Per Dragnet – Just The Facts

Sometimes I feel that I am going through life on one of those treadmills, always on the move, never stopping yet always ending up in the same place. Last evening I viewed one concept of democracy in action. It was election night and anyone who had been a member for the association for twenty days could vote without even attending ONE meeting–so much for an informed audience. A group of people (90%+ women) whom I hadn’t seen in the last year if ever, filled the room. I made a request from the floor that all candidates be allowed to speak and explain why they felt they would be good candidates.

Request granted, the election process began. When the first of two nominees for president stood up and began to express how he was dissatisfied with how things were being done, the New Jersey PTA Vice President tried to shut him up. And here I thought in America we are granted the freedom of speech. Foolish me to believe in one’s civil rights…. He continued on. The woman directed the floor not to listen to him. Just what was she afraid he would say? He spoke again and announced that because this is how things are run that he was withdrawing. Too bad that some are threatened by dissension. History shows that our founders did just that.