Town bans citizens from discussing the government

BeatTheMatrix.com reports on a July 20, 2011  Fox16 Arkansas segment,  Town to Ban Citizens from Discussing City Matters without Permission,

A small Arkansas town (Gould) is attempting to ban groups from meeting to talk about the city without first getting prior permission from the city itself. Ordinance currently applies to all groups small and large including, but not limited to: bookclubs, boyscouts, and dinner table discussions.

Now, I fully understand the appeal of “no government interference,”  especially when, as this incident suggests, the legislators or city council have been out in the sun too long, or the water supply is contaminated, or the council has been possessed at night by these pods under their beds and are really aliens.  The city has declared “an emergency to preserve  the peace, health and safety” from The Citizen’s Advisory Council.  The city has banned the Council because it  “is causing confusion and discourse [that means plain ol’ talking] among the citizens . . . contributing friction between the mayor and the Council [not clear if they meant Advisory or City Council], but also among the citizens who deserve cooperative government.” (See ordinance).  In short, “There’s trouble in River City”.

Note, though, the City took panes to provide some reasonable, legitimate government interest to violate the people’s right to free assembly and to petition the government for redress of grievances, as set forth in the First Amendment.  We don’t even see that with bills passed by our state legislatures, since the “sovereign can do no wrong.”

I guess the city has been following what the multitude of private governments in HOA-Land have been getting away with and are nor saying, “Me, too!  We want to ignore the Constitution, too.  After all, we are the legitimate government in this state.”  Or, are they?