Video: Librarian Kicked Out of McCain Town Hall Meeting

[kevinmc]

A little old lady (all of 61) was kicked out of a McCain town hall event today. According to ProgressNowAction.orgMcCain's security detail (i.e. the Secret Service) asked the woman to leave because she was holding a sign. What did the sign say? McCain = Bush. She was given a ticket for trespassing and told that if she returned she would be arrested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lyaMrS0hzk

[obamacon]

1. Hmmm....

I have no ideas what rules govern events where you reserve the use of public venues. I thought the punishment was definitely excessive. At the same time, while librarians are people too and should be free to express their political views, I'm always concerned when people in those positions- be they educators, or librarians, members of the press, or even members of intelligence agencies- anyone who controls the flow of information, engage in overt partisan advocacy. Porter Goss didn't belong at the CIA. And at the same time, having served on library comissions, there are decisions being made about which books to highlight or include in reading programs, and you would hope their would be as much objectivity as possible. I don't think I'd be ecstatic if the principal of the local school showed up at an Obama rally with a critical sign.

[Youphemism]

2. I thought the Walking String Bean was more offensive...

There's nothing that feels more encroaching than a six foot felt vegetable with photos velcroed to its torso. I noticed he followed her to the street, but didn't seem to get a ticket.

[kaiden]

3. That was no string bean. That was a Pea Pod!