, someone loses. Effigies were permitted and approved. OK to name-call. We learned to hate our enemy.
I should have talked about the boring business of running a school district or city. The goal is deciding on the common good. People we elect to represent and lead us are not meant to be cheered. Their job is to collect information and ideas in order to decide what is best for the city’s safety, health and education goals.
Municipal assemblies are not opportunities for rallies, name-calling and making sport of our representatives. If the representative is doing a legitimate job of deliberation, don’t recall her. Contribute your ideas and your community values you want to see included.
— Jim Hanlon
Anchorage
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