Memo: You Need Permission To Tell Government What You Think
Thursday, September 29, 2005
It appears that President Bush's arch nemesis, Cindy Sheehan, has run afoul of the law and got herself arrested.
[The Associated Press reports...] She and the others sat down along the pedestrian walkway in front of the White House and began to sing and chant "Stop the war now!" Police warned them three times that they would be arrested if they didn't move along, but that didn't deter them.
A spokesman for the U.S. Park Police estimates about 370 people were taken into custody over a four and a half hour period. The demonstrators who were arrested cooperated with police.
All but one person was charged with a misdemeanor of demonstrating without a permit. One person was charged with crossing a police line. (Continue article here)
Demonstrating without a permit... That's their crime?!? Are you telling me that because they forgot to get permission from authorities to tell those same authorities what they thought about their authority, they were arrested?!? What country do we live in, again?
Let's just stop for a minute and remind everybody of the rules we all live under. The Constitution of the United States, Amendment I says explicitly:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The D.C. police have no authority to arrest anyone because they don't have a permit to demonstrate. Remember, the concept of needing a permit stems from doing an activity that otherwise would not be allowed by law. The D.C. authorities can't issue permits of this nature because our Constitution stripped them of the authority to make laws prohibiting such activities! We don't need to get permission from our Government to tell them they suck! We need only to open our mouths and let the words come out, and there ain't nothing anyone can do to shut us up!
"Liberty and justice for all?" I hope the above picture doesn't exemplify our Government's definition of "Liberty" and "Justice". I, for one, won't stand for it!
posted by Don Bangert | 7:56 AM
2 Comments:
We need permission from the government to exercise virtually all of our rights these days: building permits, occupational licenses, gun licenses, drivers' licenses, assemblies, speech and more.
Of course, according to the government and its promoters, none of these are infringements on our rights. They are for our protection or the common good. Indeed, it is claimed, the government is obligated to regulate our rights for the welfare of all. Freedom in our country is enhanced by regulating our rights, just as freedom in other countries is enhanced by going to war upon them (a rather severe form of regulation) in order to protect them.
What's the matter with you, Don? Dontcha get it?
My public education must be wearing off. I'm starting to understand my rights and responsibilities. I'm starting to understand the proper role of our government. I'm starting to understand the difference between what we have for government and what we were meant to have.
...and I ain't too happy with what I'm finding!
Post a Comment
<< Home