Michael Ackley: Sonora town hall was unruly, rude and idelogical, not democracy in action
Re “Politicians brave enough to attend see democracy in action” (Page 1D, Feb. 26): Your editorial Sunday seems to be parroting the chants of demonstrators at Rep. Tom McClintock’s town hall in Sonora. They shouted, “This is what democracy looks like.”
Apparently you think “democracy in action” entails marshaling your forces early to crowd out those with whom you disagree; holding up pre-printed signs to block the view of all but the like-minded; shouting down those with whom you disagree. (Among those shouted down in Sonora was McClintock himself, who frequently could not be heard over the disrupters.)
To these we should add: Arriving not to engage in dialog but to monopolize the floor with lengthy, ideological speeches. This isn’t “democracy in action,” it is what James Madison and Alexander Hamilton termed “mob-ocracy.”
“Democracy in action” should involve civilized discussion and mutual respect among those of differing views. That isn’t what occured in Sonora. However, we agree with your position that McClintock deserves credit for standing up to what amounted to bullying by the demonstrators.
Michael Ackley, Sonora
This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Michael Ackley: Sonora town hall was unruly, rude and idelogical, not democracy in action."