Saturday, July 08, 2006
WHY WE NEED THE ACLU
There’s a good case in point for the ACLU haters being discussed today – a good case in point for why we need the ACLU. Via Oregon Live, a report from AP:
“ACLU sues Secret Service and police over 2004 anti-Bush protest”
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1152221061289450.xml&storylist=orlocal
From the article:
“The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging the U.S. Secret Service and state and local police protecting President Bush during a 2004 campaign appearance discriminated against anti-Bush protesters when they moved to clear the streets outside an inn where the president was eating dinner.
The class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court contends that police acting on orders from the Secret Service used unreasonable force to move some 200 people peacefully protesting against the war in Iraq… while allowing pro-Bush demonstrators to remain standing on sidewalks.”
According to the ACLU, “16 similar instances in 12 other states and at least three other lawsuits have been filed.”
“"We have no quarrel with protecting the president." [ACLU representative] Temple said. "Consistently, the Secret Service has used protection of the president as an excuse for keeping anti-Bush protesters out of the hearing of the president."”
The protesters, who took pains to maintain a peaceful, orderly protest, were assured they would be “OK” if they stayed on the sidewalks – the same sidewalks the pro-shrub crowd used. However, “40 police officers in riot gear brandished clubs and fired paintballs loaded with pepper spray to move an estimated 200 to 300 demonstrators away from the Jacksonville Inn” where the first family dined after a campaign rally…
Not to protect the president’s safety – just to move the demonstrators off the sidewalks and out of earshot of the President…
That says it all, and exposes the core of what is wrong with the Imperial Presidency the Office of the First Servant has devolved into… He is not a king – he does not have the Kingly prerogative of being removed from the complaints of the people he serves.
GO, ACLU!
“ACLU sues Secret Service and police over 2004 anti-Bush protest”
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1152221061289450.xml&storylist=orlocal
From the article:
“The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging the U.S. Secret Service and state and local police protecting President Bush during a 2004 campaign appearance discriminated against anti-Bush protesters when they moved to clear the streets outside an inn where the president was eating dinner.
The class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court contends that police acting on orders from the Secret Service used unreasonable force to move some 200 people peacefully protesting against the war in Iraq… while allowing pro-Bush demonstrators to remain standing on sidewalks.”
According to the ACLU, “16 similar instances in 12 other states and at least three other lawsuits have been filed.”
“"We have no quarrel with protecting the president." [ACLU representative] Temple said. "Consistently, the Secret Service has used protection of the president as an excuse for keeping anti-Bush protesters out of the hearing of the president."”
The protesters, who took pains to maintain a peaceful, orderly protest, were assured they would be “OK” if they stayed on the sidewalks – the same sidewalks the pro-shrub crowd used. However, “40 police officers in riot gear brandished clubs and fired paintballs loaded with pepper spray to move an estimated 200 to 300 demonstrators away from the Jacksonville Inn” where the first family dined after a campaign rally…
Not to protect the president’s safety – just to move the demonstrators off the sidewalks and out of earshot of the President…
That says it all, and exposes the core of what is wrong with the Imperial Presidency the Office of the First Servant has devolved into… He is not a king – he does not have the Kingly prerogative of being removed from the complaints of the people he serves.
GO, ACLU!
Comments:
<< Home
Our entire goverment has turned into a regal imperial body and the tax payers are turning into serfs with no controll of the rulers edicts.
Post a Comment
# posted by 
: 2:39 PM
: 2:39 PM << Home
