Don’t talk when in the audience

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

We are blessed to live in a democratic nation in which the public is involved in the governing process.

We elect our government officials. We may contact our government officials, although many people don’t.

We may request copies of public records. We may attend public meetings.

Reporters regularly attend public meetings in order to inform the public of the business of their government. But, more and more, the rudeness of others attending those meetings - and sometimes even those elected officials - makes hearing the public business difficult.

Etiquette requires that the audience not detract from a public speaker, whether that is a government meeting, a concert, or a play. Certainly, the venue needs to be considered. Attendees at a ballgame or a loud rock concert may talk more than those attending a church service.

According to “The Book of Etiquette and Manners” by N. Sahukar: “As part of the audience, your responsibility lies in being a gracious guest who does not disturb the proceedings by talking, using a cell phone or loitering around the venue.”

Have civility and courtesy died?

Newspaper reporters are blessed to attend lots of public meetings - city council, planning commission, school board, to name a few. Over the past decade or so, I’ve noticed a more and more frequent phenomenon: People talking inappropriately at public meetings.

During public governmental meetings, too often people in the audience, who are not interested in the specific topic at hand, talk to one another, detracting from the business at hand and interfering with the ability of others to hear the business discussion.

Sometimes the elected officials hold private conversations among themselves while another official is speaking to the audience, creating two discussions and hindering anyone from hearing either clearly.

A fellow journalist has a method for dealing with the elected officials when they start talking among themselves. He loudly asks for the topic of the conversation and clearly states that the public would be interested in the conversation, as well.

Sometimes, the public can’t hear the people representing them speak because they speak too softly or because other noise prevents hearing clearly. I’ve heard audience members tell the speaker they can’t hear them, only to be met with “then come up closer.”

Everyone in the room isentitled to hear the discussion that leads to decisions on public matters.

If all in attendance (both the public employees and the electorate) were as zealous to be accountable to the public who elected them and who pay their salaries as they are to speaking their minds, then some of the problems would cease.

I find it difficult to understand how reasonable, professional adults can justify sitting in the back of a public meeting whispering and visiting, but I have seen that happen so often that it’s created justification for cynicism on the plight of our society.

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Editor’s note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County. A native of Louisiana, she moved to this area in 1980. She has nine children, three sonsin-law, two grandsons and another grandchild due in January. She can be reached at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 4 on 06/15/2011