Rio Vista Seniors Complain Of Censorship
RIO VISTA (CBS13) -- When a political cartoon was ripped off the wall at the senior center in Rio Vista, it sparked a local controversy, with seniors asking why city officials were restricting their right to free speech and expression.
"That's all wrong, all wrong," senior Mary Cross complained.
Seniors say they don't understand why politicians are patrolling their walls, striping rights they consider sacred.
"We'll, I'm a World War II veteran, and that's what I fought for, is our freedom," Hank Tussy said.
Artist Robert Light, who has been published "Rio Life" in the River News Herald for four years now, says city officials are fueling the frustration locals are already feeling.
"When they do something like that, it only justifies what I'm doing in the cartoons," Light said.
It all started with a cartoon of the city manager as the Pied Piper followed by three city council members depicted as rats.
It wasn't funny to council member Connie Boulware. She's featured in the cartoon, and sent an email to the city manager stating that someone complained that the newspaper comic depicting the City Council and city employees in a negative light should not be posted in a government building.
So City Manager Hector de la Rosa emailed the senior center stating:
"As a courtesy, I am letting you know that I will be directing our staff to take down the comics as soon as possible."
Rio Vista city officials wouldn't agree to an interview with CBS13's Koula Gianulias, but we did receive an email from the city manager saying taking the cartoon down didn't infringe on anyone's rights at the senior center, because the city owns the building, and it's not an open forum for that type of expression.
The seniors argue that they rent the building and should be given the same privacy any tenant would enjoy.
"We pay for everything, we do," Cross said.
"What goes on in your bedroom is your business," Tussy added.
But at this point it doesn't look like any more of these cartoons will be put on the wall any time soon. The senior center took them down at the request of the city.
