We Get Letters: An Affront to Democracy

Dear Editor,

I was disturbed by your column “Nothing to Say.” You begin by saying, “The right to self-expression, along with the right to express opinions and convictions is one of our most precious freedoms.” Then you add, “I despise these letters,” referring to those who wrote to the Pasadena City Council petitioning them to rezone religious land for affordable housing.

I feel it’s an affront to democracy to ridicule the 260+ people who signed petitions and wrote letters calling for rezoning religious land for affordable housing. They were exercising a sacred right and duty enshrined in our Constitution’s First Amendment which guarantees “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Many of these letter writers were from churches. At an historically Black church in Northwest Pasadena, a group has formed to help displaced members get on a waiting list for affordable housing. Over half of Pasadena’s African American population has been displaced from Pasadena since 1990 and they are grieving this loss. These church members eagerly hand-wrote letters because a nearby Black church wants to build affordable housing on their land but were unable to do so because of zoning. These letter writers will be thrilled to learn that the Council has approved a policy that will enable this church to have affordable housing built. They will realize that their voice matters!

At other churches throughout the city, members gathered around tables after their worship service to discuss this policy, ask questions, and sign letters and petition of support. They felt they were putting their faith into action.

Over 50 people spoke out during the recent City Council meeting where this policy was considered. They were doctors, nurses, businesspeople, teachers, homeless service providers, pastors, and those who were formerly homeless whose lives have been transformed by affordable housing. Their presence undoubtedly influenced the Council to adopt a policy that we feel will help churches to build desperately needed affordable housing.

These concerned citizens were thanked by our Mayor and deservedly so. This is democracy in action.

It behooves responsible journalists who benefit from the First Amendment to encourage Pasadenans to exercise this sacred right and duty, not to ridicule them.

For many, affordable housing is a racial justice issue. They want to see affordable housing spread throughout the city. These petitioners were following in the footsteps of those who signed petitions to end slavery, including one with 130,000 signatures. Anti-slavery petitioners were so despised by the pro-slavery House of Representatives that in 1836 it adopted gag rules to table any anti-slavery petitions. This gag rule was repealed in 1844.[1]

I encourage anyone reading this to write your elected officials or sign a petition if you feel strongly about an issue. That’s your right and duty in a free society and you are to be commended for exercising that right. And your letters and petitions matter. Whenever a policy is considered, the city clerk announces how many letters were received for and against it. He summarizes the contents of these letters. And our elected officials pay attention to the numbers. Your voice matters! As Gandhi once said, first they ridicule you, then they fight you and then you win. Affordable housing is a win for our city!

Anthony Manousos
Pasadena

Got something to say, email Managing Editor André Coleman, at andrec@pasadenanowmagazine.com