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Home My WebLink About7/16/2019 Item 1, SchmidtTonikian, Victoria From:Tonikian, Victoria Sent:Thursday, August8, 20195:16PM To:RichardSchmidt Cc:Betz, Ryan Subject:RE: AgendaItem1 DearMr. Schmidt, Thankyou fortaking thetime tocontact theCity Councilonthistopic. Thisisapolicy relatedissue forthe City Council’sconsideration andyour message hasbeen provided directly tothem. Ifyouhave anyquestions, pleasecontacttheAdministration Department at (805) 781-7589. Sincerely, Victoria Tonikian Administrative AssistantII CityAdministration CityClerk'sOffice 990PalmStreet, SanLuisObispo, CA93401-3249 Evtonikia@slocity.org T805.781.7105 slocity.org BCC: Council_All From: RichardSchmidt <slobuild@yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, August8, 20194:50PM To: E-mailCouncilWebsite <emailcouncil@slocity.org> Subject: AgendaItem1 Item1, “MonumentPolicy” IfIwerethere, here’smy3minutespeech: MmeMayor, Council, y’allsurehavemadeamuddle. 1 ThankyouCarlynfornotmuddling. Tosummarize, yourintentappearstobetorewritepublicartrulestomakesubsequent “publicart” apoliticalstatement, notart (aspracticedbyactualartists). Youdon’tneedtodothatonbehalfofTeddyRoosevelt. Somebodywantstogivehislikenesstowethepeopleforfree, butyoudon’twanttoacceptitonourbehalf. That’sOK – youcanjustbeingratesandsay “NoThanks.” Youdon’tneedto rewriterulestodealwiththis. Still, eventhoughrule-rewritingisunnecessary, youwishtoproceed, apparentlybecauseyouseetherulesas insufficientlypoliticallycorrect – atleastaccording toyourlensofprogressiveBabbittryandthetoxic generational/gender/ageistslandersomeofyouvoice. Evenyourcomplaisant staffseembefuddledhowartmight expressyour “VisionforInclusivityandDiversity.” Butthereareways: Artwouldmeetstrictcriteriaofstyleandcontent. Artwouldbecomeaprojecttobringaboutan aestheticandmoralunionofcitygovernmentandthepeopleaccordingtoaprefixeddogma. Theimpetusforartwouldbe politicalandideological, notartistic. Cityhallwouldimposea "dictatorshipoftaste." Theartyouseekwouldbe indistinguishable frompropaganda. Youmaybeforgivenlackofhistoricalknowledgetorecognizethedoubleentendreofthatdescription, asbothoneof whereyouwouldtakeus, andasonealreadytriedbysuchdignitaries asStalin (hissocialistrealismiswhat’sdescribed above) andHitler, andawideassortmentofothertyrantswhohaveco-optedarttosolidifytheirownpower. Suchanapproachhasnoplaceinademocracy, inAmerica, inourcity. IfTrumptriedsomethinglikethistopuffhis politics, y’all’dbeoutraged. MmeMayor, youseemtheringleaderhere. Doubtlessyoudidn’tunderstandwhythisisanuglyandterribleidea. Now hopefullyyoudo. Totherestofyou, helpherbynippingthisbadideainitsbud, beforethemayor’sinpulsiveinstinctsagainmakeourcity lookfoolish, andgiveherenemiesjustificationfor “MayorfromMoscow,” orwhateverothertauntstheymightgleanfrom thisfoolishness. RichardSchmidt 2 3