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# ‘Squeaky wheels’ get the ire
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/squeaky-wheels-get-the-ire-editor/
- Published: 2007-03-02T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:10:32.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica Airport, #archive-import

*By Martin Rubin Director of Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution*

(Re: Kevin Herrera’s Reporter’s Notebook, “Repeat offenders are killing us softly,” March 1, page 3) I can understand Kevin Herrera’s frustration with the City Council process, but please, do not put down members of the public for doing their civic duty. After all, very often they are urged by public officials and the media to do so. In regards to repetitious public comment, when you have a number of people who wait hours to speak on an issue of great importance to them, and when they have but two minutes to speak, they should be applauded for speaking up, even if some of what they say may seem repetitious. Repetition can be viewed as emphasis, as the “squeaky wheel gets the oil.”

As far as the Santa Monica Airport Safety Runoff Area issue, I felt each speaker brought something different to the council, and unless the council would allow more time for a few speakers, there would not be enough time to cover all the aspects that needed to be covered. We all should be thankful to those who take time from their lives to participate, as it is a necessary and very valuable part of the governmental process.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 2, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/030207.pdf?ref=smdp.com)