Episode 231- Shut The Front Door

Community Solutions Podcast

www.commsolutionsmn.com- All over this country, we are seeing a movement rise up; angry parents are speaking out at school board meetings. Petitioning our government is a tradition that is as old as America itself. It was deemed so important to freedom, that it was recognized as a God-given right in the 1st amendment to or Bill of Rights. Now, as all power-loving governmental bodies do, they restrict and limit that right. These "public servants" call us names, change the rules, or shut us out entirely.

Even the ACLU is worried about the trend to stifle free speech in these local public meetings. North Mankato is making residents sign up, and is reducing the available time to speak. More than ever, we need to speak out to those that represent us. We have a right to be heard by them. We share some of our experience in organizing and making our voice heard in our school district and city. These local politicians change the rules, insult speakers, and curse at them. They have so much disdain for the people that they represent, forgetting that they live right among the same people.

The National School Board Association wrote a letter to the Justice Department, so that the FBI was looking to get involved in investigating people that dissented at meetings, as if they were terrorists. We all have to stand up before we lose the the right to disagree with our government and say so publicly. Right or left, we should care a whole lot about maintaining this right.

We also make some predictions around some important odd year elections, and discuss the new Universal Basic Income pilot program in Minneapolis.

Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy!

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