Letters: Arrest in front of Massie’s child is a bad look for city
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By Morris Curry
After spending 10 days in San Tan Valley visiting grandkids, a friend sent a video of a Surprise City Council meeting that showed the mayor authorizing the arrest of a woman who was using her right to address the City Council.
What bothered me the most about this scene was not the mayor’s refusal to allow this woman to speak, I was bothered when she mentioned that her child was present and was he going to have this arrest occur with the child present in the audiences.
The mayor ignored her information about her child who could witness this event and proceeded to call a police officer.
Then you see the officer enter and under the protest of the woman the officer manhandles the woman, handcuffs her and drags her out of the chamber as you hear the child screaming as she sees this happening to her mother. And then the child running out of the chamber screaming.
As a father, a grandfather and great-grandfather to hear and see this child’s experience made tears well up in my eyes and the emotion of anger rise in my heart, seeing this child being subject to this abuse of power.
This mayor could have taken a different route. All he had to do was let the lady use her allotted time, consult with the city’s attorney in clothed session, reconvene with a verdict after council. And If necessary take action to prevent future issues that might have been contrary to city council meeting policies.
And what about the rest of the council persons whom were present? Were they in agreement? If so, the entire group should be voted out of office for this.
Morris Curry is a pastor in Vacaville, California. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
