Removal of Banner, Activist Protested (ACLU Decries Action Taken at Richmond July 4 Event)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Removal of banner, activist protested
ACLU decries action taken on July Fourth at Byrd Park event

By JOE MACENKA
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Richmond police and parks officials are in trouble with the ACLU of Virginia for removing a woman from a Fourth of July event in Byrd Park for carrying a political banner. Rain Burroughs, who said she was driven to a different area of the sprawling park and held in a police cruiser with her 7-year-old daughter until the fireworks display ended, was not charged with any crime.

- snip -

"This has problems throughout," said Kent Willis, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia's executive director. "It's as if the police did everything wrong from the moment they heard about this."

- snip -

Burroughs said people in the crowd cheered as she and Holliday carried the banner. Then the police arrived, in cars and on horses.

- snip -

"I said, 'Summer, were you as scared as I was?' She said, 'Mommy, I was more scared,'" Burroughs said.


Read more: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/community/richmond.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-07-18-0165.html

[Blue Gardener]

1. Disrupted the Patriotic Theme?

"Police said they removed her from the Dogwood Dell area at the request of city parks employees. A parks official said the banner, which made an indirect reference to the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney, disrupted the patriotic theme of the concert at Dogwood Dell and the fireworks."

I think a peaceful protest is very patriotic.

[tom_paine]

2. Not in Nazi Germany nor Imperial Amerika

Dissent is not allowed and will be stifled. Period.

Our methods are, for the moment and because we are so comfortable and well-fed, kinder and gentler than the Nazis'.

But just let the impending Bushevik attack on America, nuclear 9/11 (God Forbid), happen, let people get scared and maybe hungry, too, and viola! Instant Stormtroopers. Bank on it.

[MissMillie]

3. same old shit different day

you only love your country if you sit back and let those in power destroy it.

[DangerDave921]

4. Ridiculous

When the government believes it is so inherently correct that it cannot tolerate even one tiny voice in protest, there is a problem.

Private property? No problem kicking someone out. Public park? As long as you are peaceable, you can say what you want provided you obey the laws. Having a banner or t-shirt that voices your opinion is not a violation of the law. I hope a lawsuit is forthcoming.

[Wednesdays]

5. Yeah...private property....

That's part of the reason everything's becoming privatized.

[TalkingDog]

6. This quote says it all:

"If I had been waving an American flag or selling toy pistols," she said, "no harm would have come to me or my daughter."


Working my way through college, I managed a movie theatre. People would call to ask about the "appropriateness" of a certain movie for their child. Often, I would suggest that the movie had inappropriate language or too much violence for a child that age and the usual response?...

(and this is a literal quote here from the father of an 11 year old) "Oh, I don't care about the violence, I just don't want him seeing any sex or naked people."



My favorite Future Famous Dead Artist: KarenParker

[underpants]

7. LOL this is classic Richmond Times-Dispatch reporting

Burroughs, a Richmond resident who describes herself as a peace activist, went to the park with her daughter and her boss, Charlie Holliday. Burroughs said she and Holliday each held one end of the banner, which was 20 to 25 feet long and contained the word "Impeach," along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Washington office phone number and the term "HR 333," which refers to a resolution in the House of Representatives to impeach Cheney.

First of all does it matter that she is a Richmond resident??? Yeah around here it probably does.

Second, the fact that the Times-Disgrace (that is their HORRIBLE 14th attempt at a website) couldn't just tell you what was on the banner let alone put it in the first paragraph or so is very emblematic of their reporting. Their "From Wire Reports" are works of fiction that native Richmonder Tom Wolfe would be proud of.

:rofl: and you people outside of Richmond wonder why it is so hard to get anyone other than the "next in line" elected to anything around here.

Welcome to Richmond Virginia.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

8. Amen. My liberal niece from a liberal northern state was here

yesterday for orientation at VCU. She asked where Richmond fell on the political spectrum. I just started laughing. Told her she'll find out soon enough...:rofl:

[underpants]

9. How many VuhGINyans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Three

One to screw it in and two to "remembuh how good the ooooooooooolllddd one was"

[caligirl]

10. LOL

:crazy: