Time to talk – A Speakers Corner in Totnes?
Here’s an idea – and we want to hear what you think of it…
Totnes is spirited place and just busting with ideas, views, opinions and artistic endeavour. So how about we get together and dig into this?
The tired Market Square by the Civic Hall is perfectly placed to assemble people, perhaps on a Sunday morning to host a Speakers Corner event. It could be once a month.
We could have a podium for people to speak publically for alloted periods of time and the cafe’s around could take advantage of the influx (haha maybe) of visitors and locals. We could invite buskers and subjects could be opinions, poetry, local matters and even storytelling. We could put up edited highlights on our You Tube channel perhaps.
This is an idea proposed, most recently by Mike Cast and previously others and has the support of local councillor John Birch and they have suggested that the Totnes Pulse would be a good umbrella to cover it. As the editor, I agree the idea is very interesting and could progress the communication in town whilst creating an interesting buzz in an otherwise dull few hours in the area. I can’t help notice the forlorn look the High Street has on a Sunday morning with bewildered tourists strolling about wondering what the Totnes hype is all about!
Why?
Why the hell not? Well, there are some barriers such as needing to get permission from South Hams District Council and they’re going to want all sorts of assurances, laying down obstacles and hurdles to jump over like ensuring the town doesn’t riot or spontaneously sue for damages on account of tripping hazards or hurt feelings. Also in the spirit of free speech, where do we draw lines, or do we draw lines at all? I guess overt profanity would be discouraged and do we rely on Delphinis Gelato Shop to provide free milkshakes to deter the insane ramblings of Carl Benjamin/Sargon of Akkad types.
Are we doing this?
So it would be good to know what you think of the idea before expending time, money and energy on an idea that everybody loves/nobody wants!
So comment here and say what you think of this idea.. Is Sunday morning the right time? What do you think the rules should be? What else could happen?