another disgrace from the Bush administration

Peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday in the House gallery after refusing to cover up a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan before President Bush's State of the Union address.

"She was asked to cover it up. She did not," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman, adding that Sheehan was arrested for unlawful conduct, a misdemeanor.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, Schneider said.

Arresting someone for wearing a t-shirt is unconstitutional according ot the Supreme Court:

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/cohen.html

Here she is with another hero

Among other good news, the state of the Union address was another shameful speech from the Chimp. Nothing new, old crap recycled over and over again.

Free speech and freedom for the people seems to be forgotten, unless it's used in war-retoric.

Is there a connection to Thailand in this somewhere? Mr Red's thread was closed this morning because it wasn't Thai related http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=58813

This is bedlam dude

And I dedicate this thread to Boon Mee

Sheehan is mental!!!

Sheehan is mental!!!

Is she from a french speaking country?

a after refusing to cover up a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan before President Bush's State of the Union address.

"She was asked to cover it up. She did not," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman,

I had just sat down and I was warm from climbing 3 flights of stairs back up from the bathroom so I unzipped my jacket. I turned to the right to take my left arm out, when the same officer saw my shirt and yelled, "Protester." He then ran over to me, hauled me out of my seat, and roughly (with my hands behind my back) shoved me up the stairs.

I was never told that I couldn't wear that shirt into the Congress. I was never asked to take it off or zip my jacket back up. If I had been asked to do any of those things ... I would have, and written about the suppression of my freedom of speech later. I was immediately and roughly (I have the bruises and muscle spasms to prove it) hauled off and arrested for "unlawful conduct."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/020106Z.shtml

I am sure the video tapes will provide the sequence of events

no brains and an overbearing sense of self importance - wouldn't trust most of them to clean their own noses.

Sheehan's radical views little noted

Despite heavy coverage, nation's press strangely reluctant to report all she says

August 27, 2005

by David Kopel

Cindy Sheehan claims the media are "a propaganda tool for the government." A New York Post editorial (Aug. 16) argued that Sheehan's statement was self-evidently false, given the overwhelming and almost exclusively positive media attention paid to her in the last several weeks. But in a broader sense, Sheehan has a point: Almost all the news stories and columns in Denver dailies, like the vast majority of the rest of the mainstream media, have failed to inform their readers about what Sheehan really thinks.

The night before Sheehan began her Crawford, Texas, vigil, she spoke at the convention of Veterans for Peace (transcript at www.veteransforpeace.org).She told the crowd about a sympathetic e-mailer who warned that her profanity offended "people on the fence."

In reply, she argued that anyone who supports the war should "get your a-- over to Iraq." Everyone against the war should "stand up and speak out. But whatever side you fall on, quit being on the fence . . . we have to get this country off their butts."

In other words, Sheehan's use of inflammatory rhetoric is an important part of her communication strategy. Yet even as the mainstream media has fawned over her campout, it has neutered her message, refusing to print her statements which are intended to get people off the fence.

For example, on Aug. 16, Sheehan held a media conference call during which she declared "The person who killed my son, I have no animosity for that person at all." Yet her statement was reported only in the National Review Online weblog. In an interview with Mark Knoller of CBS News, she explained that the foreigners who have to come to Iraq to battle the U.S. military are "freedom fighters." (Video at the anti-war Web site dc.indymedia.org/usermedia/video/2/cindyonbus.mov). Conversely, she described last January's vote in Iraq as a "sham election," in her Tuesday entry on her weblog on Michael Moore's Web site (http://michaelmoore.com/mustread/ index.php?id=465).

Sheehan hopes that her strong words will get people off the fence, yet the mainstream media fails to report them. And until Friday's profile in the Rocky Mountain News, the only Denver daily articles to quote Sheehan's provocative words at even modest length were editorial page columns in the News - two by Mike Rosen and one by George Will, for a grand total of four paragraphs' worth of quotes. The Denver Post continues to shield its readers almost completely from Sheehan's fiery language and radical policy beliefs, as did a 25-paragraph profile of Sheehan in Friday's News.

In an Aug. 16 interview with Chris Matthews on Hardball, Sheehan explained that the invasion of Afghanistan was just as wrong as the invasion of Iraq, and she would be equally angry if her son had died in Afghanistan: "Why do we send in invading armies to march into Afghanistan when we're looking for a select group of people in that country?" Yet the news stories in the Denver papers never mention her belief about the immorality of the Afghanistan war.

