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Thursday, March 12, 2009

City Hall / News What's With All The Applause?

Posted by Matt Davis on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 3:18 PM

I'm sitting in a council hearing about arts funding, this afternoon. Storm Large is here, wearing some stripy socks with biker boots. Another chap just addressed council wearing a suit with Birkenstocks. Extraordinary. Needless to say, the arts community is telling city council how important it is to fund the arts. They're all wearing stickers that say: "Food, Shelter, Art." But something else is on my mind, this afternoon: All the clapping.
da3c/1236896057-applause-sign1.jpg
APPLAUSE: Giving me a goddamn headache...

I noticed yesterday, for the first time, that Mayor Sam Adams appears to have given up on asking the city council audience to hold their applause. There's a city council rule on clapping: That to show one's approval, one is supposed to wave one's hands in the air. Ridiculous, I know. In fact, it used to bug me no end when former mayor, Tom Potter, used to lecture the crowd on the importance of not applauding.

Recently, Adams has ignited discontent in the chamber when he's asked the audience to stop clapping, after people have used the three minute open session at the beginning of council to ask him to resign. It seems he decided to stop trying to tell people what to do with their hands, in the spirit of picking his battles.

But during the Timbers hearing, yesterday, there was a great deal of applause from Timbers fans. And today, there's been applause for almost every statement made by the arts people.

Timbers fans were polite enough to applaud Ted Wheeler, modestly, when he opposed the Major League Soccer plan, yesterday. But it's fair to say that the new rowdy atmosphere in council certainly makes it more intimidating for a dissenter to get up and express any doubts.

There's been no formal suspension of the council rules on clapping, as far as I'm aware. And others have approached me, perplexed by the recent change, too. Perhaps the mayor has decided he's going to take whatever applause he can get? Who knows.

I've asked the mayor's spokesman, Roy Kaufmann, whether there's been some kind of formal policy change on the issue.

 

Comments (7) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
...but about the arts funding?
Posted by Alison Hallett on March 12, 2009 at 4:06 PM · Report
2
Yeah, there was a story in there somewhere....wasn't there?
Posted by Abusive on March 12, 2009 at 4:13 PM · Report
3
Abusive,

Seeing how Adams was only enforcing the rule for people applauding to show support for those requested for him to resign... yet strangely allowing applause for anything else. His abuse of power in disproportionately silencing his opposition comes to mind.

Though we respectfully are waiting (with anticipation) to hear what his paid spokesperson will respond with.

RecallSamAdams.com
Jasun Wurster
Posted by RecallSamAdams.com on March 12, 2009 at 4:58 PM · Report
4
I wondered how long it would take Jasun to show up to turn this thread into a campaign missive... over an hour and a half... you're getting sloppy. :-)
Posted by Bob R. on March 12, 2009 at 5:14 PM · Report
5
If I'd gotten the response he got when he tried to enforce the clapping rule, I wouldn't be saying shit, either.

Thank religious wackos and politically/monetarily motivated opportunistic dips like Jusun Wuurusutuuur (I used all the u's because he loves u's) for turning city council into a circus because, omg, the mayor is human.

And, yeah, Alison kinda nailed it here. If you want to be sensationalist, that's cool, but maybe you could slip some nutrition in there somewhere.
Posted by Will Radik on March 13, 2009 at 1:38 PM · Report
6
Wow Will,

You are really streachen by attacking me on how I spell my name.

Let me help you out a bit to get something substantial on me. I moved here from Colorado 5 years ago. Was honorably discharged from for the military. I am a Zoobomber. Plus I do not eat meat.

Really, you are kinda pathetic. But if you wanna give me a call... bring it... 503-799-7919... pussy.

Jasun Wurster
Posted by Jasun Wurster on March 14, 2009 at 4:51 AM · Report
7
@Jasun Telling me about yourself, giving me your phone #. Are you hitting on me? I'm sorry, Jasun, although I do like the rough trade, which it sounds like you're into, I've never bombed anything and I love snarfing down pork chops. It just wouldn't work out, pardner.
Posted by Will Radik on March 16, 2009 at 5:28 PM · Report

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