Video Banned by Council
| By Dave Gardner - Mar 25th, 2006 at 12:45 pm EST |
| Also listed in: COSprings Progress |
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." - Mark Twain
Members of Colorado Springs City Council offended our democratic sensibilities this week and committed a reprehensible act of oppression. Over the past several years I've observed members of this Council treat very disrespectfully citizens who dare to offer viewpoints different than theirs (or those of the wealthy special interests who got them elected). So they've successfully lowered my expectations - to the point they couldn't be much lower. This week they lived down to those expectations.
As you may know, I am one of the 36 citizens who applied to complete the term of Councilmember Richard Skorman, who left office a little over a year before his term was to expire. Each of the applicants was invited to a public meeting March 23 to make a 3:00 presentation to Council - as a sort of job interview. As it is, 3:00 seems ridiculously little time to devote to evaluating an applicant. But then we only pay these guys $6,250 per year, so it's probably too much to expect them to devote more than 1.5 hours to the process.
Unfortunately for me, I had to depart that day on a business trip I was unable to reschedule. It seemed a good solution to submit a 3:00 video clip of my presentation. I informed Council support staff earlier this week of my conflict and was informed I could, indeed, submit a videotape to be played tonight. I asked my girlfriend to run camera and we recorded my presentation Tuesday night. Being a professional filmmaker and a pretty good communicator, I elected to edit in a few graphics to help me make my points. I'm a big believer in audio-visuals. I'd much rather look at a map of Pike National Forest than my ugly mug on the big screen.
But alas, it seems fear arose in the ranks of Council when they learned of my diabolical plan to be present via video projection only. Someone, it seems, told them about the nefarious Michael Moore. They informed me yesterday, as I was putting the finishing touches to a hastily thrown together video clip, complete with subliminal messages to "appoint Dave," that I would not be allowed to submit a tape. If I did submit a tape it would not be played.
The reasoning, as explained to me both by the city staffer who drew the short straw and had to call me, and by Councilmember Jerry Heimlicher (P) (for Paleozoic) who was cowering in his office while she called, was that it would give me an unfair advantage over the other applicants who had to stand live in Council chambers, doing their best to imagine the Councilmembers naked.
I admit it would be difficult to do that and keep a straight face. However, for every advantage of presenting on tape, there is also an advantage of presenting live. Live presenters can look each Councilmember in the eye. They can gauge the mood of the room. If Council isn't laughing at their Top Ten list, they can stop at five. If Councilman Larry Small (M) (for Mesozoic) starts to snooze and slide under the desk, they can execute a wardrobe malfunction and wake everyone up.
Heimlicher was quoted in the Gazette as stating that "this is a job interview," so seeing us in person was much better than on tape. However, I was told that I could send someone to present on my behalf. So if I get this right, they're running a billion-dollar-plus organization, and they have a job candidate who cannot attend an interview. And they feel it would be better to interview one of the applicant's friends or associates than to see that candidate via videotape. Would you trust them to run your billion-dollar company?
The truth is pretty clear to see. These guys know I have my facts in order, I know what I'm talking about, and I have some communication skills. It's no secret I frequently disagree with them (they have no plan for the long-term viability of our city and I do). That makes them nervous. So they drummed up this flimsy excuse in order to censor me, to protect the thousands of citizens glued to their TV sets Thursday night watching on Channel 18 from having their minds poisoned by the truth.
Or wait…They did say submitting a video would give me an unfair advantage. Keep in mind the Councilmembers got to select the appointee. Maybe they were concerned my little film would be so compelling they'd fall all over themselves in adoration and actually select me to join them on Council! Talk about your unfair advantage. They might even nominate me for an Academy Award!
At any rate, the members of this City Council arrogantly are not interested in any new ideas. But I think the citizens of this community are, so I've posted my video on www.savethesprings.org, and I'm sharing it via email with interested citizens. Please go to the website and download it for your viewing pleasure! While you're at it, send me an email and join SaveTheSprings. It's free, so we can't afford to send you any junk mail or spam. And I'd love to hear from you.
I also ask you to do your citizenly duty and tell 50 of your closest friends. In ten days you'll begin receiving checks from Microsoft.
