BS: sheehan arrested?

Subject: BS: sheehan arrested for Tshirt?
From: Kaleea
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 02:37 PM

OK, at the risk of causing general mayhem, what's up with that? I'm not asking for opinions of her cause, just the facts of the arrest. OK, & maybe opinions of the arrest, as we'll all have one!
    I saw on abc Good Morning America that Cindy Sheehan was arrested for "disorderly conduct" although she was a ticket holder for the "state of the union" address. Her brief quote was something like "I was arrested, handcuffed, & thrown in jail for wearing a T-shirt." The footage showed her in a T-shirt showing what looked like the number of troops killed in Iraq. I did not see any other coverage of this on the other 2 major networks, & I don't get cable news.
Here's what I want to know--was she just sitting there wearing the T shirt? Did she scream & yell & behave in a "disorderly" way? It is difficult for me to believe that with all the media we have in the USA, no footage of her before & up to the arrest is available. Does anyone know the facts? Is it now against the law for someone to wear slogans or anti bush stuff during the state of the union address? Surely there is more to this story.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Amos
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 02:42 PM

Amazing how little there is about this in all the fluff coming out of the media on Bush's buckwing show.

A

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: GUEST,Pseudolus at Work
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 02:44 PM

She was arrested before Bush ever got there. I read it on MSN...

Sheehan arrested

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Amos
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 02:45 PM

Here is the lady's statement about what she experienced at the SOTU event:

Dear Friends,

As most of you have probably heard, I was arrested before the State of the Union Address tonight.


I am speechless with fury at what happened and with grief over what we have lost in our country.


There have been lies from the police and distortions by the press. (Shocker) So this is what really happened:


This afternoon at the People's State of the Union Address in DC where I was joined by Congresspersons Lynn Woolsey and John Conyers, Ann Wright, Malik Rahim and John Cavanagh, Lynn brought me a ticket to the State of the Union Address. At that time, I was wearing the shirt that said: 2245 Dead. How many more?


After the PSOTU press conference, I was having second thoughts about going to the SOTU at the Capitol. I didn't feel comfortable going. I knew George Bush would say things that would hurt me and anger me and I knew that I couldn't disrupt the address because Lynn had given me the ticket and I didn't want to be disruptive out of respect for her. I, in fact, had given the ticket to John Bruhns who is in Iraq Veterans Against the War. However, Lynn's office had already called the media and everyone knew I was going to be there so I sucked it up and went.


I got the ticket back from John, and I met one of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's staffers in the Longworth Congressional Office building and we went to the Capitol via the undergroud tunnel. I went through security once, then had to use the rest room and went through security again.


My ticket was in the 5th gallery, front row, fourth seat in. The person who in a few minutes was to arrest me, helped me to my seat.


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 said something like "I'm going, do you have to be so rough?" By the way, his name is Mike Weight.

The officer ran with me to the elevators yelling at everyone to move out of the way. When we got to the elevators, he cuffed me and took me outside to await a squad car. On the way out, someone behind me said, "That's Cindy Sheehan." At which point the officer who arrested me said: "Take these steps slowly." I said, "You didn't care about being careful when you were dragging me up the other steps." He said, "That's because you were protesting." Wow, I get hauled out of the People's House because I was, "Protesting."

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."


After I had my personal items inventoried and my fingers printed, a nice Sgt. came in and looked at my shirt and said, "2245, huh? I just got back from there."


I told him that my son died there. That's when the enormity of my loss hit me. I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go? I started crying in pain.


What did Casey die for? What did the 2244 other brave young Americans die for? What are tens of thousands of them over there in harm's way for still? For this? I can't even wear a shrit that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing.


I wore the shirt to make a statement. The press knew I was going to be there and I thought every once in awhile they would show me and I would have the shirt on. I did not wear it to be disruptive, or I would have unzipped my jacket during George's speech. If I had any idea what happens to people who wear shirts that make the neocons uncomfortable that I would be arrested...maybe I would have, but I didn't.


There have already been many wild stories out there.


I have some lawyers looking into filing a First Amendment lawsuit against the government for what happened tonight. I will file it. It is time to take our freedoms and our country back.


I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether he/she has paid the ulitmate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government. That's why I am going to take my freedoms and liberties back. That's why I am not going to let Bushco take anything else away from me...or you.


I am so appreciative of the couple of hundred of protesters who came to the jail while I was locked up to show their support....we have so much potential for good...there is so much good in so many people.


Four hours and 2 jails after I was arrested, I was let out. Again, I am so upset and sore it is hard to think straight.


Keep up the struggle...I promise you I will too.


Love and peace soon,


Cindy

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Greg F.
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 03:02 PM

Yessir, the Good Old U.S. of A- protecting freedom.

Unless you disagree with George the Third & his Junta.

