TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Political Discussion / Debate
-- Cindy Sheehan Strikes Again And Gets Locked Up...Freedom Of Speech?
Pages (2): [1] 2 »

Cindy Sheehan Strikes Again And Gets Locked Up...Freedom Of Speech?

quote:

WASHINGTON - Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was arrested and removed from the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address, a police spokeswoman said. ADVERTISEMENT Sheehan, who was invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. The charge was later changed to unlawful conduct, Schneider said. Both charges are misdemeanors. Sheehan was taken in handcuffs from the Capitol to police headquarters a few blocks away. Her case was processed as Bush spoke. Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said. Police handcuffed Sheehan and removed her from the gallery before Bush arrived. Sheehan was to be released on her own recognizance, Schneider said. "I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq." Woolsey offered Sheehan a ticket to the speech � Gallery 5, seat 7, row A � earlier Tuesday while Sheehan was attending an "alternative state of the union" press conference by CODEPINK, a group pushing for an end to the Iraq war. Sheehan, wrapped in a bright pink scarf against the cold, protested outside the White House with a handful of others before heading to the Capitol Tuesday evening. There were no cameras around, but the small band faced the executive mansion and repeatedly shouted, "You're evicted! Get out of our house!" Sheehan was arrested in September with about 300 other anti-war activists in front of the White House after a weekend of protests against the war in Iraq. In August, she spent 26 days camped near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was spending a working vacation.

So first of all I know little of this lady as I was in Europe when this whole thing went off down in Texas. I dont really agree with arresting her and I belive that this is just another slap in the face in freedom of speech and is there a freedom of thought if there is its another slap in the face of that too...but whatever this is mostly for the rest of you who might find this interesting and know more about it than I do.

What in the hell was she doing in the House gallery? She obviously wasn't there to listen to the president but to make a statement and possibly disturb the speech, which I wouldn't mind if it had happened. There is no point in wearing a t-shirt if other people are not going to see it. So she was looking for some attention. She trying to make a statement is not a problem, to me, but it is a problem to the police. If they say demonstrating in the Capitol building is a misdemeanor there's little one can do.

Serves her right for wearing a t-shirt when she should've worn formal. Isn't this specified in the invitation?

quote:

Originally posted by sensorium What in the hell was she doing in the House gallery?

quote:

Sheehan, who was invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif.,

idiot

I read that. What I meant was what was her intention in going.

quote:

Originally posted by sensorium I read that. What I meant was what was her intention in going.

Probably to make a statement. You know, the thing that used to be called civil disobedience.

quote:

Originally posted by sensorium I read that. What I meant was what was her intention in going.

true thats my first reaction...what she was there? that was the exact reaction..i dunno if she was invited than why cant she come I seriously doubt she would stand up and start screaming and bla bla because not only would it look tremendously bad for her but even worse for the rep who brought her to the event.

quote:

Originally posted by InterMilan31 i dunno if she was invited than why cant she come

It sounds to me like they weren't taking any chances of anything happening. If they pulled her from her seat when she exposed her t-shirt, I doubt that they were going to give her a chance to make any kind of scene during Dubya's speech - which is probably what she had intended to do (given her penchant for outspokenness in regards to the war.)

quote:

Originally posted by Trancer-X It sounds to me like they weren't taking any chances of anything happening. If they pulled her from her seat when she exposed her t-shirt, I doubt that they were going to give her a chance to make any kind of scene during Dubya's speech - which is probably what she had intended to do (given her penchant for outspokenness in regards to the war.)

that could be true although I think what she was gonna do was just sit there and try to pull the guilt trip on Bush you know what I mean...like bush had to give the whole speak while speaking in front of her...kinda getting me here lol

quote:

Originally posted by Trancer-X It sounds to me like they weren't taking any chances of anything happening. If they pulled her from her seat when she exposed her t-shirt, I doubt that they were going to give her a chance to make any kind of scene during Dubya's speech - which is probably what she had intended to do (given her penchant for outspokenness in regards to the war.)

that could be true although I think what she was gonna do was just sit there and try to pull the guilt trip on Bush you know what I mean...like bush had to give the whole speak while speaking in front of her...kinda getting me here lol

She's just another attention whore. Probably be worse than some COR whores if that's possible.

It's not like Bush is going to give a shit what she thinks. He already knows!

quote:

Originally posted by EvilTree She's just another attention whore. Probably be worse than some COR whores if that's possible. It's not like Bush is going to give a shit what she thinks. He already knows!

true its not like she is the only mother of a dead soldier

Well, given this, maybe she shouldn't be too upset. Who wears only a T-Shirt to such a momentous event anyway?

http://www.local6.com/news/6647094/detail.html

quote:

Florida Rep.'s Wife Says She Was Ejected From State Of Union POSTED: 7:07 am EST February 1, 2006 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The wife of Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Indian Shores, told a newspaper that she was ejected during the State of the Union address for wearing a T-shirt that says, "Support the Troops Defending Our Freedom." Beverly Young told the St. Petersburg Times that she was sitting in the front row of the House gallery Tuesday night when she was approached by someone who told her she needed to leave. She said she reluctantly agreed, but argued with several officers in an outside hallway. In a telephone interview with the newspaper, Young said she told them her shirt wasn't a protest but a message of support. Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said Young wasn't ejected from the gallery and she left on her own. She couldn't provide additional details. Young's husband found out about the incident after Bush's speech and called it unacceptable.

