SwimFinsSF

Good faith my ASS

Just read this about the ejection of two people (Cindy Sheehan and the wife of a representative) for having shirts with war messages in the state of the union…

Briefly: Capitol Police drop charges over T-shirts

WASHINGTON The Capitol Police have dropped a charge of unlawful conduct against the anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan and apologized for ejecting her and a congressman’s wife from President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address for wearing T-shirts with war messages.

“The officers made a good faith, but mistaken effort to enforce an old unwritten interpretation of the prohibitions about demonstrating in the Capitol,” the Capitol Police chief, Terrance Gainer, said in a statement.

I’m sorry but I find this all too convenient. I totally understand allowing vocal protesters inside the state of the union address. However what I can’t abide by is arresting someone based either on presumed intent (I’m wearing something hinting I might have an intention) or based on the content of the message. If its on intent then that is clearly illegal and if its the political content then I’d argue that they should have kicked everyone out with a democratic or republican lapel pin…

But the worst part is the apologizing after the fact for being wrong. Well thats all well and good but they still missed the event. It doesn’t seem inconceivable that this could have been their plan going in, especially knowing one of the attendees would be Cindy Sheehan…

Sorry… I don’t buy it and it irritates the shit out of me..

Anyway… nuff ranting - I have work to do!