And folks wonder why the Iraquis think all this American "freedom and democracy" talk is crock of shit.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Amos
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 03:05 PM

This is disgusting, abusive conduct on the part of the Party Junta. I spit.

A

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 03:08 PM

Fucking hypocrits. Today, the little marionette says he understands the people's worries. Bullshit!

Thanks, Kaleea, I missed the news this morning and didn't know about this. I am grateful Cindy is going to pursue First Amendment rights over this.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 03:20 PM

Story here.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 03:36 PM

There is more to this story - Beverly Young, the wife of a republican congressman from Florida was "removed" from the gallery as well. She was wearing a t-shirt that said "Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom."

It is interesting that the story only mentions this woman as being "removed" - not arrested.   

It is also interesting that this story did not circulate as much as the Sheehan story.   Both "sides" could have plenty to say about that.

Neither T-shirt was disruptive to the proceedings of the evening. If any building in DC should allow for debate and protest, it is the Capitol.

Rather than blame politics, I blame a security system that has it's collective head up its ass.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: DougR
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:05 PM

Demonstrations FOR or AGAINST are prohibited in the nation's capital. She was a guest of a "Lefty" California Congresswoman who should have known Sheehan would not be allowed to stay wearing that T-shirt.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: CapriUni
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:06 PM

Well, during the campaign for the election, George Bush made sure that he only had supporters in the audience for his "public" speaches, and, on several occasions, had local police ban people from attending if they had anti-Bush bumper-stickers, tee-shirts or buttons. The behavior inspired me to make this icon for my blog.

So I think it goes deeper than "a security system that has it's collective head up its ass."

But, as far as I can tell, that was legal (barely), if he chose to make his speaches in the open to an invitation-only audience.

But this? To arrest someone who was someone else's legal guest?

Feh. I think George Orwell may have gotten it right... he was just 20 off....

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: DougR
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:06 PM

Capital building that is.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:07 PM

So what about the wife of the congressman DougR? Why wasn't she arrested as well?

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:08 PM

.. and what is your problem with "lefty"? You don't seem to have a problem with being a "righty"? It is different shades of the same problem.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: jeffp
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:13 PM

God forbid that any political activity should take place in the Capitol building.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: MMario
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:26 PM

Based on her own account it would seem that the arresting personage did NOT know who she was. And to claim not to wish to cause any disruption and then wear that t-shirt to the event is not very believable.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:28 PM

No, he is not a Nazi.

The problem here is that we end up in name calling and sticking to party lines and throw all common sense out the window. The biggest problem this country faces is a lack of common sense and allowing ourselves to let others think for you.   Debate is important, but that has been replaced by people making wisecracks and repeating lines they hear from various pundits.   It is easy to call someone a "leftist" or a "righ winger", but far harder to understand where that person is coming from and how they develop their thoughts.   

In the not so distant past, senators and congressman would vote with their conscience. People would think for themselves.   Now we simply regurgitate the crap that we hear on radio, tv and newspapers. Look at some of the posts here on Mudcat and you will see what I mean.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:00 PM

We have a similar law prohibiting any demonstrations may they be pro or contra the government politics in too close proximity to the Bundestag. We had the experience of brown-shirt stormtroopers intimidating and abusing freely elected representatives. That why we now have that law as a general rule which applies whether we agree with a particular opinion or not. There are no exemptions for good causes. You can wear a T-shirt with a slogan any place you want but not in the Bundestag.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: gnu
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:01 PM

Oh, come on now. As much as agree with you guys, The State of the Union Address is hardly the place for protest of any kind. Perhaps, instead of protester, Mike should have yelled, "Poor Taste."

Seriously, I find her actions rather childish. Being rude is not going to get her or her cause anywhere. Surely such behaviour only detracts from the message she is trying to spread.

And... a lawsuit? Which has no chance of winning? And even if it did, how many more will die before fuck all gets done? Good lord... the Enron trials might get underway this year? Exxon Mobil just posted a $36.13B profit for 2005? You, the richest nation on earth, outsource ALL your flu vaccine? The largest and best Corps of Engineers on the face of the earth were beat to Katrina victims by firefighters from another country? 2,245 and counting? A tee shirt? A tee shirt? It's about time ye lads put your collective cause where your mouth is and get organized.

But, I have faith. Y'all did well in the past, many times on many things. A little slow getting up to speed maybe, but, admirable in the end. So, don't mind me. I'm just a backwoods boy. Why, I ain't even a Yank, yet. Carry on.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:07 PM

jeffp- no politcial action does take place in the Capitol Building

I did watch the the address & pior to the start it was reported that Cindy had been removed. I remarked to my wife when Bush was expoliting the family of another dead solider that he has a 10' long nerve to be able to handle both situations singled handedly.
But why am I not suprised, he handles the nation in the same fashion.

