So who wants a quick $80,000?

[Pred]

Umm, yeah....

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A couple arrested at a rally after refusing to cover T-shirts that bore anti-President Bush slogans settled their lawsuit against the federal government for $80,000, the American Civil Liberties Union announced Thursday.
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Nicole and Jeffery Rank of Corpus Christi, Texas, were handcuffed and removed from the July 4, 2004, rally at the state Capitol, where Bush gave a speech. A judge dismissed trespassing charges against them, and an order closing the case was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Charleston.

"This settlement is a real victory not only for our clients but for the First Amendment," said Andrew Schneider, executive director of the ACLU of West Virginia. "As a result of the Ranks' courageous stand, public officials will think twice before they eject peaceful protesters from public events for exercising their right to dissent."

White House spokesman Blair Jones said the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing.

"The parties understand that this settlement is a compromise of disputed claims to avoid the expenses and risks of litigation and is not an admission of fault, liability, or wrongful conduct," Jones said.

The front of the Ranks' homemade T-shirts bore the international symbol for "no" superimposed over the word "Bush." The back of Nicole Rank's T-shirt said "Love America, Hate Bush." On the back of Jeffery Rank's T-shirt was the message "Regime Change Starts at Home."

The ACLU said in a statement that a presidential advance manual makes it clear that the government tries to exclude dissenters from the president's appearances. "As a last resort," the manual says, "security should remove the demonstrators from the event."

[troy2000]

The Bush team has made a habit of excluding any potential hecklers or opposition from any of his appearances; they're control freaks and won't let him face a crowd containing anyone at all who opposes him. I think it's because he isn't mentally quick enough on his feet to deviate from the script and handle them.

In one well-known case in Fargo, North Dakota, security personnel who claimed to be operating on Secret Service instructions barred people simply because they had Democratic Party stickers on their bumpers, even though they had tickets. The Secret Service denied any knowledge of it.

And I've mentioned before that when Bush was in Germany, the Germans cancelled a "town hall meeting" type appearance because the Bush team insisted that all questions be submitted and approved in advance, even though it was being billed as a spontaneous event.

[.22guy]

Well, as much as I hate to defend the guy at this point, I think you have to admit that the hecklers probably wouldn't let the guy talk at all. How can he try to be an effective leader if he can't get a word out? He's always been in a damned if he does, damned if he doesn't position.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Originally Posted by troy2000

I think it's because he isn't mentally quick enough on his feet to deviate from the script and handle them.

.....and what would Hillary's excuse be? This is the first I have heard of this from a republican politician but it doesn't surprise me.

Sucks when the freedom to express yourself is quashes by your government.

Were they HECLKING him or did they just show up in NO BUSH T-shirts?

[Brother Bob]

Originally Posted by SPOCAHP ANAR

.....and what would Hillary's excuse be? This is the first I have heard of this from a republican politician but it doesn't surprise me.

Sucks when the freedom to express yourself is quashes by your government.

Were they HECLKING him or did they just show up in NO BUSH T-shirts?

You have the right to express yourself, you just don't have the right to be heard.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Yes I am aware of this; but they were at a public event and on public property; and as far as I know they were'nt being a disturbance.

They should have been allowed to attend until they became a disturbance.

[Brother Bob]

I doubt that they traveled all the way from Corpus Christi just to wear their t-shirts and silently stand there. The people came there to hear the President and not them. The CIA and Secret Service apparently considered them to be a potential problem. Hindsight is always 20/20

[troy2000]

The problem is that the Bush team routinely loads the deck so he doesn't have to face anyone but adoring fans or people in uniform.As far as I know, he's the first president in history whose audience is carefully screened in an attempt to keep out everyone who doesn't already agree with him, as opposed to people who are dangerous or disruptive.

I repeat, I think they do it largely because he can't ad-lib like his dad or Bill Clinton could. I don't think that makes him stupid, but he obviously isn't as verbally agile as they were. And as I've also said before, the Bush team is full of control freaks to begin with.


I don't know anything about Hillary's audiences. Does anyone have something they'd like to share about the way those are screened?

