Editor:

    On March 26th the city council of South Portland in
good faith passed resolve #8-06/07 allowing the placement of yellow
ribbons throughout the city from March 27th through April 27th as a
memorial statement for the tragic loss of two of its sons on the
battlefields of Iraq. This gracious and fitting decision set aside city
ordinance sec. 17-37 that prohibits placement of any of such matter.
The memorial period passed and the ribbons remained up, grew in volume,
and where maintained and replaced regularly. How could this be? 
Had the city council extended the period without citizen involvement?

    In early July I emailed Mayor [Claude] Morgan, city
attorney Mary Kahl, city clerk Susan Mooney, and finally acting city
manager James Gailey to ask why the ribbons where still up. In each
instance I was met with a confusing, unclear, and limited response to
my questions. In the first series of emails I was told that the city
was working to have the ribbons removed by offering a mysterious plan
that involved negotiations with the small group to establish a
permanent memorial on city land.  I was asked to be patient and
that the last thing our city representatives wanted was media
involvement.  Wow!  In my mind under such circumstances media
involvement is exactly what is needed. Citizens had every right to know
what was being done in their name, especially when it involved
enforcement of town law.

    In my final email to the city manager on July 20th,
I asked whether this was a case where the city had  “dropped the
ball”, or had the yellow ribbon placers been asked to remove them and
had simply said no. Mr. Gailey responded by saying that they had been
asked and were refusing to take them down and were unwilling to listen
to any other alternative. How outrageous! It had become clear that the
city, by its selective enforcement of town ordinance, had become
hostage to a small group of radicals who feel they are above the law.

    Sadly, the good intentions of a memorial period, has
been replaced with a direct insult to the rule of law. This is
dangerous behavior and should be remedied swiftly. The alternative is
actually quite frightening. What if South Portland kids, in pursuit of
a skate park, decided that they will post black ribbons, or spray
graffiti around town, until they get what they want? Or perhaps you
want your road to be one way, should you blockade it until the change
is made? Want taxes lowered in South Portland, why not litter the town
with your statement until the city council caves in and negotiates with
you.

    Personally I would like to claim three ribbon colors
right now, red, black, and yellow. I will combine these into one
ribbon. Red for my support for the impeachment of George W. Bush and
Dick Cheney for high crimes against the United States. Black in support
of an immediate end to American combat involvement in Iraq. And yellow
for support of those young kids, our troops, caught in the middle of
George Bush’s failed policies in Iraq.

    Laws be damned, the city of South Portland is now
open for any political speech or personal agenda. I suggest that you
call dibs on colors now.

Calvin Muse

South Portland