By DAVID NORLIN
Resident of Salina
Local government meetings, at their finest, are places where real issues can be hashed out, commissioners thoughtfully examine issues, well-researched staff help them arrive at decisions for all citizens’ best interests, and those same citizens have the right to be seen and heard. Ideally, it works out that way.
On Monday, May 13, however, it did not. The Salina City Commission was not at its finest. The sticky issue was, get this, proclamations.
Proclamations! For years, they and the flag salute have been standard opening exercises. Monday’s proclamations provided a good sample of the usual. Mental Health month, Police week, EMS week, public works week.
Innocuous stuff, yet important signals that the city recognizes and encourages regular people’s activities and work. These bring attention and signal the city’s support. These rituals knit the community together.
As a noted anthropologist said recently, “Depriving people of meaningful rituals can lead to disillusionment and social disengagement.” Further, “people unconsciously perceive ritual actions to cause actual changes in the world. This is why even minor changes in protocol may leave the impression of failure.”
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The stuck craw of one commissioner, however, was the source of one of the city’s most cowardly, nonsensical, and bureaucratese-laden actions in many years. The commissioner in question: Bill Longbine, now acting as mayor. The proclamation: National Pride Month. The proclamation recognized the LGBTQ community’s many contributions to the public welfare and long history of seeking full recognition as human beings with protected class status, including the right to marry, work, and live full lives without discrimination.
This commission was a leader in the state by granting those rights to LGBTQ folks. Oh, excuse me, not THIS commission. The commission of over 10 years ago.
Now, retreating from an honorable past, Longbine not only refused to sign the proclamation but walked out, accompanied by members of his fan club, so as to not be sullied with hearing the words or shaking the presenter’s hand, it would seem.
This action mirrored his last year’s response. Evidently a year has not been sufficient for him to reconsider and repent.
The city’s solution, however, was even more egregious. Longbine’s actions were long-established, grounded in prejudice and bigotry. Yet the Commission, to its everlasting shame, accommodated him.
In so doing, it removed consideration for its LGBTQ citizens. This is in stark contrast to their granting, in the same meeting, an indefinite stay of city road standard regulations for one developer. Double standards, indeed.
Here’s what it did for Longbine: It created a separate video-recorded session on the first and third off-weeks. The commission meets only twice a month since Longbine arrived, on the second and fourth Mondays. This separate session consists only of the proclamations, completely separate from regular commission action. A session available on the city website and Youtube channel, if anyone cares to dig in and find it.
Fat chance.
In short, a session essentially buried from public notice. Along with the perception that the commission is there for all its citizens.
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What is really shameful about this charade, however, is the lead-up, more-than-two-and-one-half-hour-long study session last meeting. All of it was devoted to Commission hand-wringing about Longbine’s hand-washing from any trace of LGBTQ approval.
They allowed Longbine to put them in a Long-bind. Even though the problem was met this time by having the Vice-Mayor sign off and do the proclamation, they passed it off to staff to come up with a more damaging long-term ‘solution’ to this non-existent problem.
You should watch it yourself, for entertainment or frustration, at, starting about 3 hours, 19 minutes in.
It’s worthy of a Saturday night live satire. Picture them in white wigs as barristers, seeking to put more and more lipstick on this pig. Enough lipstick spread for all citizens to see red. The City Commission could regain some honor and rescind this policy.
If you want to see this done, email them at [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications.
The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.