"An era can be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted." - Arthur Miller

Sunday, August 08, 2004

Illegal to Protest?

Bush Protestors Turned Away From Event

Aug 5, 2004 6:23 am US/Central
Mankato, Minn. (AP) Two young supporters of DFL congressional candidate Leigh Pomeroy were turned away from President Bush's quarry rally in Mankato yesterday.

Nick Burkhardt and Matt Klaber of Mankato initially were denied rally tickets after making unfavorable comments about the president while waiting in line for three hours. They later were given tickets, but when they got off the shuttle bus at the quarry they were told they couldn't go in.

They agreed to leave, but a Mankato West High School teacher who was accompanying them says he also was asked to leave when he tried to defend the boys.

Global geography teacher Jim Walz said he wanted to stay and was told by a Bush official that he would be arrested and escorted out if he made any attempt to protest during the rally.

Walz says if appearances by the President of the United States are treated as private political events, then cities are right to bill the campaign for the expenses of local law enforcement.

Source: http://wcco.com/siteSearch/local_story_218072505.html

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Sigh. It saddens me how much freedom people are willing to give up for "safety". Even sadder that people that should know better don't have a problem with it. It started with protest only areas (for safety of course ) now its spread to support agreements and risk of arrest for even COMMENTING negativily about the president. Sometimes slippery slope logic doesn't apply, but when it comes to rights, it does. As the Bush Administration has proven over and over and over and over again for the last 4 years. Seriously both sides of the aisle should have serious problems with this.

Not even allowed to comment negativily. I think thats sick and any candidate or person, even Bush acolytes, that doesn't condemn it is un-American and a traitor. Screw Bush's and Coulters definition, theirs is limited to the Republican party.

1 comment:

  1. doesn't seem wrong to me. it was bush's rally thing. who wants their event to be disrupted by protestors? no one. what if a bunch of people wanted to protest on your lawn ... at 1AM? it isn't illegal to protest - but it is illegal to protest in certain places. i agree people do give up way too much for "safety" but telling someone who is planning on disrupting an organized event not to disrupt doesn't fall into that category.

    wow - i really had to dig for this post. i was just seeing how your style has changed over the past couple years.

    ReplyDelete