Cindy Sheehan arrested at State of the Union Speech

mike · #1 02-02-2006, 06:47 AM

Cindy Sheehan was arrested and placed into a jail for two hours. Here is her account of the situation.

Quote:

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: 2,245 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 underground 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, "2,245, 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 2,244 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.
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 ultimate 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 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

I have several problems with her story. She was invited to hear the state of the union and be a guest. She stated before her visit that she “promised not to be a problem.” Well, she obviously misrepresented herself because she created a problem.

After reading the article, you would think that she had a T-shirt that was barely noticeable. Well, here was that shirt and it was worn to make a statement.

I also find it hard to believe she simply took it off because she was hot. She wore that shirt to make a statement or she would have simply worn a white shirt underneath.

Also, in her account she states that she knew the cameras would pan over to her during President Bush’s speech. So, she obviously wore that shirt to make a political statement and get noticed. She has announced her bid to unseat Senator Barbara Boxer in the next election. I can’t help feel that she and others (Michael Moore, George Soroes, etc) helped her plan and coordinate this.

What is upsetting to me is how this woman is profiting from her sons death and advancing her career in politics. She is one of several thousand parents who have lost a loved one in Iraq. Why is she so special? Also, would you profit from your sons death like this?

Another good point is about freedom of speech. She continues to say her rights were violated. This is not true. You have a right to Freedom of Speech in the constitution, BUT this doesn’t grant you unlimited speech. For instance, I don’t have the right to wear whatever I wish in a public school. Kids can not wear sweaters and show disturbing pictures on their shirts. This is just one example.

Doutdes · #2 02-02-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

Another good point is about freedom of speech. She continues to say her rights were violated. This is not true. You have a right to Freedom of Speech in the constitution, BUT this doesn’t grant you unlimited speech. For instance, I don’t have the right to wear whatever I wish in a public school. Kids can not wear swears and show disturbing pictures on their shirts. This is just one example.

Her rights were violated. Of course we can reduce our law system and legal principles down to the level of school house law. We wouldn't need to worry about juries, seperations of powers, detentions without habeas corpus and so forth. However, I'm not a legal expert like Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer.

Quote:

“Neither guest should have been confronted about the expressive T-shirts,” Gainer’s statement said.

Neither guest. Beverly Young, a wife of a Republican Congressman, was also removed for protesting, although she wasn't arrested.

Quote:

Young’s shirt had a message with a different tone: “Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom.”

“They said I was protesting,” Young told the St. Petersburg Times. “I said, ‘Read my shirt, it is not a protest.’ They said, ‘We consider that a protest.’ I said, ‘Then you are an idiot.”’

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11120353/

mike · #3 02-03-2006, 04:28 AM

Freedom of Speech is not limitless. A man was removed for wearing a similar T-Shirt during the Clinton impeachments. There were obvious rules that Cindy Sheehan knew about. The rules state that you can not wear T-shirts like this.

I don’t have the Freedom of Speech to protest and stop traffic or wear an offensive shirt in a public school. Same is true for federal buildings. Your Freedom of Speech does not allow you to break laws or violate basic rules.

mike · #4 02-03-2006, 04:55 AM

Let’s test the Cindy Sheehan freedom of speech model.

A man wears a “Muslims are terrorists and nothing but suicide bombers” T-shirt and attends an official dinner held by a Muslim organization.

A kid wears a “I love to kill teachers and cops” T-shirt that has a graphic of a student shooting a teacher in a public high school.

Should they be allowed to wear these T-Shirts?

Let’s take protesting one step further. How about protestors blocking traffic or people from going into abortion clinics? Is it their freedom of speech to break the law and disrupt other peoples live?

It is also funny that Cindy states that her freedom of speech is being restricted and millions of people hear her.

This was an obvious stunt and she got the results she wanted, more media attention for her to sell more books and gain attention for her Senate run against Boxer.

alyteet · #5 02-03-2006, 06:33 AM

Looks like the Capitol police is apologizing for their actions:

Quote:

The Capitol Police said in a statement that it had reviewed the incident and determined the arrest was unwarranted.

"While officers acted in a manner consistent with the rules of decorum enforced by the department in the House Gallery for years, neither Mrs. Sheehan's manner of dress or initial conduct warranted law enforcement intervention," the statement said.