A t-shirt is no cause for disruption & only makes a statment, I don't think it really even quilifies as a protest for either woman. I believe it is only a statment of free speech. Homeland Suckuriety
must've been tipped off by an annon. overseas phone call about Cindy & not about the "Other domestic Woman"
Barry

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:13 PM

Absolutely, Barry!

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: jeffp
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:14 PM

It's all in how you define it isn't it? I consider virtually everything that takes place in the Capitol building to be political. Especially the State of the Union Message.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:22 PM

action = movement, every thing stayed the same. no progress was made & no action was taken. Except maybe by 2 women.
Barry

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:30 PM

'But Capitol Police will ask the U.S. attorney's office to drop the charges, NBC News' Mike Viqueira reported Wednesday.

"We screwed up," a top Capitol Police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said Sheehan didn't violate any rules or laws.'

The above is from the linked MSN article.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:34 PM

" "We screwed up," a top Capitol Police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity"

EXACTLY!

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Sorcha
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:41 PM

And they keep screwing up.....over and over and over.....scary stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:52 PM

Right back to "it all depends on whose Ox is getting gored."

There has been a rule forever regarding any type of display, advertising or sentiment generation with regard to visual display in the Capitol. Only a jerk would try to get by with that type of behavior. Wonder how much she was paid for this little escapade?

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 05:53 PM

NPR covered the removal of both women equally in a discussion of the events around the speech in the news this morning.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:01 PM

One arrested, the other not arrested.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:16 PM

I gather this occasion is supposed to be an occasion for summing up "the state of the Union". It sounds as if it did precisely that.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:31 PM

Jist out of curiousity, how did a simple statement of fact and a question about future actions become a PROTEST ?

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:34 PM

To quote someone in an earlier post, "It depends on whose bullshit is getting gored."

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: jeffp
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 06:45 PM

No law was broken; charges are being dropped, apologies have been made.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 07:17 PM

I wonder why Sheehan was arrested and not the other gal?

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 07:22 PM

So presumably the police will put their hands up when charged with making a "false arrest"...

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Arne
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 07:42 PM

Here's Glenn Greenwald's informed take on this. And, AIUI, the police have apologised too.

But this ain't the only time this kind of thing has happened; they're just chippin', chippin' away at those prescient Ten Commandments of the United States Gummint (all the while extolling Roy Moore and his effort to substitute a different set)..... So, no, an apology isn't enough. We need to stop them from this protofascist crap and let them know that such censoring of political speech has no part in a country of freedom and democracy.

Cheers,

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 07:55 PM

"And it is still unclear, to put it generously, why Sheehan -- who apparently complied with the request to leave -- was arrested and detained for four hours, while Young, who argued bitterly with the Police and even called the officers "idiots," was simply asked to leave and not arrested. All of this is such a significant story primarily because there is a long line of events under the Bush Administration where people with dissenting opinions are thrown out of public events and divergent views are kept far away from the Commander-in-Chief. This incident grew out of that climate and is clearly a part of it."

From Arne's link.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 08:40 PM

At least she does something. The rest of America just sits on their butts and allows it all to happen. Politics in America is just another spectator sport.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Kaleea
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 10:43 PM

I just now got to check back on this thread. Thanks, all for the info. I can't say that I'm surprised. I have been reading & hearing stories from the press since before the 1st nonelection about non dubblepew followers being consistently ejected & arrested from events such as campaign trail speeches to the republican convention.
   Now this. Where is Freedom tonight? Not in America, except of course, for those who are dubblepewites.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 10:49 PM

Thanks for the link, Arne.

Dick, exactly!

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 10:54 PM

As much as I would like to say that Cindy Sheehan was denied her freedom of speech, and the Republican wife was merely a smokescreen, and that we have a doublestandard, the simple truth is - we do not know. NONE of us were there and it comes down to her side of the story versus theirs. Frankly, I tend to believe it was a stupid security move rather than a premeditated act to deny of her rights. Do you think that ANYONE, even King George, is so stupid that they would publicly remove this woman from the CAPITOL when the media and everyone in the federal government is in the same room?? The government may be run by idiots, but they aren't dumb!

It is obvious that some of us do not trust the "other" side and won't believe what they are telling us.   The bottom line is - all of us on here are nothing more than shithouse lawyers who are waiting for an excuse to rant and rave.   I do not see anyone complaining or rising up about the practices of the FCC or the corporations that are controlling the news we hear, see and read. If you are that worried about the denial of free speech, where is your outrage? Those are everyday issues, this was a one-time screwup.

The above guest was right - we just sit on our asses, whine a bit on places like mudcat, and do nothing.   This has become a spectator sport. How many of you have written letters, picketed, stopped buying products, or simply voted?

