Eureka Springs: the town with guts?

Is Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the town with guts?

When fascist state lawmakers passed antigay legislation recently, City Councilor James DeVito countered by saying the state couldn't stop Eureka Springs from passing its own antidiscrimination ordinance. DeVito said, "We don't go by convention. If somebody tells us you can't do something, well, watch us."

Indeed, Eureka Springs did pass an antidiscrimination measure in February - issuing a bold challenge against the state law that would gut such ordinances. The Tea Party got a referendum on the ballot this week that would have repealed the Eureka Springs ordinance - but the town's voters rejected the Tea Party's bigotry by an overpowering 71% to 29%.

"Well, watch us." The world watched Eureka Springs, and Eureka Springs came through for the forces of justice.

Why aren't other cities and towns this brave? Eureka Springs is right to pass a human rights ordinance. But antidiscrimination laws aren't the only battlefront where the cities need to stand up and be counted. Municipalities also need to flex their muscle on environmental, labor, and other laws - in the face of state regimes that are running roughshod over the cities' autonomy. I'm waiting to see what will be the first city in a "right-to-work" state to nullify "right-to-work" laws. I can't believe it hasn't happened yet.

What's the point of incorporating a town if it can't act for the good of its citizenry?