So Bush gave his State of the Union (or rather State of the Onion, for all the tears it induces) address, and peaceful anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, who lost a son in Iraq, was ARRESTED in the gallery of the House of Representatives for WEARING A T-SHIRT that said how many US soldiers had died in Iraq ("2245 dead - how many more?"). Even though she had made no disruption, even though she was there legally and had been helped to her seat by the same people that minutes later threw her out, she was arrested, actually arrested for being a 'protester'. The wife of a Republican politician was also ejected for wearing a T-shirt that read "Supporting the Troops, defending our Freedom". Not arrested, though, oh NO. There may be laws prohibiting protests in Congress (which is bad enough, as this law can be read in many different ways), but these do NOT include wearing T-shirts. The Capitol police have been forced to apologize to them both and drop the charges against Cindy Sheehan (SF Gate). I mean, the woman has suffered enough, has she not? Losing her son in Iraq because of the arrogance of politicians, continually slandered and dismissed by right-wing supporters (such as our old friend Bill O'Reilly) and now to be publicly humiliated in this way? You can read her own account of the events on dailykos.com: "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 shirt that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing." As for George's State of the Onion, well you can just guess what he said.
Though shalt not dissent against King George (including factual t-shirts)
2.2.06 20:13
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(2.2.06 22:38) Good heavens - that's really appalling. Really like your news from the US - keep up the good work! |
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(3.2.06 12:09) I normally try and catch the State of the Union but I missed it this year, I just couldn't be arsed. Bush has almost become so predictable that its hard to even get angry about anymore. This incident has strange resemblance to the ejection of an old man from the Labour party conference last year for heckling Jack Straw about the war... (and his later arrest under "anti-terror" legislation, though Jack Straw didnt really look too terrified) resemblance in the degree of control that our "leaders" are demanding these days... |
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(3.2.06 13:58) Funny, when I read your post I was thinking about the very same man at the labour conference. Our politicial friends really need to be careful or their going to lose their 'democracy and free-speech' excuse for invading other countries! |
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(3.2.06 22:31) Oh yes, I remember that guy... Politicians will always use those excuses, even when those rights and liberties are long gone. Wasn't East Germany officially titled the "German Democratic Republic"? Nothing democratic about Erich Honecker's one-party state. If they had called themselves the "Police-state totalitarian dictatorship nation of the bullet", the Wall may have fallen much sooner. It's all an illusion... |
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