Political Gumbo: The Power is in the Truth

We all have causes we are passionate about, and as Americans we do have the right to advocate for those causes.

Absolutely we do.

I still say the rights contained in the First Amendment are our most precious rights.

But with every one of our rights comes implied rights. Yes, you can speak your peace, but you cannot slander or libel someone.

Slander is knowingly using spoken words to malign or libel, knowingly using written words to malign.

Here’s another one.

You cannot yell fire in a crowded theater, if you know that theater is not on fire.

Our words carry responsibility. Even our political speech which is given more leeway.

But twice now in recent months important steps have been taken by City employees to correct the record after false claims have been made.

First a cease and desist letter was sent to a local commissioner to put a stop to incorrect language that categorized a local police officer as a murderer.

Let me say this before I continue, when Pasadena Now spoke to that commissioner, he could not have been more accommodating and willing to set the record straight, which he did.

His voice is powerful, and no doubt without the vitriol, will be a great tool on the commission he serves.

In the second instance, the City Clerk was forced to file a lawsuit to guarantee that accurate language be presented to voters on Measure PL, the library bond.

Again dissenters have every right to oppose the $195 million bond measure and in no way is this a claim that they knowingly included false statements.

And respect to them for agreeing to change the language when it was made known that some of their claims were false.

Yes we should have oversight of our elected and City officials.

That’s a great thing.

But unfounded conspiracy theories cloud important issues.

And false information, even if you don’t realize it, doesn’t bring people closer to the truth.

Check the facts. Check the sources.

There is a responsibility to truth.

Activism should never become persecution.

Ask questions, ask hard questions and yes put that fist in the air.

There is power in that.

But there is more power in truth.

***

Thank you for all the phone calls and emails, some from people I have never met, expressing condolences after Kevin Uhrich died last Friday.

That includes Rick Cole and Teresa Liu who wrote separate pieces.

Respect.

The former Weekly crew got together on Saturday at a local restaurant, not bar, and remembered Kevin.

It took a tragedy to put Justin Chapman, Joe Piasecki, Carl Kozlowski and me back in the same room at the same time, along with 20 others in a restaurant, no not a bar.

That was a beautiful moment.

Apologies to Ellen Snortland who was in attendance.

The long time PW columnist should have been mentioned in my column and Justin’s amazing obit.

Snortland was actually there first and endured after it became a ragtag island of misfit journalists.

Ellen holds a unique place in history that the rest of us were not a part of.

She played a huge role in getting Adam Schiff elected. Ellen went to war with Joe Rogan in her column. After she won, Schiff called her and thanked her for her effort at that point Schiff and Snortland had never met.

Kevin will be remembered from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the 35er on September 13. All are welcome. Send me an email if you’re coming through Piasecki needs a head count.