Originally Posted by .22guy

Well, as much as I hate to defend the guy at this point, I think you have to admit that the hecklers probably wouldn't let the guy talk at all. How can he try to be an effective leader if he can't get a word out? He's always been in a damned if he does, damned if he doesn't position.

They weren't heckling, .22guy. They were thrown out and charged with 'trespassing' (at a public event!) simply because they wouldn't cover their t-shirts.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

I doubt that they traveled all the way from Corpus Christi just to wear their t-shirts and silently stand there. The people came there to hear the President and not them. The CIA and Secret Service apparently considered them to be a potential problem. Hindsight is always 20/20

Maybe, Maybe not. Regardless of intent; they hadn't broken any laws or created any disturbance and were charged with tresspassing on public property. That's no different than getting pulled over for a license check, telling the officer you are armed, and having him arrest you because he doubts you drove all the way from your house with a gun just to go to the grocery store for some milk.

Just because they were anti Bush doesn't lessen their constitutional rights; which is why, I imagine, the government settled.

[Rave]

Remember Ruby Ridge,the gummint settled,why not,it's only tax money,not their own,or maybe it is?
In any event,they are never wrong and can buy the truth.
Sold out

[Midas]

Makes a guy wanna slap his momma

[JoeLee]

Guess the only item lacking was the Flag draped coffin.Probably payed off in tax money anyhow so no big deal.

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by JoeLee

Guess the only item lacking was the Flag draped coffin.Probably payed off in tax money anyhow so no big deal.

Once you get hold of something, you just don't let go.

Guess I can't say too much, because I have a streak of that myself. But I'm gonna name my next bulldog "JoeLee." I'm serious...

[Cyrille]

That's scary; sounds communestque to me, what did the Bush poeple do borrow a page from the Communest Manafesto?(sp?)

[BPierce]

Public location, not being disorderly, I have to say they should have won their case. That being said why such a payoff? Was it possible they would have been awarded an even larger sum??? If so, that sort of upsets the concept of peaceful protest. The whole concept is that if you loose you get a slap on the wrist and if you win you get a public vindication and or a token award. The flip side would be those involved getting serious jail time. Payoffs like that just encourage people to do it for the money. Either way it upsets the concept of nonviolent protest which is one of the most important tools available and the ACLU should understand that.

[troy2000]

I don't think just wearing a t-shirt rises to the level of non-violent protest by breaking an unjust law, BPierce. These people weren't even breaking common standards of behavior, much less the law.

Do you remember that upstate New York Mall that threw out a couple of people just for refusing to cover t-shirts that said, "Give peace a chance"? War brings out a Fascist, Jingoistic streak in a lot of people.

[Deersniper]

Cyrille they are enforcing the manifesto with all this Draconian legislation and secrecy. They only plank they are having trouble with is the disarming of America. They'll let the Democrats do that.

[Rufus Rhastus J]

Originally Posted by .22guy

Well, as much as I hate to defend the guy at this point, I think you have to admit that the hecklers probably wouldn't let the guy talk at all. How can he try to be an effective leader if he can't get a word out? He's always been in a damned if he does, damned if he doesn't position.

He's a friggin' mo-ron! And he's a friggin' liar. I should feel sorry for him?

[BPierce]

Troy
They were arrested for trespassing which means that they refused to leave when requested to do so by the authorities. That's a nonviolent protest in my book. The unwritten rule from the 70s means that they are only charged with the one minor offense even if they have to be carried out. The authorities don't throw in "obstructing official business" "disorderly conduct" "mopery" and anything else they can think of. The courts for their part, recognize the offense as a nonviolent protest and if they convect only minimum penalties are given. The civil court should recognize the nature of this and make only token awards. When fortune seekers are permitted to take over, this important tool of the people will be lost.

[troy2000]

I don't think they showed up intending to break any laws, BPierce. And the courts agreed that they hadn't; the only unlawful act involved was their removal from the premises. I also doubt fortune-hunting was their reason for being there.

I agree that if you set out to break a law as a non-violent protest, you should generally be willing to accept the consequences.