There are thousands of things we can do to protest, but sitting around waxing philosophic about a story when NONE of us have all the facts is really useless.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 11:34 PM

I guess who gets arrested and who doesn't depends on which side of the Isle they're sitting on.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Big Mick
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 11:40 PM

I didn't read past Doug R's comment, so if it has been addressed then I apologize. Doug, could you provide a cite for the prohibition on wearing t shirts with a message for or against an issue? I have lobbied in the Congress, visited the rotunda, been throughout the halls and chambers, many times with t shirts that had a message. In your zeal to be an apologist for this megalomaniac and his minions, I believe you are confusing tradition with prohibition.

Can't you see it yet, Doug. Can't the uber patriotic right wing see the danger in prohibiting free speech, wiretaps ON AMERICAN CITIZENS without court approval, Patriot act spying on libraries .......... can't you see it. Doug, if they can do it to us "lefties" what's to stop a left wing President from spying on you based on a pretense.

I wish you would think a bit more and get past the friggin' blind loyalty thing.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Amos
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 11:45 PM

What is clear, and what has not been focussed on as the key point, is the reaction of the security guard while the lady was taking off her jacket. He spotted her T-shirt -- which apparently just had a number on it -- and yelled "PROTESTER" and hustled her out in a half-nelson.

The essence of this story is in that moment -- a guard trained to respond to any sign of a protester like a bloodhound might to a runaway convict. Slam!!

Of course, the Bushite crowd will shrug this off, since the constitution does not say, literally, that the right to wear t-shirts with numbers on them shall not be infringed.

A

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 01:47 AM

First problem: that a law exists & hasn't been challenged about "what is a protester" & why is it a law within the Capital.

Second problem: Oh it has been challenged & ruled on. T-SHIRTS are not to be considered a protest.

Follow the above links to find chapter & verse.

Ron, Bush is smart enough to surround himself with people with more intelligence than he can claim for himself but sometimes they are not intelligent enough to surround themselves with enough so no trickle down effect can take place. These guards were supposed to be trained but you can't train a monkey to do an ape's job. Actually it's more likely to be that Bush is dumb enough to let the more intelligent party players to conservatives & neo-cons surround themselves around him.

The state of the Union should realize that setting up protester restricted free zone areas is an oxymoron. That means a person can only protest where they can't be seen or heard, that stifles all dissent & can not then be considered a protest at all. This is only one more embarrassment in a long line of government embarrassments. This government has only themselves to blame. With their policies that gave them the well earned title of "Shadow Government" to the PATRIOT ACT to the President surrounding himself with supporters & turning away any likely dissenters at political event to banning protesters from access to areas of political activity to the muzzling of the news media to the supporting of cover ups to the allowance of congressional criminals leaking confidential names to the secretly sending of suspects to foreign nations to been interrogated to the foot dragging refusals to help with a very long list of investigating committees that might cause the ruling party an embarrassing black eye. The Capitol Police have already apologized & the DA will probably drop it but it happened & it shouldn't have. Again the policy of this government is to commit the crime & practice damage control after the fact. Shoot from the hip & then call in the paramedics & the rest of the clean up crew. That's no way to run an under funded kindergarten never mind an under funded country.

Lastly: To say she was asking for it or she should have known better, tisk, tisk. Like the rape victim she should not be charged with being the cause of this crime. She should be able to dress as she pleases & speak as she wishes! Through this process she was raped brutally of her constitutional rights to free speech

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: kendall
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 09:21 AM

Not long ago a man was ordered to remove his tee shirt at the Maine Mall because it was "Inflamatory". He refused and was escourted outside.

The 1st amendment is sacred, but how far should it extend? I once saw a woman in a tee shirt that said "Smile if you like to fuck" Should that be banned in public? Where is the line?

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Amos
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 09:47 AM

I don't see why it should be banned in public, Kendall; people fuck all the time, and there's no reason not to be a little candid about it. Besides, she'd be surrounded by smilers!!


A

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Greg F.
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 10:08 AM

This worked out just the way the Bushites scripted it, fer chrissake.

The "protesters"[sic] were neutralized, nothing "disrupted" Dumbya's characteristically inept reading off the tele-prompter screen, the police department followed the script & "apologized after" the fact -(i.e. after the harm was done) - and the majority of people- some people here, included- seem to think this was an honest "mistake" and accept the "apology". Jaysus!

Guess Mencken was spot on about the intelligence of the American people.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: Peace
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 10:17 AM

"How many of you have written letters, picketed, stopped buying products, or simply voted?"

Me for one.

Subject: RE: BS: sheehan arrested?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 10:23 AM

Thanks Peace. I am glad you do the things you do, but I suspect that you get the point that I made.

I am sure there are people like you, and I am not expecting all of them to start listing the deeds they have done. I think it would be more telling if the people who have NOT done things like you have done to start owning up to it. I do not expect that would happen.