Dear Cindy Sheehan
Generally, it’s a bad idea to unfold a protest banner in the middle of the State of the Union, especially if you’re a guest in the Capitol. Generally, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get arrested for trying to interrupt the speech. The Capitol Police do not take kindly to people disturbing the business of government. What were you thinking?
Good try Tom, but it was actually a T-shirt, which is a little draconian, if you ask me. from WASHINGTON (CNN) — 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.
Ah, well then CNN’s initial story is wrong. Either way, you comply with the Capitol Police or you go to jail. Surprise? Shouldn’t be.
Depends on what the shirt says. If its a muted “Bush where is my son?”, I think they went overboard. if its a flashing, day-glow short that says “f%#k Bush”, then they might have a case. the whole freedom of speach thing, ya know.
According to the Post, it was the number of american war dead in Iraq, plus “How many more, Mr. Bush?”
Protesting from the House of Representatives is prohibited.
“Protesting from the House of Representatives is prohibited.”
Whaaa? Have you ever seen a floor debate? That’s a more lively & possibly disruptive action than a T-shirt. Especially one so muted as the number of american war dead in Iraq, plus “How many more, Mr. Bush?”
While I personally loathe the “free speech zones” (I thought that was “the US”) and other stifling measures, I think inside the House during the address its the obligation of attendees to be quiet, respectful and non-disruptive. Message shirts don’t qualify as courteous dress in my book.
That said, the long history of the Bush administration of stifling any appearance of dissent sure makes it hard to be on their side on this…
Cindy Sheehan does not get it.
A Presidential SOTU address is a bi-partisan event and not a stage for her to inject her viewpoint.
Save me the rhetoric about free speech, Sheehan’s actions are just plain disrespectful.
F Cinfy Sheehan, she’s pretty much ruined the memory of her dead son.
For the record, rep Bill Young’s(R-Fla)wife was also booted for wearring a “Support Our Troops” T shirt.
Personally, I think that the Cindy Sheehans, Move On, Code Pink crowd etc. ultimately help Bush and could ultimately lead to another Republican victory in 2008. National elections are won in the middle. As long as the far left is the voice of the Democratic Party, they won’t win.
I don’t think they’re the voice; there’s plenty of people like me who are centrist in many ways but find the current social policies of the Republican party sufficiently repugnant that we’re going to go Dem for the forseeable future. The far left just -seems- like the voice of the party since nobody else has any goddamned balls so there’s no competing voices.
The media has an impact on this as well; look at the public image that Howard Dean has gotten saddled with, despite being one of the more fiscally conservative types in the Democratic party. What he’s most known for is opposition to the Iraq war, despite all his other messages and fiscal history, primarily because Iraq was big news so Iraq opposition got the most ink.
It’s worth noting that signs and protest-wear are generally prohibited in the Capitol, without regard for the content of the message. This has been the policy since long before the current administration took office.