Dissenters Arrests

[KeithE]

[Blake]

I wonder how that compares to Bush.

[KeithE]

[Jim]

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed: Thanks Jim.

[Jim]

In and of themselves, protests are fine when conducted peaceably, the best recent example in this country being those of the 1950s-60s, with the resulting defeat of the democrats in effecting the civil rights legislation, even if the ultimate result has been the virtual dissolution of the black family. Among the worst examples were those of 1960s-70s vis-a-vis Vietnam, with mostly students - many as high as a kite - engaging in violence, burning of buildings, such as the ROTC facility on the UK campus here, and mayhem in general. Think Obama's big buddy Bill Ayers and the Weather Underground to get the idea.

[KeithE]

[KeithE]

[Haruo]

At Folklife this afternoon (Song Circle) we were told of a local woman (a Quaker, I think) who was arrested (not the first time) in a demonstration at the Ground Zero encampment near the Trident submarine base in Bangor and is being held in a private prison in Tennessee and being denied urgently needed medical treatment in the absence of which the speaker (who was leading into a singing of the Robert Lowry-originated hymn "How Can I Keep from Singing") indicated he is sure she will soon die. Unfortunately I didn't get her name. I shall. I also didn't find out (he didn't say specifically) what the more serious charges were that led to her long incarceration without trial or doctor.

[Jim]

[Sandy]

That doesn't seem like an inordinately large number. Most "dissenters" are not arrested because they are dissenting, but because they are behaving in a manner which violates some law or another. And in most cases, the arrests aren't made on the orders of the President, they are based on local ordinances regarding free assembly.

Under Obama, I am not aware that free speech has been confined to "zones" that are out of his sight and earshot when he is out in public as it was during the Bush administration.

[Jim]

[ET]

What's the issue? Did Obama promise that protesters wouldn't be arrested? (Sidebar: I thought getting arrested was like combat ribbons for these kinds of folks? ) Actions have consequences. If they violate the law (block roads, prevent access to buildings, etc.), then they should expect to be arrested.

I mean, these aren't the brightest bulbs in the fixture....showing up at a nuke plant with solar panels and blocking the driveway? Some folks have too much time on their hands.

Doesn't really matter, however...it's not a matter of "Bush" or "Obama" arresting anybody, as Sandy pointed out.

[Ed Pettibone]

[KeithE]

[Jim]

[Sandy]

[Jim]