couple handcuffed for anti-bush t-shirt in WV

[flatbroker]

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/2004070734

[7th_Sephiroth]

1. that took guts

suprised they werent tazered and beaten

[Tommy_Douglas]

2. I'd like a Bush/Cheney 04 shirt...

With a slogan... "Go Fuck yourself!" on it...

[papau]

3. “Love America, Hate Bush.” - one evil T shirt! :-)

FEMA worker ordered home

Woman, husband wore T-shirts with anti-Bush logo at July Fourth rally


By Paul J. Nyden
Staff Writer

A worker with the Federal Emergency Management Agency who wore an anti-Bush T-shirt at the president’s July Fourth rally in Charleston has been sent home to Texas.

Nicole Rank, who was working for FEMA in West Virginia, and her husband, Jeff, were removed from the Capitol grounds in handcuffs shortly before Bush’s speech. The pair wore T-shirts with the message “Love America, Hate Bush.”

[KareBear]

4. Wow.. That's so wrong in so many ways

I'd really like to know if the Police's claim that they were in a no-trespassing zone holds any merit at all. Otherwise we need to get the ACLU involved ASAP.

[checks-n-balances]

5. More proof that the USA is becoming the CSA - Corporate States of America

until Bushco is defeated in November.

[Cocoa]

6. and it happened on July 4

[Mithras61]

7. But it wasn't a "political" event...

A worker with the Federal Emergency Management Agency who wore an anti-Bush T-shirt at the president’s July Fourth rally in Charleston has been sent home to Texas.

Nicole Rank, who was working for FEMA in West Virginia, and her husband, Jeff, were removed from the Capitol grounds in handcuffs shortly before Bush’s speech. The pair wore T-shirts with the message “Love America, Hate Bush.”

The Ranks were ticketed for trespassing and released. They have been given summonses to appear in court, Charleston Police Lt. C.A. Vincent said Wednesday.

<snip>

The White House coordinated the president’s visit to the state Capitol. Organizers described it as a presidential visit, not a political rally. State and federal funds were used to pay for the presidential visit.

Dozens of people who attended Sunday’s event wore pro-Bush T-shirts and Bush-Cheney campaign buttons, some of which were sold on the Capitol grounds outside the security screening stations.


Hmmm, I guess it's only okay to work for FEMA or appear at presidential visits if you support Bush*? How is this not blatantly political? Why were their First Amendment rights violated? Why were they asked to leave if one of them was a Federal employee attending a Federal event at a public (yes, the state capital is owned by the people of that state) venue?

This is all B.S. and they KNOW it. The couple will probably have to pay a trespassing fine as well, adding injury to insult!

[Moderator]

8. Hi flatbroker

When posting in LBN, please match the article title with the title of your post. In cases where the headline is vague, you may add further description in parentheses.

"FEMA worker ordered home (in handcuffs, for anti-bush t-shirt)"

Thanks.