Sheehan has explained that the real global terrorist problem is the United States. Speaking at San Francisco State University on April 27, she announced, "The biggest terrorist in the world is George W. Bush." Rebuking people (such as the Post editors who created the "Portraits of Valor" series) who claim that serving in the military is patriotic, she stated: "I'm going all over this country telling moms: 'This country is not worth dying for.' " She denounced the idea that soldiers should "defend this morally repugnant system we have." (Transcript at www.discoverthenetwork.org/Articles/Stewartrally.htm )

At the Veterans for Peace rally, Sheehan called George Bush a "lying bastard" and a "maniac." She showed her path to peace: "You get America out of Iraq and Israel out of Palestine and you'll stop the terrorism." (The Crawford "Peace" House, which Sheehan has used to coordinate her protest, has a photo on its Web site depicting "Palestine" as including the entire state of Israel.)

In an Aug. 11 blog conference call, Sheehan stated, "Thank God for the Internet, or we wouldn't know anything, and we would already be a fascist state." Even if one does not entirely agree, the last several weeks do show that that the mainstream media sometimes mislead the public by refusing to print statements that sharply challenge the status quo.

In my previous column, I wrote that The Colorado Statesman weekly newspaper sometimes publishes late because of financial constraints. In fact, the paper has not been late for at least a year and a half. Publisher Jody Strogoff also says the paper has been profitable annually since 2000. I should have investigated the Statesman's financial status more before writing about it.

Bit lengthy, but shows what a nutter this lady is...

Everytime I see her name mentioned, the title of Green Day's latest album comes to mind. If B'fly was a Yank, I would have the same sentiment.

Is there a connection to Thailand in this somewhere? Mr Red's thread was closed this morning because it wasn't Thai related http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=58813

Bedlam threads don't have to be Thailand-related, unless the Mods say so. Isn't this obvious?????

How many of the last 40-50 or more Bedlam threads were/are Thailand-related?? Zero?

Some were closed. Some aren't. Such is the life of a moderated forum. The Mods rule.

IMHO, if the TV-world and Mods want Bedlam to be 100% Thailand-related, then the Mods might as well shut it down because all the other topics are covered elsewhere.

Bedlam ain't dead yet! Long live Bedlam!

another disgrace from the Bush administration

Peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday in the House gallery after refusing to cover up a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan before President Bush's State of the Union address.

"She was asked to cover it up. She did not," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman, adding that Sheehan was arrested for unlawful conduct, a misdemeanor.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, Schneider said.

Arresting someone for wearing a t-shirt is unconstitutional according ot the Supreme Court:

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/cohen.html

Once again B'fly makes a feeble-minded attempt to spin his way around the truth and the realities of American society and American law.

Yes Americans have right to freedom of speech.

They also have the right to suffer the consequences should they break a law in exercising that freedom.

In the case of the American Idiot, she broke a law which dis-allows political protest on the inside of the halls of Congress. People who break that rule are subject to removal and arrest.

Just the latest in a series of stupid moves by a stupid person, so stupid that she has allowed herself to become a laughing stock tool of the Democrat Party elite who could actually care less about her or her dead son.

And planning to bomb Al Jazeera is supporting the freedom of press I'm sure.

The spin-doctor is in, please take a number.

And planning to bomb Al Jazeera is supporting the freedom of press I'm sure.

The spin-doctor is in, please take a number.

Press and Al Jazeera, unacceptable in the same sentence - bit of an oxymoron.

another disgrace from the Bush administration

Peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday in the House gallery after refusing to cover up a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan before President Bush's State of the Union address.

"She was asked to cover it up. She did not," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman, adding that Sheehan was arrested for unlawful conduct, a misdemeanor.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, Schneider said.

Arresting someone for wearing a t-shirt is unconstitutional according ot the Supreme Court:

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/cohen.html

Here she is with another hero

Among other good news, the state of the Union address was another shameful speech from the Chimp. Nothing new, old crap recycled over and over again.

Not a bad effort there B-Fly!

Keep trying buddy!

Even her husband calls her a "nutter" she's just too stupid for words.

oh my gosh... it looks like USA just a got little bit of common sense by dropping the whole matter:

Police Apologize, Drop Charge Vs. Sheehan

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer

23 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Capitol Police dropped a charge of unlawful conduct against anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan on Wednesday and apologized for ejecting her and a congressman's wife from President Bush's State of the Union address for wearing T-shirts with war messages.

