The City Council has a rule that there is no audience response to comments. No clapping, no boos. People violate this all the time (f*ck all of you who do).  Members of the public get two minutes to speak on any item.  This is their time.  But despite not allowing clapping or boos, people who sit behind speakers can display signs, make gestures, use puppetry, and make sneers and geers at the commenters in real time -- even fight for sign space with those with opposing signs!  A true clown show.  Or, literally, puppet show.

ON WHAT PLANET is this not reacting to what a commenter is saying?  --on steroids!!!  How is this not a thousand times worse than simple cheers and jeers? I started to complain about this to council maybe five years ago when two young women sat behind someone speaking and made obnoxious facial gestures and whispered to each other and laughed throughout the entire person's comment time, obviously in real-time mocking the commenter. Council did nothing.  Recently I've suggested background technology (such as Teams has) to blot-out anything behind the speaker.  Perhaps substituting the Davis clown-show with a background photo of a peaceful Japanese garden.

The anti-Beth Minooshions often post signs behind Beth when she speaks, sometimes using the infamous puppet extension of Anoosh's arm.  Awhile ago people snuck up behind a speaker to hold signs (that *was* stopped by council).  It got totally out of control at the previous CC June meeting (before the last one) when Beth starts jumping back and forth between cameras fighting to get on camera, with the two sides jockeying to get their signs in front of the other.  An issue of concern for the City is that the camera operator was clearly disfavoring Beth's signs. Beth has a way of suing government entities that show bias in allowing speech.  Don't know if this is as cut and dry as the library case, but even the appearance of bias is a dangerous thing.  To taxpayers.

I looked at the video where I sang "Committee Rise, Committee Set".  My performance, mourning lost committees, was totally ruined by the clown show in the background. There's a code amongst gangs -- at least some gangs -- you don't target those who aren't in the game. And there is code among most graffiti 'artists', that you don't tag over art. Both Beth and the Minooshions have no respect for other people's two minutes, acting like sparring seven-year-olds behind the person speaking. I and others weren't even speaking on rainbow-crosswalk related issues. Don't tag over my art, and don't conduct your clown show behind those who are not in your game

From my observations, Anoosh and Beth literally hate each other. Like I haven't seen such loathing between two semi-public Davis peoples since Greenwald vs. Asmundson. I rather dislike both of them myself, so I understand how each of them feel. Perhaps an old-fashioned duel in Central Park would be good for the City of Davis. Especially if the result were a tie  :-|

(Note:  Alan C. Miller does not condone or promote actual duels or violence of any kind.  This is a metaphor :-| )

Disembodied voice: "Hey Alan, nice job. Now both Anoosh's and Beth's followers dislike you".

Alan: "Hey disembodied voice: Yes, that's the idea. Maybe I'll get all four of my tires slashed, two from-and-on each side of my Volvo. Note to slashers: I don't drive a Volvo  :-| "

(Note:  Alan C. Miller does not condone or promote actual tire slashings or vandalism of any kind.  This is a metaphor.  I hope  :-| )

^{And now, Al's Corner Presents . . .}

A BETH BOURNE'S FACEBOOK PAGE SPECIAL REPORT

I'm not on social media.  I believe it's evil.

And I don't know anyone named Jeremy Taylor (JT). But he said stuff on Facebook. So I'll address said stuff:

JT say:  Alan had a temper tantrum at the podium last night

Definition, Temper Tantrum: "a violent outburst of anger commonly occurring between the ages of 2 and 4 and involving such behavior as screaming, kicking, biting, hitting, and head banging. The episodes are usually out of proportion to immediate provocation and sometimes regarded as an expression of accumulated tensions and frustrations."

Ok, that's fair. I'll try to be less bitey next time.

But seriously, I was hamming it up.  I knew I'd be on Beth Young Bourne's Facebook channel within 24 hours, so why not add some DRAYMA!!!   I know BYB thrives on drama, so I gave her a gift. Why? So that my message would get out to her gentle readers, whether some like it or not. And clearly JT does not.

