Move to quash debate irks some

LAFAYETTE -- A move to quash debate and public comment on a proposal by two councilmen to name a major road after Martin Luther King Jr. sparked a minutes-long recess at Tuesday's meeting of the Lafayette City-Parish Council because supporters denied the opportunity to speak at the lectern walked right up to councilmen to say their piece anyway.

"What happened to freedom of speech?" John Bess asked. "This has only strengthened our resolve."

Tuesday was the third attempt by councilmen Chris Williams and Louis Benjamin -- the only two black men on the council -- to name a major road after the late civil rights leader.

Benjamin vowed to bring the issue up a fourth time at the next meeting.

When the resolution to change the name of Evangeline Thruway to Martin Luther King Drive came up on the agenda Tuesday, Councilman Bobby Badeaux immediately moved to "call the question" -- a parliamentary move that, if approved, cuts off all debate and brings the matter to a vote. Councilman Lenwood Broussard seconded the motion.

Six people in the audience, however, had signed to speak on the resolution.

Councilmen Badeaux, Broussard, Randy Menard, and Dale Bourgeois voted to call the question and end the debate before it started. Councilmen Benjamin, Williams and Bruce Conque voted to continue debate. Councilman Marc Mouton was absent.

Every councilman then voted against the measure at the final "yes" or "no" vote -- meaning Williams or Benjamin can bring up the issue again because they were on the prevailing side of the vote.

After the final vote, Council Chairman Menard stopped Williams and Benjamin from speaking any further on the issue and tried to move on with the agenda.

"This meeting's not going to happen. We're done." Williams said in protest. He then motioned to people in the crowd to come up anyway.

"You can come up and speak, this is America," Williams said.

That prompted Menard to call a recess -- after he warned that residents or councilmen disrupting the meeting would be removed from the council chambers.

During the recess about a dozen residents approached the council's podium and argued with some of the councilmen while a plain-clothes police officer stood nearby.

Resident Shelby Williams askedMLK Badeaux why he would vote to quell debate.

Badeaux said many people he represents have called him expressing their displeasure with renaming a street after King.

"You're pathetic," Shelby Williams said.

"No, you're pathetic sir," Badeaux responded to Shelby Williams. "You're a joke."

Menard tried to explain what had happened with the question being called. Councilman Chris Williams told the residents not to leave the podium area.

Finally, Menard bent normal council procedure and told those assembled that anyone who had signed up to speak on the measure could speak at the end of the meeting.

Outside the chambers, Benjamin told a group of supporters that he'd planned on deferring the resolution after public comment and was taken by surprise by the call for the question.

"This community is not going to take this. They patronize us, like a child," Benjamin said. "We're not being taken seriously, because we've never been taken seriously."

After the meeting, Menard opened the floor for comments.

Lafayette resident Larry Wilson said that people with differing ideas should be able to "disagree, but get along."

"Let's not make this a black-and-white issue," Wilson said. "It's just a name change."

Wilson said his children will be playing with the council's children one day.

"If they see us acting like this, how are they going to act?" Wilson said.

Forrest Chaisson, a Lafayette firefighter, said the vote speaks to the current racial climate in Lafayette.

Chaisson said he believes most people in Lafayette have healthy racial attitudes, except for some "unsophisticated people in leadership" that are using this issue as a political wedge.

Shelby Williams said it was "cold" that the council and administration made no comments on the issue.

"I didn't hear one comment from one councilman that spoke against it, yet you voted against it," Shelby Williams said. "There was not a single reason given. ... You guys seem to be talkative on other issues."

After the public commented, some councilmen offered remarks.

Bourgeois said changing the name could result in more than $100,000 in costs to government and business because of new signs and addresses.

Chris Williams and Benjamin cited the costs of changing the name of the Lafayette Civic Center to the Cajundome or the costs of sound walls along Ambassador Caffery Road.

"No one complained about cost then," Benjamin said.

Chris Williams said Lafayette can afford the change.

"Lafayette does not have a fiscal crisis. I don't care if it costs a half million dollars," Chris Williams said.

Menard said his vote had nothing to do with race. He said that he would support cutting off debate again, because the council has already debated the measure three times.

"You can bring it up at every meeting, but it doesn't make you right -- or any council member that calls for the question wrong," Menard said. "Where do you draw the line?"

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