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Wayne Besen
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Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war protester whose son was killed in Iraq was arrested and booted out of the House Chamber for the State of the Union address. She was ostensibly removed for wearing an antiwar T-shirt. A police spokeswoman said Ms. Sheehan was charged with unlawful conduct, a misdemeanor.
"I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether he/she has paid the ultimate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government," Sheehan wrote on her blog.
Sheehan was invited by Representative Lynn Woolsey of California, who insisted she was not trying to make Mr. Bush uncomfortable. "I didn't see this as a political statement at all," Ms. Woolsey said.
Yeah, right. There was nothing political about it.
In a twist to the drama, Beverly Young, wife of Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla., was removed from the gallery because she was wearing a T-shirt that read, "Support the Troops - Defending Our Freedom."
She was sitting about six rows from Laura Bush and asked to leave. She argued with police in the hallway outside the House chamber.
"They said I was protesting," she told the St. Petersburg Times. "I said, "Read my shirt, it is not a protest.' They said, "We consider that a protest.' I said, "Then you are an idiot."'
Typical, arrogant conservative, who believes in free speech, as long is it her's. It is obvious by her reaction that Young thinks she is above the law. It was wonderful that this jerk was put in her place. She clearly lacks the dignity and class to attend such a function.
Here is the deal. Both women deserved to be removed from the State of the Union. It was downright tacky for them to wear T-shirts to this formal event. Imagine if the annual address degenerated into a T-shirt slogan fest, with pet messages on the shirts of lawmakers?
Nevertheless, taking Sheehan out in handcuffs was unacceptable and disrespectful of a woman who lost her son. This is not a radical person who was a threat to anyone in the chamber. Treating her like a common criminal was obnoxious and offensive. However, while I agree with her message, her presence at the even was enough. It would have been more effective if she had worn a black dress to signify a mourning mother.
11 Comments:
I agree that the T-shirt thing was over the top. Gauche!
posted by Anonymous, at
2/01/2006 1:58 PM
I'm with the majority of people polled on SOTU attire.
As the mother of a fallen hero, I think Mrs. Sheehan should be free to wear a garbage bag to Bush's lie fest and no one has a right to say one critical or bitchy word to her or about her. .
posted by Christopher, at
2/01/2006 3:00 PM
In addition to being an unmitigated jackass, Bush is also the king of all liars. His speech last night was a joke. But you didn't really think the country was going to wake up this morning all inspired, did you?
posted by Chris L., at
2/01/2006 3:12 PM
I just heard on the randi rhodes show that the republican wife was just removed but NOT arrested, whereas Sheehan was arrested for unlawful conduct. More gestapo type unfairness from the right. What Sheehan did may have been tacky; but last i heard free speech wasnt 'unlawful conduct'. Also, Sheehan offered to zip up her coat and hide the message, but they refused and busted her anyway. Bush's fascist goon government marches on! Gary (NJ)
posted by Anonymous, at
2/01/2006 4:44 PM
Immediately afterwards, didn't Bob Schieffer (sic?) have a CBS poll that said 77% of Americans approved of GWB's speech?
posted by Anonymous, at
2/01/2006 6:29 PM
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Wayne -
I disagree with your assessment that these women were wrong for wearing an article of clothing to the SOTU. I do not agree that the SOTU should be treated as a formal event for the *Royal Court* of King George, where like all of his speeches dissent and disagreement are not allowed and only those who have signed *Pledges of Loyalty* may be granted audience with his Supreme Highness.
SCOTUS ruled in 1971 that wearing a tshirt emblazoned with "Fuck the Draft" was a First Amendment Right after a man was arrested in a California Courthouse. Many might argue that a *Court House* is not the place for such a shirt *or* this shirt should not be worn in public because it might offend ... but isn't that the *Point* ... Free Speech might Offend - but our Founding fathers had the wisdom to enshrine the *Right* into our Constitution and SCOTUS agreed in '71.
Do we really want to live in a nation where we continue to curtail Free Speech to the point that citizens are afraid of speaking out against our government or leaders for fear of *being handcuffed and arrested*? The SOTU is nothing but a staged event where the POTUS stands-up unchallenged to address the nation (and in the case of this POTUS - this is nothing new). What better place for those in the gallery to wear an pro-war or anti-war slogan on their t-shirt? This is America ... or at least it used to be.
Are all of our institutions and traditions going to be drapped into pomp and circumstance and declared *off-limits* to protestors and those that wish to speak out against a tyrannical government or leader? Just this week we read that tucked deep inside the amended Patriot Act -- the government would grant the SS (secret service) the right to charge anyone crossing a security perimeter with a Felony. Well - many neo-cons are chanting ... why should we care if you break the law you deserve to be punished. But what is stopping the SS from determining that entire cities like NYC are a *Secure Zone* when the POTUS is in town and for security purposes protestors could be charged with Felonies for merely exercising their Constitutionally Guaranteed Right to Free Speech.
I'm sorry Wayne - while we agree that it was wrong for Cindy Sheehan to be dragged out in handcuffs - we'll have to agree to disagree that she didn't have the Right in America to wear whatever she wanted to the SOTU affair - the Capitol and everyone that works there is an employee for the people. Yes they should screen out for bombs, guns and other devices that could cause harm and destroy -- but never should we begin to censor words or clothing ... it mocks the POTUS' phrase ... "they hate us for our freedoms" and it mocks the very concept of a Free Society.
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