Cindy Sheehan arrested...

[Tallpine]

I'm imagining that if everyone who wanted to protested in the Capitol building nothing would ever get done.

Sounds good to me ...  :-P



Imagine that though:people actually thinking that they have a right to influence their govt - where do people get such ideas ...?

[K Frame]

"Imagine that though:people actually thinking that they have a right to influence their govt - where do people get such ideas ...?"

No one is denying Cindy Sheehan's right to influence the government. What is being said is that there are appropriate times, and venues, for doing so. That concept shouldn't be a hard one to grasp.

[280plus]

Ah, quite true. It was first decided that your rights were to numerous to list and just because they are not listed doesn't make them any less of a right. Later discussions waffled a bit (IMHO) and determined that the original decision did not mean to be so broad in scope. It's a double edged sword. If I have the right under the 9th to be a pedophile, others have the right under the 9th to make it illegal and to punish me for it.

Do I need to add that "I am not a pedophile nor do I play one on TV?"

[K Frame]

And as I've said before, not even the Founders or Framers considered every right to be an absolute right.

If they had, they never would have invested as much time and effort as they did in establishing the US Code.

[Guest]

The designated "free speech zone" was a couple of miles down the street and several blocks over, so W & Co. wouldn't have to see the dissent.  Guess Cindy missed it and went to the speech instead.  (/sarcasm)

Haven't heard of free speech zones?  That's the way we do it in America now...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/04/INGPQ40MB81.DTL

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,64349,00.html

lpl/nc

[telewinz]

Is there a dress code for visitors?  If so they should enforce it equally throughout DC.  Have you seen what tourists (myself included) wear while touring government buildings? Yet not an eyebrow is raised or an arrest made.  What is this?  The 1950's?  I thought "Tail-gunner Joe" was dead and buried.

[telewinz]

Oh, DC police admit they were in error.  They thought there were rules against wearing T-shirts with slogans.  They also ejected a Congressman's wife (works with wounded vets) for wearing a long sleeve t-shirt saying "support our troops who protect us".  She wasn't arrested like Cindy, go figure.  The Police have dropped all charges.

[Werewolf]

will she be able to get a jury trial if the charges are misdemeanor level or above?  If the penalties are at all serious but she doesn't get a jury, then...well that's a fairly serious step on this nation's part, one that would disturb me much more than the initial arrest.

It's moot now since the charges against Sheehan have been dropped but there is no right to a jury trial in misdemeanor cases. Never has been.

[280plus]

And as I've said before, not even the Founders or Framers considered every right to be an absolute right.

Fair enough but would you agree wearing a Tee shirt with a slogan on it into the capitol building while not only protected by the 1st Amendment would also be well within the scope of the 9th?

From what Tele is telling us apparently now she WAS supposed to be allowed to stay? Sigh, I love the way things just seem to twist themselves around there in DC. Does anybody REALLY know what's supposed to be going on there?  

[doczinn]

A wife of a congressman was also ejected during the SOTU who wore a shirt supporting the troops.

But that won't make the news nearly as much, since it doesn't fit the image the media want to portray.

[BobR]

The picture of her that I saw was one of her coming into the seating area with a buttoned to her neck black jacket. It wasn't until she was seated that the jacket came off and the shirt became visible. IMO, she knew exactly what she was doing.

bob