Mostly I was reacting to the antics of the previous week behind my "Committee Rise, Committee Set" song.  Antics behind me that I was unaware of at the time; but as BYB was the one carrying on behind me this week, she got my pointy finger. Ironically, I was actually addressing the council while not looking at the council, even as they admonished me to address the council. And yes I was on this occasion going outside the chamber rules that I so gloriously defend. No apology, just admitting I did that. Purposefully.  Because the council's rules violate the council's rules -- again making my point.

JT say:  Ron Anoosh loves to do it also

As I stated at the time with my pointy finger. Doesn't matter if it's Beth or Anoosh. Beth was behind me this week as I saw beforehand what she was doing -- so she got the pointy.

JT say:  Ron Alan needs to stop being a white knight.

First of all, I'm Jewish, not 'white'. We Jews are an ethnicity you know. And if you don't know, ask two Jews. You'll get at least three different opinions on that. So at least if you're going to accuse me of knightiness, call me a Jewish Knight.

Definition -- white knight: a person or thing that comes to someone's aid.

Nope. A narcissistic, self-obsessed person is incapable of coming to someone else's aid. It was all about me.

Definition -- Jewish knight: a person or thing that comes to someone's aid, and then makes them feel guilty about it. #Pa-dum-pum#

JT say:  He’s inserting himself into things he doesn’t need to.

I can insert myself into whatever I wish, as long as it's consensual.

But seriously, who 'needs' to do anything that is spoken of during City Council comments? No one. So what's your *point* ?

JT say:  Him calling out other public commenters the way he is, is bizarre.

Calling out what public commenters? I wasn't calling out Beth's comments. Never have. I supported Beth suing the library. Not in support of many of BYB's views and especially not how she presents them, but rather for the fact that the librarian was totally out of line shutting down the speaker and the event as a government employee. I even offered to give testimony on something I witnessed, but the matter was settled so fast that didn't happen. Nothing against the trans community or their allies -- I totally support their right to protest outside at the library and I like rainbow crosswalks -- my issue is:  everyone's right to speak and protest nonviolently. The one-time I was at the library for a BYB band gig, the counter-protest outside was peaceful and they got their message across.

As for 'bizarre' ? . . . guilty, as charged.

JT say:  Ron 1) it’s allowed

"It" is not allowed . . . -ish. As when "it" reaches a certain point, the not-well-defined "it" is shut down, or the camera angle is changed. What I've been trying to point out to council is the signs in that background real estate violate their own rule on not commenting and reacting, and they need to nip this in the bid, as once the monster's foot is in the door, the monster is getting inside -- witness the last two meetings.

JT say:  2) it’s not his fight

It's not yours to define what is my fight. But in a way you are correct, in that I'll leave that fight up to Beth and Anoosh and their followers. I'm more of a transportation guy, and a stick-it-to-the-council-when-they-in-my-opinion-screw-up guy. But that was my point: don't fight behind me with signs when I'm speaking about my stuff.

JT say:  3) he calls out other public commenters for unrelated things. This is not just him calling out Beth.

Of what 'other' public commenters are you speaking of? As I said before, I was calling out BYB not as a public commenter, but as a person disrespecting my two minutes by holding up a sign about her obsession topic, and then going through signs like giant flash cards. So who else are you talking about that I 'called out' ? I'm not saying I didn't, but you give no details, just accusations, and I doubt anyone else knows what you are referring to either. So, who else? Names! Specifics! Then I'll confirm or deny and comment back at'cha.  (You are always welcome to post at Al's Corner.  Nothing will be deleted without posting a reason that sites written Al's Corner policy.)

And on a related note: why do you, JT, have a stick up your arse about me?

BYB say:  Ols Keith yes, that's my point. If others are allowed to have their signs showing behind the speakers that are pushing transgenderism, why can't I have signs that are questioning it?

Ironically, I think BYB and I are making the same general point, if from opposite poles.