Perhaps the biggest misconception about the effort to repeal Seattle's poster ban is that it is only an issue among people in the city's music scene.
While it is true that the latest repeal effort is a product of those associated with music and clubs, the issue is not just one for Seattle's "pierced and tattooed," as some media claim. Repealing the poster ban goes beyond advertising what band is playing where.
If you take a broader look at the issue, it becomes clear the poster ban affects everyone. Placing fliers for the following activities on light or power poles is a crime because of the poster ban:
These are the most obvious ways the poster ban affects all Seattle citizens. But the most alarming aspect of the ban is the chilling effect it has on the democratic process.
Prior to the ban's adoption, various political organizations, ranging from minor parties to neighborhood groups to someone who wanted to express an opinion about a corporation or elected official, could publicize their views or meetings on light posts, where the message could reach anybody.
Proponents claim the ban has helped keep the city clean because fliers and staples aren't littering the city's decaying streets and sidewalks. But the ban's effect on public debate should be cause for alarm. That's why the American Civil Liberties Union is backing Initiative 46.
Getting the poster ban repealed is one step toward preserving First Amendment rights and also from protecting ourselves from future legislation that is totalitarian in the name of "public safety."
An example of such a law is the state's drug-abatement law, which gives police and governments free reign to prosecute people due to association with drug users.
This effort to protect our First Amendment rights will get nowhere, however, unless Initiative 46 gets on the ballot. To do that, volunteers need to collect 20,000 signatures. Already, about 25 local businesses throughout Seattle carry the petition.
John T. Santana is a member of Free Speech Seattle. The group can be reached at 781-7371, or on the Internet at www.freespeechseattle.org. Meetings are held at noon each Saturday at the Hi-Score Arcade, 612 E. Pine St.