Carlos Lopez: Safety panel should have allowed more time for public to speak
I attended the VIPER public safety summit in Merced. The presentation was excellent. When it was done, they opened it up to the public. A few people went to the podium to speak; everyone had a different opinion and outlook. Some on the panel, not everyone, became defensive and wanted to get out of there.
Assemblyman Adam Gray rushed everyone, stating he had only five minutes for everyone in line. You could not get your point across.
Why invite the public in a forum if you do not want to hear their concerns? State Senator Anthony Cannella insinuated the concerned citizens were distractions. That concerns me. I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I believe the senator took the same oath. His statement violated our First Amendment right of free speech.
Typical racist redirects from a Republican since all of the speakers were Hispanic. He is sworn to defend and support the Constitution.
Carlos Lopez, Merced
This story was originally published June 21, 2016 at 1:17 PM with the headline "Carlos Lopez: Safety panel should have allowed more time for public to speak."