"The officers made a good faith, but mistaken effort to enforce an old unwritten interpretation of the prohibitions about demonstrating in the Capitol," Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said in a statement late Wednesday.

"The policy and procedures were too vague," he added. "The failure to adequately prepare the officers is mine."

The extraordinary statement came a day after police removed Sheehan and Beverly Young, wife of Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, R-Fla., from the visitors gallery Tuesday night. Sheehan was taken away in handcuffs before Bush's arrival at the Capitol and charged with a misdemeanor, while Young left the gallery and therefore was not arrested, Gainer said.

"Neither guest should have been confronted about the expressive T-shirts," Gainer's statement said.

Gainer added that he was asking the U.S. attorney's office to drop the charge against Sheehan. The statement also said he apologized to the Youngs and "share the department's plans for avoiding this in the future."

"A similar message has been left with Mrs. Sheehan," Gainer said.

For his part, Bill Young said he was not necessarily satisfied.

"My wife was humiliated," he told reporters. He suggested that "sensitivity training" may be in order for Capitol Police.

A foreign-born American citizen who was the guest of Rep. Alcee Hastings (news, bio, voting record), D-Fla., also was taken by police from the gallery just above the House floor, Hastings said Wednesday.

The congressman met with Gainer and said he also requested a meeting with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., about the incident.

"I'd like to find out more information," Hastings said in an interview, identifying the man only as being from Broward County in Florida. "He is a constituent of mine. I invited him proudly."

Sheehan's T-shirt alluded to the number of soldiers killed in Iraq: "2245 Dead. How many more?" Capitol Police charged her with a misdemeanor for violating the District of Columbia's code against unlawful or disruptive conduct on any part of the Capitol grounds, a law enforcement official said. She was released from custody and flew home Wednesday to Los Angeles.

Young's shirt had just the opposite message: "Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom."

oh my gosh... it looks like USA just a got little bit of common sense by dropping the whole matter:

Police Apologize, Drop Charge Vs. Sheehan

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer

23 minutes ago

When are people going to accept that this has nothing to do with Cindy Sheehan, who is the mindless silver ball in the Democrat Party pinball machine. Unfortunately for the Dems, at present the Republican Party is "Tommy."

So this political pinball game means what? The Dems convinced Sheehan to wear some stupid T-shirt. The GOP weren't going to allow that to happen on worldwide TV, so they had her removed. Just to show it wasn't personal, they dropped all the charges.

Elephants 1, Jackasses 0.

The American Dems are so stupid. They could have let her in wearing normal clothes and the TV would have focused on her not clapping throughout the speech.

Instead they shot their wad on some stupid media stunt which accomplished jack squat. One would like to think the Dem leadership was smarter, understood the American people better, and frankly had something better to do with their time.

The group stupidity of a collective of otherwise intelligent and educated people is simply unbelievable.

Personally, I'm no great fan of some of the GOP leadership either. But its easy for average to look very very good when the competition is so <deleted>' lame.

Leading a person away in handcuffs due to an undesirable t-shirt should be a strong enough message of how much you can trust the neo-cons to safeguard freedom of speech.

Leading a person away in handcuffs due to an undesirable t-shirt should be a strong enough message of how much you can trust the neo-cons to safeguard freedom of speech.

Hate to split hairs but neo-con was actually coined in the early 70s and describes one who is economicly conservative but socialy moderate. I don't think the Bush - Cheney group fits in here.

cv

Leading a person away in handcuffs due to an undesirable t-shirt should be a strong enough message of how much you can trust the neo-cons to safeguard freedom of speech.

Hate to split hairs but neo-con was actually coined in the early 70s and describes one who is economicly conservative but socialy moderate. I don't think the Bush - Cheney group fits in here.

cv

I think you got it wrong here cdnvic, NeoCons is an extremist movement that has common interests with the Islamists. Nothing to do with socially moderate, on the contrary. I think you are confusing the term with Liberterian. NeoCons come from the political ideas of American philosopher Strauss.

NeoCons date as far back as the early 60s. The Wiki definition is not even accurate. As for Libertarians, the defintion has changed a little bit as time went.

Once again B'fly makes a feeble-minded attempt to spin his way around the truth and the realities of American society and American law.

Yes Americans have right to freedom of speech.

They also have the right to suffer the consequences should they break a law in exercising that freedom.

