From the Greenville Daily Reflector (3/14/10): North Carolina could stand to be more progressive when it attends to the right of citizens to access the actions of government. The laws that govern that interaction — the open meetings and public records statutes — are more modest than other states, and could be a contributing factor to the culture of corruption that has bloomed in recent years.
Of comparable importance, however, is the interaction of government officials and private citizens under those laws. That relationship should side toward the public’s right to know, and any movement away from the principle must be fiercely and vigilantly resisted.
As clocks moved forward one hour early this morning at the start of Daylight Savings Time, so began an important week in the battle for open government. This is Sunshine Week, a national effort to draw attention to the rights of citizens and the obligations of public officials. News organizations across the country spearhead the awareness effort since they often act as advocates on behalf of citizens, prying open doors and fighting for government transparency.
It is said that sunshine is the best disinfectant, and that is certainly true in North Carolina. Allegations against some of the top officials in the state have come to light thanks to the release of documents and careful investigations. Locally, broadcasting meetings of the City Council, Pitt County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education offer a window into their debate and the decisions that affect this community.
While those are examples of how openness — in the handling of records and access to meetings — can serve the public’s interest, officials too often forget their responsibilities and citizens fail to exert their rights under the law. Office holders can be intoxicated with power and fail to uphold their duty to serve, concealing things that should be in the open. And many people are content to allow others — media organizations, advocacy groups, more motivated citizens — to push for access that benefits all.
That should not be the case.
Public officials must respect the men and women who elevate them to office and recognize, at all times, that their position exists only with the consent of the governed. As well, citizens must be vocal and relentless about pressing for access to meetings where decisions are made and for documents that reflect business done on their behalf. They cannot expect that battle to be waged on their behalf.
Such as the nature of such a delicate balance, one that needs constant attention and fierce protection.
Greenville Daily Reflector Staff Editorial