Perhaps if the police hadn't arrested her, the presence of Cindy wouldn't have even made the news.

Mike, you didn't say anything about the other mom who was arrested. Doutdes posted the link above. I don't see why wearing a t-shirt that says, “Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom.” is a problem.

Perhaps law enforcement were acting as fashion police? Both t-shirts were a bit tacky in color and design. This would clash with the matronly designer suits of female Senators and Congresswomen.

Bear · #6 02-03-2006, 06:55 AM

I agree, they never should have arrested her, it only keeps up her martyr status and keeps this ridiculous woman in the news. Capitol police should have just asked her to cover up the shirt...they should have done the same for the other woman as well.

I doubt the cop roughed her up as much as she's saying, though I'm sure it was embarrassing and it was obviously wrong (per the apology.) I also doubt that she didn't fully intend to have the shirt seen as a protest, same as the other woman. Warm from climbing the steps? Give me a break. Didn't want to cause a seen out of respect? When did that start to matter to her.

Both women involved were being inappropriate. Thanks to them and some overzealous Capitol cops for making this non-story a huge drama.

Doutdes · #7 02-03-2006, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

Let’s test the Cindy Sheehan freedom of speech model.

A man wears a “Muslims are terrorists and nothing but suicide bombers” T-shirt and attends an official dinner held by a Muslim organization.

A kid wears a “I love to kill teachers and cops” T-shirt that has a graphic of a student shooting a teacher in a public high school.

Should they be allowed to wear these T-Shirts?

Actually a different doctrine may be used to disallow these T-Shirts. It's called the Fighting Words doctrine. The school T-Shirt obviously fits the bill. The anti-muslim T-Shirt may be more of a stretch. However, if it is a private dinner, they can certainly ask the person to leave and have him arrested for trespass if he refuses.

Quote:

Let’s take protesting one step further. How about protestors blocking traffic or people from going into abortion clinics? Is it their freedom of speech to break the law and disrupt other peoples live?

WTF? Cindy Sheehan was wearing a T-shirt. She didn't try to prevent people from entering the capitol. Please try to stay on the same topic.

mike · #8 02-03-2006, 12:12 PM

Doutdes,

Quote:

WTF? Cindy Sheehan was wearing a T-shirt. She didn't try to prevent people from entering the capitol. Please try to stay on the same topic.

I will stay on topic when you stay on topic. I started talking about Cindy Sheehan and you brought up the congressman's wife. Two separate incidents by your definition of staying on topic. No where in my first post did I talk about the congressman's wife. Please don't tell me to stay on a narrow topic if you can't do the same. Also, you don't make the rules of what staying on topic is defined as.

I don't think the congresswomen or Cindy should have been arrested. They should have been asked to leave, but not arrested. The man that had an anti-Clinton shirt at the impeachment hearing was also asked to leave, so this is not a partisan issue. We are talking about freedom of speech, so talking about protestors who feel they have the frredom of speech to protest in front of abortion clinics or in parks has everything to do with this topic.

The people on the left like Cindy always use the "I am a victim" approach to getting headlines.

How many people actually think Cindy did not plan all of this? She acts like, "Well, I just grabbed the shirt that was on the top of my clean laundry."

She planned to protest and make this a big issue. She is simply advancing her book sales and political career.

Mike

mike · #9 02-03-2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Perhaps if the police hadn't arrested her, the presence of Cindy wouldn't have even made the news.

Mike, you didn't say anything about the other mom who was arrested. Doutdes posted the link above. I don't see why wearing a t-shirt that says, “Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom.” is a problem.

Perhaps law enforcement were acting as fashion police? Both t-shirts were a bit tacky in color and design.

Aly, I didn't bring up the congressman's wife because I thought it was silly that she was arrested and she is not selling a book or running for senate. The congressman's wife was simply wearing a shirt that broke a dress code.

Quote:

This would clash with the matronly designer suits of female Senators and Congresswomen.

Not sure this has anything to do with the subject. I am sure congresswomen wearing designer suits and a women making a political statement are the same. Cindy broke an established rule of not making any political statements in the congress. Cindy is like many people that think they don't have to follow rules because the constitution states they have the freedom of speech.

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