In the case of the American Idiot, she broke a law which dis-allows political protest on the inside of the halls of Congress. People who break that rule are subject to removal and arrest.

Once again spee, you showed again your ignorance and incapacity to deal with the truth. She didn't break any rules. Did you read that link I posted from the Supreme Court ?

Incidently, there were no charges brought against her, as the stupid cop who jumped on her didn't know what he was doing, and it was a big mistake.

A foreign-born American citizen who was the guest of Rep. Alcee Hastings (news, bio, voting record), D-Fla., also was taken by police from the gallery just above the House floor, Hastings said Wednesday.

The congressman met with Gainer and said he also requested a meeting with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., about the incident.

"I'd like to find out more information," Hastings said in an interview, identifying the man only as being from Broward County in Florida. "He is a constituent of mine. I invited him proudly."

So what happened to the person of middle eastern appearance ?

Not a bad effort there B-Fly!

Keep trying buddy!

You are just saying that because you are a big pussy and you and your government have run out of "silly" arguments

Leading a person away in handcuffs due to an undesirable t-shirt should be a strong enough message of how much you can trust the neo-cons to safeguard freedom of speech.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, police also apologized to the wife of Republican Rep. Bill Young, who was ejected for wearing a "Support the Troops" shirt.

Leading a person away in handcuffs due to an undesirable t-shirt should be a strong enough message of how much you can trust the neo-cons to safeguard freedom of speech.

What a warped interpretation!!!!!!!!

Her right to freedom of speech was not and I repeat NOT infringed upon.

She broke a rule of Congress when she exercised that right. That's why she was taken out. As BM pointed out, the same thing happened to the wife of a GOP member. But you would never see that reported in the mainstream media.

You want to know about freedom of speech. Try camping your behind outside the gates of the Iranian Parliament and using free speech to protest their repression on anyone not toeing the current party line. You're more likely to get led away in a wooden box than handcuffs.

So let's try this again.

American citizens have the right to free speech in America. That is a given, as stated in the Bill of Rights.

However, those rights are not protected when the citizen uses them in an unlawful manner. Some common examples are inciting riots, holding a protest parade in a city where a permit is required to do that, and so on down the list.

The right to free speech is not carte' blanche to say and do whatever the "efff" you want, whenever you want to do it. Anyone who believes this is not the case is delusional or an idiot. In the case of C.S., it is clearly the latter.

This is Beverly Young, the wife of Rep. Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Florida, who was also kicked out of the SOTU speech for wearing a sloganed shirt. We know about Cindy Sheehan. There is a huge difference, and everybody knows what it is. Sheehan was put up to her anti-war shenanigans by people who wanted to embarrass the President of the United States. Mrs. Young's motivation was purely patriotic. One grounded in hatred, the other with love. If you don't know the difference…

Was the "support the troop" whale a scapegoat to justify the outsing of Cindy ?

American citizens have the right to free speech in America. That is a given, as stated in the Bill of Rights.

Doubleplusgood

America and Thai Visa, you have the same right to free speech here, unless you say something the powers that be don't like.

American citizens have the right to free speech in America. That is a given, as stated in the Bill of Rights.

Doubleplusgood

America and Thai Visa, you have the same right to free speech here, unless you say something the powers that be don't like.

Oh yeah ..... sure ..... that's a really good analogy ..... a moderated internet forum compared to a leading democratic republic.

You just ping'd the Simpleton Meter so hard it broke the needle.

Talk about a laugh.

Or better yet, fly over to Iran and try to exercise your right to free speech there. Might as well have your casket checked into baggage at the same time.

American citizens have the right to free speech in America. That is a given, as stated in the Bill of Rights.

Doubleplusgood

America and Thai Visa, you have the same right to free speech here, unless you say something the powers that be don't like.

You just ping'd the Simpleton Meter so hard it broke the needle.

Why do you hate freedom Spee ?

Why do you hate freedom Spee ?

Why are you a bleeding-heart liberal (sorry, Progressive) B-Fly?

Why do you hate freedom Spee ?

Why are you a bleeding-heart liberal (sorry, Progressive) B-Fly?

He is not a liberal. He is a self-admitted communist (see previous threads).

I don't hate freedom. I love it and I wish everyone else in the world had the same love for it as I do. I don't want government involved in my life any more than it needs to be. But in many places in the world, you have governmental control over the most basic aspects of peoples' lives (see Iran, Syria, North Korea, Zimbabwe, etc., etc.). That is flat out wrong. Period. End of story.