Laguna Beach Mayor Dave Kiff
Dear Laguna Beach Neighbors:
We have had some good comments recently about adding back online platforms (such as Zoom) that would allow more people to have input on city issues and agendas at City Council meetings.
An important note: I was not here to experience previous Zoombombing events in Laguna (such as the February 13th Council meeting), but my former employer witnessed these as well. As I think you will agree, these interactions are traumatic for anyone, but especially for those who already feel marginalized or “outcast” in society.
Meanwhile, Zoom can make it easier for many people to participate, including busy parents, seniors, people with mobility issues, and those who might find it hard to attend in person.
Balancing the goal of expanding access with providing attendees, council members, and city employees with some protection from traumatic comments is not easy. Because City Hall and City Council meetings are workplaces, we are especially aware of how we must avoid comments that may cause trauma based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
We asked the city attorney to look into this and specifically consider whether there is any way to stop people using hate speech while Zoom-bombing, and here is what she thinks (summarized):
An effective way to block or end hate speech is to determine that the comments are inappropriate because they are unrelated to City business. However, if the City and community want the City to continue to celebrate events like LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Juneteenth, hateful speakers may argue that their hateful speech is related to City business. In that case, we would have to tolerate the hateful speech.
I also worry that as we approach November, the national debate will intensify. If it spills over into our local debate, or if non-locals join our debate in harmful ways, it will be difficult to stop, undermining the civility of our community and the business of our city, and negatively impacting those who cannot escape it (such as the audience and city employees).
This is just my opinion, and I am of course not a member of the Council, but it may make most sense to continue to monitor the law and technology to see if protections can be improved, and then reconsider online platforms after November.
In the meantime, we all want to hear from you. Whether that be in person, by email, or by letter, we welcome your participation in City Council. Visit our City website at lagunabeachcity.net for more information on how to get involved.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we address this issue. Your cooperation is essential as we strive to ensure safe and inclusive participation for all. As always, we welcome hearing from you on this and other City issues. You can always contact us directly by email. [email protected].
