Meg Lippert’s curious screed (“Thumbs down to editorial disrespect of democracy,” July 28, 2016) castigates the Reporter for diminishing the rights of free speech and the right to vote. It does neither; and it does just the opposite.

The Reporter exercised its own First Amendment rights in its criticism of the poorly drafted and misnamed Protect our Parksinitiative No. 1.

That it allowed Ms. Lippert to express her views on that initiative and the Reporter’s editorial demonstrates a protection of her rights of speech.

She also confuses the right to vote in a representative democracy. She has a right to vote for her elected representatives. Most of the candidates her group supported last November were defeated.

Citizen initiatives are limited for good reason — many are poorly drafted, as was the one she supported; and most citizens do not want to vote on whether our parks can by used for Little League games or a performance of Hamlet.

This right to vote on initiatives is limited by a required number of signatures to verify that it is a matter of community importance. The “voters” spoke on that first initiative by refusing its place on the ballot.

Finally, she cannot resist speaking on the new initiative No. 2. that is also poorly drafted and creates multiple questions.

First, what is a parkland use?

We know that it includes leasing parkland to outsiders for dramatic performances like Shakespeare in the Park because that is how we use Luther Burbank Park.

Second, does the limiting language about the use of parkland apply to sales and leases, or just changes? If it applies toleases, the City Council must decide if Little League and Mercer Island High School baseball, soccer, musical and dramatic performances and sports camps deserve a lease.

But it may allow such uses only if there are no reasonable alternatives, like school district or off-Island property. Many existing park uses would be prohibited under this new initiative.

Of course the purpose of this new initiative was not simply to give us our traditional parkland uses (like music, plays, sports leagues and camps), but to limit how anyone may use our parks.

I plan to decline to sign this one, too.

Stephen A. Smith

Mercer Island