It’s unanimous
September 30th, 2009
The anti-torture policy will mean firing Igor
The Berkeley city council voted unanimously last night to agree to UN treaties on human rights, racial discrimination and torture. So that cell with shackles in the city hall dungeon will have to go.
Showing a small amount of sense, the work will be done by unpaid interns.
When I was called out for being too polite yesterday, I described the proposed policy was “ridiculous, a waste of time, a diversion from real issues, gestural politics at the worst”. It truly is laughable.
The other unanimous decision last night was to increase the parking fee to $1.50 an hour, and add 420 parking meters. That decision will have vastly more impact on the world.
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Why City council are you such fools and so out of touch. Maybe they feel like they have solved every problem in this city and something else to work on or they have given-up on the things that the people want clean safe streets….
Ay yi yi…it’s stuff like this that makes Berkeley a laughingstock. I’m all for human rights and all, but a local city council not only has zero effect or influence on such a thing, debating it or spending time on it actively takes time away from the stuff that our council is actually elected to do. What a massive, self-important waste of time.
I know there are some councilmembers who believe this sort of stuff. But I suspect the reason the vote is unanimous is because the others reckon they get no grief from voters for voting yes on an absurdity like this, but there are noisy opponents who will make a storm that a councilmember refused to denounce torture and discrimination.
Very sad.
@lee
I have a more cynical view. I don’t think they are “out of touch” at all. Rather, they are in touch with an important part of their base and with “Berkeley branding”.
The Peace and Justice commission is comprised of political appointees. Membership carries some prestige in some circles. Additionally membership conveys at least a little bit of political clout because the committee has liaison with staffers and council members. There has been, at times, controversy and contention over who gets appointed. All of these factors suggest that the appointment powers of the council and school board are relevant when running campaigns for election.
On top of that, there is the Berkeley branding thing. Peace and Justice fairly regularly garners Berkeley national and even international attention.
Aside from just preserving the image (myth?) of Berkeley as the ultimate progressive town in the US, that press attention also helps to convey more power and support back on the pols who make the appointments. A good example of this dynamic in action is the committee’s and council’s actions and statements in relation to the controversy about the Marine recruiting center. Council, especially the mayor, got a national platform over that issue.
None of this would necessarily be so horrible except for three things: a) as you say, it takes up council and staffer time and serves as a distraction from government dysfunction; b) the committee expresses opinions (such as in the matter of the Marines) with which large segments of the population disagree, tarnishing the reputation of the town from the perspectives of some of us; c) the political structure both keeps elected officials at arms length from the pronouncements of the committee and distributes political power in a way that favors incumbents – all while accomplishing very little that is actually productive for the city.
-t
Final paragraph in comment #4 is especially well said.