|
|
|
Articles
|
| Zombie noise bill back from dead |
VOICE writes, "By Arthur Delaney
The D.C. Council has revived the anti-noise legislation that it had tabled by a surprise 7-5 vote in February. It will hold a hearing on the bill May 6.
Ward 2 D.C. Council member Jack Evans, who moved to table the bill in February citing labor unions' free-speech concerns, said that since then he and Council Chairman Vincent Gray has met with various groups, including labor unions. Evans said there will be amendments to the bill to make sure it is acceptable to all parties.
Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells co-introduced the legislation with Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh on behalf of Wells’ constituents who live around 8th and H Streets NE. Wells’ constituents complained that they hear amplified preaching that includes hate speech against whites, homosexuals and other groups from a public sidewalk most Saturday afternoons.
"
|
The anti-noise bill sets decibel limits on noncommercial public speech if a "reasonable person" finds it excessive, and Evans continues to believe the bill is too narrowly written. "They just did not include the interest of the entire city on this," he said. "Tommy Wells did this for neighbors on H Street."
Evans heard from Wells’ neighbors when they staged a loud, amplified protest outside his Georgetown home before 8 a.m. on March 8. Four residents from the H Street NE area crossed town to demand that Evans allow the bill to pass and to give his neighbors a taste of what the noise is like on H Street NE. The protesters told Evans' angry neighbors to speak to their council member if they didn't like the noise.
Evans told the Voice that he does not deserve the negative attention for the bill's delay. "I made a motion to table that was supported by eight members in conjunction with the chairman," he said.
Cary Silverman, who is challenging Evans in the upcoming election for the Ward 2 council seat, lost no time in sending out a news release to claim partial credit for Evans’ "reverse course" on the noise bill. Evans “led the vote” on tabling the legislation, Silverman states in the release. He told the Voice that Evans' hesitancy to support the original legislation is a sign that he works for "special interests" instead of citizens.
"We have had situations in the District where people can't sit down and have a cup of coffee without it rattling because there are people three feet outside their house with a bullhorn," said Silverman.
Silverman is familiar with bullhorns -- not because street preachers are a huge presence in Ward 2 -- but because he used one last September to lead a community protest outside the Fun Fair porn-video store on 5th Street NW. Silverman said his brief protest would not have been excessively noisy to a "reasonable person."
Evans said Silverman is not being reasonable. "He clearly doesn't understand how government works by saying one council member can table a bill, which is really kind of shocking," said Evans, who said he himself is a careful consensus builder on the issue. "That is what leadership is on the council, as opposed to this nonsense."
David Klavitter, an H Street resident who has led the anti-noise movement and chronicled his efforts on his “Quest for Quiet” blog, was thrilled with the council's latest move.
"District of Columbia residents support speech in the public space. We simply don't want to be forced to hear it in our homes," Klavitter wrote in an e-mail to the Voice. "The council's latest action is a giant stride for all city dwellers who cherish quiet enjoyment of home."
|
Posted on Apr 25, 2008 20:39pm.
(Return)
|
|
|
|
|
Categories
|
|
|