They say democracy dies behind closed doors. Let's not let City Council close this door.
Members of Colorado Springs City Council offended our democratic sensibilities this week and committed a reprehensible act of oppression. Over the past several years I've observed members of this Council treat very disrespectfully citizens who dare to offer viewpoints different than theirs (or those of the wealthy special interests who got them elected). So they've successfully lowered my expectations - to the point they couldn't be much lower. This week they lived down to those expectations.
As you may know, I am one of the 36 citizens who applied to complete the term of Councilmember Richard Skorman, who left office a little over a year before his term was to expire. Each of the applicants was invited to a public meeting March 23 to make a 3:00 presentation to Council - as a sort of job interview. As it is, 3:00 seems ridiculously little time to devote to evaluating an applicant. But then we only pay these guys $6,250 per year, so it's probably too much to expect them to devote more than 1.5 hours to the process.
Unfortunately for me, I had to depart that day on a business trip I was unable to reschedule. It seemed a good solution to submit a 3:00 video clip of my presentation. I informed Council support staff earlier this week of my conflict and was informed I could, indeed, submit a videotape to be played tonight. I asked my girlfriend to run camera and we recorded my presentation Tuesday night. Being a professional filmmaker and a pretty good communicator, I elected to edit in a few graphics to help me make my points. I'm a big believer in audio-visuals. I'd much rather look at a map of Pike National Forest than my ugly mug on the big screen.
But alas, it seems fear arose in the ranks of Council when they learned of my diabolical plan to be present via video projection only. Someone, it seems, told them about the nefarious Michael Moore. They informed me yesterday, as I was putting the finishing touches to a hastily thrown together video clip, complete with subliminal messages to "appoint Dave," that I would not be allowed to submit a tape. If I did submit a tape it would not be played.
The reasoning, as explained to me both by the city staffer who drew the short straw and had to call me, and by Councilmember Jerry Heimlicher (P) (for Paleozoic) who was cowering in his office while she called, was that it would give me an unfair advantage over the other applicants who had to stand live in Council chambers, doing their best to imagine the Councilmembers naked.
I admit it would be difficult to do that and keep a straight face. However, for every advantage of presenting on tape, there is also an advantage of presenting live. Live presenters can look each Councilmember in the eye. They can gauge the mood of the room. If Council isn't laughing at their Top Ten list, they can stop at five. If Councilman Larry Small (M) (for Mesozoic) starts to snooze and slide under the desk, they can execute a wardrobe malfunction and wake everyone up.
Heimlicher was quoted in the Gazette as stating that "this is a job interview," so seeing us in person was much better than on tape. However, I was told that I could send someone to present on my behalf. So if I get this right, they're running a billion-dollar-plus organization, and they have a job candidate who cannot attend an interview. And they feel it would be better to interview one of the applicant's friends or associates than to see that candidate via videotape. Would you trust them to run your billion-dollar company?
The truth is pretty clear to see. These guys know I have my facts in order, I know what I'm talking about, and I have some communication skills. It's no secret I frequently disagree with them (they have no plan for the long-term viability of our city and I do). That makes them nervous. So they drummed up this flimsy excuse in order to censor me, to protect the thousands of citizens glued to their TV sets Thursday night watching on Channel 18 from having their minds poisoned by the truth.
Or wait…They did say submitting a video would give me an unfair advantage. Keep in mind the Councilmembers got to select the appointee. Maybe they were concerned my little film would be so compelling they'd fall all over themselves in adoration and actually select me to join them on Council! Talk about your unfair advantage. They might even nominate me for an Academy Award!
At any rate, the members of this City Council arrogantly are not interested in any new ideas. But I think the citizens of this community are, so I've posted my video on www.savethesprings.org, and I'm sharing it via email with interested citizens. Please go to the website and download it for your viewing pleasure! While you're at it, send me an email and join SaveTheSprings. It's free, so we can't afford to send you any junk mail or spam. And I'd love to hear from you.
I also ask you to do your citizenly duty and tell 50 of your closest friends. In ten days you'll begin receiving checks from Microsoft.
They say democracy dies behind closed doors. Let's not let City Council close this door.
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