Commission Should Adopt Rules Against Hate Speech

Commentary

Words matter and last Tuesday the Fernandina Beach city commission chambers were witness to the most hateful three-minute rant likely ever uttered during the meeting's public comment period.

 

While Mayor James Antun tried to maintain order amid the catcalls and jeers denouncing the ugly comments by Kelly Yates, he was powerless to stop the speaker's tirade against the reading of the Transgender Day of Remembrance proclamation. That's because according to the city's Rules for Procedure regarding public comment there are no guidelines on what can be said at the lectern.

 

Antun gaveled the audience three times to remain silent, rightly protecting a speaker's First Amendment right of "free speech."

However, the comments by Yates went beyond free speech into the dark recesses of hate speech.

 

Yates said participants at the initial Fernandina Beach Pride event in Central Park strategically targeted children with cute dogs in the children's play area. She said a Pride event sponsor was performing "child mutilation" surgeries. Yates labeled members of the transgender and LGBTQIA+ community as “evil sexual predators.” She called for a “ban on transexuals and drag queens from Nassau County’s parks.” Yates charged that “trans rights activists are intimidating city officials by using their demonic agenda in the guise of human rights to force their sexually explicit agenda upon the public.”

 

All from a person who said she is a Christian mother and promotes her Facebook page philosophy as "we keep it classy, not nasty."

 

How is this hate speech?

 

Yates' diatribe went far beyond legitimate debate or criticism. Her comments were harmful and defamatory accusations that serve only to marginalize and stigmatize already vulnerable members of our community.

 

City commission public comment periods are fundamental to local democracy that provide citizens an opportunity to engage with their local government. Citizens should be given some latitude. However, with this privilege comes a responsibility to maintain basic standards of human decency and respect. The city commission can create reasonable guidelines and restrictions on speech without violating First Amendment rights. This means a city commission could establish decorum rules that prohibit language intended to intimidate or demean specific groups.

 

The city commission needs to amend its rules with a clear policy that distinguishes between protected free speech and hate speech that deliberately seeks to demean individuals and divide our city.

 

Suggested hate speech provisions could include:

 

• Prohibiting language that explicitly dehumanizes or threatens individuals based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

• Allow for the immediate intervention by a city commissioner or charter officer when public discourse becomes dangerously inflammatory.

• Providing a well-defined, objective framework for managing public comments while preserving meaningful civic dialogue.

The fundamental purpose of the Fernandina Beach city commission is to serve all citizens, not to provide a platform for spreading fear and hatred. By implementing thoughtful guidelines, the city commission can ensure its public meetings remain spaces for constructive dialogue, not venues for personal attacks.