BROWNSVILLE,TX- In what was surely a wind caused accident, a brand new billboard featuring “ReElect Armando Villalobos” was accidentally unveiled on Old Port Isabel Road, across the street from Treviño Funeral Home. Witness’ agreed that it must have been a accident, because no sitting elected official would blatantly violate a city ordinance that was addressed recently, especially the County prosecutor. An alternative theory was offered by a Hanna student walking home after school that it may have been done, “by some really expert taggers” who have been deprived of workspace since most of the through-town train traffic has been diverted over the past few years. Local conspiracy theorists blame the Zavaletta campaign. “I know it is Peter’s people putting all those Villalobos signs up everywhere. It is a brilliant move to make it look bad for the DA. It doesn’t affect me one way or the other, ‘cause I got my foil hat on.”, volunteered a local street figure while pushing a cart recently liberated from Wal-Mart. Efforts to locate the covering for the billboard were unproductive and the idea that it may have been deposited miles away by a highly localized sheer wind were provided by the local National Weather Service. “These things are unpredictable and are most common around election time. Most often the effects are seen in the clean removal of all campaign yard signs in a neighborhood a couple of weeks before an election.”, they further added.
“Of course I know. It is my business to know.” -The Merovingian
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Villalobos Billboard Accidentally Unveiled
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14 comments:
He was framed by Mother Nature herself.
It was the damnedest thing I ever saw! The paint, backing and lettering were completely unscathed by the assault.
M.
I just thought of something.
If a judge orders that no further violations of the ordinance take place, and they do, can the offender be jailed for contempt of court?
This race is too amusing, unfortunately I still don't have a reason to elect either as D.A.
Merovingian, did you know your clock is set two hours back on the posts? I am posting at 1:45 AM and it says I am posting at 11:45 PM. Oh well maybe it is better this way it makes me look like less of an insomniac.
did you know your clock is set two hours back on the posts?
I found it! Somehow blogger had my timezone set to pacific. I know I had set it to central, oh well.
It should be fine now.
Does the city ordinance apply to billboards, or temporary signs?
If the city allows commercial speech on billboards, I really don't see how they can restrict political speech in the same medium. On the other hand, I could see how the city can make a health and safety claim regarding the placement of temporary signs, including political signs, although I certainly agree with it.
One of the troubling effects of restricting free speech is that it gives an advantage to incumbents. That is one of the many reasons why I feel that any ordinance restricting political speech is more appropriate to a dictatorship, and than a democracy.
In my view, political signs are the wildflowers of democracy. They are a sign that the soil of society is still fertile enough to sprout fresh ideas and new beginnings.
What’s next? Is our City going to stop us from talking about the DA’s race on the blogs?
I recently put a post on my blog on this topic. The Cliff Notes version is: (1) the city ordinance excludes billboards from the time restrictions; (2) the city ordinance is an unconstitutional restriction on political speech; and (3) BOTH Villalobos and Zavaletta have yard signs in the city limits.
Unless and until a constitutional challenge is made and upheld, the ordinance is law and should be enforced like any other. To my knowledge, there has been no challenge, much less any sustaining of any challenge. The law presumes legislative bodies, like the City Commission, know the law and act in accordance with it in enacting ordinances such as the one at issue here.
Peter Zavaletta
Peter Zavaletta,
You have already filed one lawsuit on behalf of the taxpayers. Why aren't you stepping up to the plate when the City Commission does things that violate OUR freedom of speech? Do you seriously feel this does not violate OUR right to free speech?
I kind of look at it this way, and the current season is the reminder and example.
Only some semblance of tact and consumer backlash stops the retail world from pushing the Christmas Season to the day after the 4th of July. Any of us older than 40 have noticed that major retailers have been trying to push it back earlier and earlier. It is disgusting.
Elections are very important to me, but let me tell all you guys/gals running for office: YOU PERSONALLY ARE NOT ! I remember Brownsville from way back before any campaign sign rules were enforced and the city was papered with election materials from races that had been decided years before and it may have been cynical paranoia on my part, but it felt to me that as soon as someone was elected, the reelection campaign posters were up within a week.
The city was as littered with campaign crap as Matamoros still is today. It was a mess. 60 days is plenty. And let’s not forget, 10 days after is plenty, too.
Jared Hockema said...
One of the troubling effects of restricting free speech is that it gives an advantage to incumbents.
In general, true, however with regards to littering the city with campaign crap, exactly the opposite is the case, it is simply more self-horn blowing with the additional pressure afforded to incumbents to get people to litter street corners and properties with their signs earlier than potential challengers.
If people are putting up campaign signs in violation of law as a form of civil disobedience, let them proudly state so, like Gandhi did. Mealy-mouthed, “Well, they did it, too!” doesn’t cut it. It never worked for me as a kid; I still was punished for rule breaking.
Anonymous said...
Do you seriously feel this does not violate OUR right to free speech?
If you feel so strongly that it does, then you go down and file a suit. Put up or shut up.
"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian
You mentioned Matamoros. Do you know its voter turnout compared to Brownsville?
You mentioned Matamoros. Do you know its voter turnout compared to Brownsville?
Higher, but it has nothing to do with the litter.
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