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  • Wednesday, February 01, 2006

    No First Amendment Rights in the Capitol?

    Anti-war activist and mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, Cindy Sheehan, was arrested yesterday in the Capitol for wearing words of protest on her t-shirt while attending the State of the Union. ARRESTED.

    Aren't these the very facts of Cohen v. California, the famous F-CK THE DRAFT, STOP THE WAR t-shirt case?

    Seriously, no free speech in the very halls of the seat of our democracy? Apparently there is a rule against protesting, but she didn't utter a word or do anything to disturb the peace.

    Here is what Cindy Sheehan had to say.

    Beverly Young, wife of Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Florida (who is, incidently the chairman of the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee), was asked to leave as well (her shirt was even less controversial, with the message "Support the Troops - Defending Our Freedom"), but she wasn't arrested for "unlawful" conduct.

    Apparently, the Capitol Police are asking the US Attorney to drop the charges, but there is an issue of personal dignity here.

    UPDATE (2/2): The Capitol Police did apologize and have the charges dropped as rumored yesterday. While an apology is something, perhaps a start, I think if I were either of the women ejected for the message on their attire, I would want more than that. Specialized training on how to handle such situations with sensitivity, perhaps. It's not like there was any chance that these women were armed or anything. Being dragged out of the Capitol by a police officer the way Sheehan was, creating a spectacle, is a personal indignity. There was no reason why the police could not have had more tact and less attack. And they all say the State of the Union Address is supposed to be a dignified occasion...

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