Keene’s city council spat in the faces of most Keene inhabitants today by “accepting as informational” a petition with nearly 150 signatures urging the council to reconsider their accepting of federal money to buy a “Bearcat” armored personnel carrier. To accept something as informational is essentially a blow-off. It takes the issue off the table and means that no one need say anything further on the matter. It was not assigned to a committee where the public can be heard and action could be taken. It’s a big “fuck you” to all the people who spent time collecting those signatures and everyone who bothered to sign.
What did the petitions say? They merely asked the council to schedule a public hearing on the matter of reconsidering the Bearcat. Apparently the council would prefer that people not be able to speak on this matter. The Bearcat was quietly approved without public input and now the council is protecting the Keene police and their buddies in the federal government by refusing to even allow a hearing on the matter.
Does anyone really think these “councilors” represent “the people”?