Sounds like they weren't taking any chances on either side. Hardly surprising.

Ehm, isn't "censoring" by gov institutions illegal by the constitution?

I thought the U.S was a free democractic country?

This wasn't just a speech given at his Crawford ranch. It was the god damn state of the union. Sheehan would have been a disruption if allowed to be in the same room as the speech. People get off the freedom of speech bullshit. She's been allowed to speak her mind for so long now. She is, however, breaking the law when it comes to a public disturbance. Anyone would have been escorted out. She needs to get a fucking life. I guarantee her son is looking down in embarrassment. He served proudly--he and she knew the consequences of being in the armed services. This repetitive beating a dead horse shit has got to end.

I am sick of Cindy Sheehan but at the same time I am not. She is one of the few people who are willing to put her ass on the line and take a stand for what she beleives in (rare in this country). But at the same time, I think if it were someone else they could have a greater impact IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by Steven Hays People get off the freedom of speech bullshit. She's been allowed to speak her mind for so long now. She is, however, breaking the law when it comes to a public disturbance. Anyone would have been escorted out.

Since when is wearing a tshirt with a political message public disturbance?

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew Since when is wearing a tshirt with a political message public disturbance?

She wasn't in a free speech zone!

http://www.amconmag.com/12_15_03/feature.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_speech_zone

quote:

Originally posted by Trancer-X She wasn't in a free speech zone! http://www.amconmag.com/12_15_03/feature.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_speech_zone

Didn't know about that, that's sick.

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew Didn't know about that, that's sick.

Tell me about it.

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew Since when is wearing a tshirt with a political message public disturbance?

And if someone showed up at your house with a banner flying that said "St. Andrew has sex with animals and molests small boys", you wouldn't want them escorted out? Even if they were wearing a coat on top of it? Particularly if you knew it was being broadcast to hundreds of millions of TVs worldwide?

I think you guys are making a bit much of an obvious outcome. Whether she said so or not, I would bet on better than 50% odds that Sheehan would've said or done something during the speech that was disruptive. WHy is it surprising that she would be asked to leave? She's got a track record of public disturbance--why assume that this time she'd behave herself? I certainly wouldn't have wanted her there had I been in charge.

Is your freedom of speech being violated if you shout "BOMB" or "FIRE" in an airport and find yourself under a pile of none-to-happy security officers?

Freedom of speech doesn't necessarily mean you have carte-blanche to say whatever you want, wherever you please, whenever you choose.

quote:

Originally posted by Shakka And if someone showed up at your house with a banner flying that said "St. Andrew has sex with animals and molests small boys", you wouldn't want them escorted out? Even if they were wearing a coat on top of it? Particularly if you knew it was being broadcast to hundreds of millions of TVs worldwide? I think you guys are making a bit much of an obvious outcome. Whether she said so or not, I would bet on better than 50% odds that Sheehan would've said or done something during the speech that was disruptive. WHy is it surprising that she would be asked to leave? She's got a track record of public disturbance--why assume that this time she'd behave herself? I certainly wouldn't have wanted her there had I been in charge. Is your freedom of speech being violated if you shout "BOMB" or "FIRE" in an airport and find yourself under a pile of none-to-happy security officers? Freedom of speech doesn't necessarily mean you have carte-blanche to say whatever you want, wherever you please, whenever you choose.

First of all, saying "St. Andrew has sex with animals and molests small boys" would be slander and therefore illegal. Someone shooting bomb or fire at an airport is also commiting a crime (donno the name of it). However, just making a political statement should in no way be illegal. And as she didn't do anything before they "arrested" her, they did the wrong thing and imo if your goverment can do that you have severe problems with your laws.

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew First of all, saying "St. Andrew has sex with animals and molests small boys" would be slander and therefore illegal.

And nothing out of Sheehan's mouth is considered slander? She's talking shit about THE PRESIDENT.

Main Entry: de�fa�ma�tion
Pronunciation: "de-f&-'mA-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : communication to third parties of false statements about a person that injure the reputation of or deter others from associating with that person �see also LIBEL, SLANDER

quote:

Originally posted by Steven Hays She's talking shit about THE PRESIDENT.

quote:

The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else. - Teddy Roosevelt (in a Kansas City Star editorial - May 7, 1918)

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew First of all, saying "St. Andrew has sex with animals and molests small boys" would be slander and therefore illegal.

Would it? St. Andrew doth protest too much!

In all seriousness, this is a woman who was practically in bed with Hugo Chavez a week ago (figuratively speaking). Calling the President of the U.S. the biggest terrorist in the world. And you think they actually would let her into the SOTU? Hell--they actually did. It wasn't until she was seen in her protest T-shirt that she was finally escorted out. This is hardly surprising.

And to Trancer-X's comments. I would tend to agree. The President isn't above any man or the law, but the forum in which Sheehan was clearly the wrong one and I can't blame them for escorting her out.

And on the prior page I showed an incident where someone wearing a pro-military shirt (The wife of a representative no less) was ejected from the speech. So what's the big deal? It's not like Sheehan was singled out. Clearly there were rules being enforced.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.