That kind of behavior from a political party really depresses me. I wish the media would cover these kinds of stories more. I’m curious to know if this is standard practice for most polical rallies and whatnot, or if the Bush Cheney administration is some wild aberration. Do things like this happen at Kerry rallies?

That’s a good question and I plan on looking into it. I do think the Kerry campaign has set up the “free speech zones” in a similar manner to the Bush campaign, but I don’t recall reading about protesters at Kerry events being arrested. I fully admit that I may be letting my biases color that perception, though, so I plan to look into it.

The Kerry Campaign does not vet participants at its rallies, nor does it require loyality oaths to participate.  The only thing close to the Bush/Rove tactics is that they place party operatives (and/or family members) towards the front, near camera view.

Bush is extremely uncomfortable speaking to those who might not support him 100%, without adequate Clonapin.

Unbelievable.  If this guy gets re-elected, can you imagine what he will do.  Bush, I believe has been held “in check” by the threat of not getting a second term.  Without that, his jack-booted tactics will likely increase.  So much for civil liberties!

Resistance is Necessary

Go figure, the Ministry of Truth (aka Bush [Mis]Administration) going after people for Thoughtcrime for protesting against the Ministry of Peace bringing more peace to Iraq?

This guy has to go, and in a landslide. We can’t have a close race, Kerry needs to have a mandate to power to turn around the insanity that Bush, Rove and their cronies have wrought.

How is wearing a T-Shirt equating to criminal tresspass? Seriously, these people should SUE THEIR ASSES OFF of the arresting officers, cities, secret service, whomever.

Feh!

My knowledge of politics is pretty limited, however, isn’t what Bush is doing a “lighter” form of what Saddam Hussein was doing back in Iraq?

I have heard that Bush has dillusions of being a dictator himself. Maybe this is his way of obtaining that goal without being arrested for treason.

I’ve been to a couple of Kerry rallies this year, one during the primaries where I actually got in (and got to meet him) and one over the summer that was overbooked and we ended up being stuck outside.  Nobody has to sign anything to get in.  We just walked up to the dem party headquarters here and asked for tickets both times, no questions asked.  The most recent one, there were protesters right up to the gates of the event, harrassing the people in line to get in.  All of Bowling Green was crawling with Kerry supporters and Bush supporters.  Nobody got hurt, nothing eventful happened outside the event, and a good time was had by all.

And I forgot to mention that this Bush stuff has been going on since the beginning of his presidency.  When he came to town the week before 9/11/01, we went out to protest.  They tried to corral us into a free speech zone, which we refused to go into (we had valid tickets for the event, just decided to stand outside and protest instead).  We weren’t allowed to stand along the road the motorcade was going on with our protest signs, we were run all over campus by the UT police and the secret service came out to ‘persuade’ us to please follow the rules.  Other protesters did get arrested, simply for complaining that we were inside the perimeter of the building and they were stuck outside (again, our group had valid tickets).  We were just lucky this was before 9/11 when the paranoia hadn’t quite reached its full height.

So if I understand correctly...America is NOT free at all.

FREEDOM is false publicity.

I like this account better:

“Oregon Police Fire On Bystanders Watching Presidential Motorcade

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. — Crawford, Texas is no stranger to protests and public gatherings, having provided a backdrop for such events for nearly four years now. Local and area law enforcement agencies have gained experience in protecting the Western White House and its famous inhabitants, and have devised a methodology for arranging for peaceful protests out of the sight and hearing of the president.
But things got out of hand last week in Jacksonville, Ore., leaving some local residents there expressing fear of freely voicing their opinions.
Some residents of Jacksonville feel that their First Amendment rights were taken away as they witnessed an encounter that resulted in pepper balls fired into crowds of men, women, and children as an abrupt “sweep�? of a sidewalk erupted into chaos as the presidential motorcade drove by last Thursday.
According to a news story in the Medford Mail Tribune, one man said he was shot in the back seven times with pepper balls (plastic paint balls filled with capsaicin). He said he saw a man get hit with a baton and fall to the ground. “With my back to the police — as I was picking him up — that’s when I was shot.�?
Trish Bowcock, a resident of Jacksonville and a retired attorney who is formerly of Austin, Texas, was an eyewitness to the disturbance and penned her impressions of the scene from a personal standpoint. She has agreed to allow The Iconoclast to reprint her thoughts.
Mail Tribune staff members confirmed her contention that law enforcement concentrated on anti-Bush protestors, rather than pro-Bush demonstrators, and that the order to stop the protests came from the U.S. Secret Service. Mail Tribune coverage of the protest is available at http://www.mailtribune.com/.

Silenced by the President
By Trish Bowcock
Oct. 16, 2004

A few weeks before my father died, he woke me in the wee hours of the morning. He needed to talk. He was worried about Attorney General John Ashcroft and the destruction of American civil liberties. I comforted my father, believing he was delusional from medications. I was wrong.
I write this from my home in Jacksonville Oregon (population 2,226). President George W. Bush came here this week. The purpose of his visit was political. Southern Oregon has been deemed a “battle ground�? area in the presidential race. John Kerry has made incredible inroads in this traditionally Republican stronghold. President Bush’s campaign stop was an attempt to staunch the slide.
Jacksonville is an old gold mining town. Our main street is only five blocks long, lined with restored storefronts. The sidewalks are narrow. We are a peaceful community. The prospect of an overnight presidential visit was exciting, even to me, a lifelong Democrat. My excitement turned to horror as I watched events unfold during President Bush’s visit.
In the mid 1800s, when Indians invaded Jacksonville, citizens clambered upon the roof of the old library. It was the one building that would not catch fire when flaming arrows were shot. This week it was a different scene. Police armed with high powered rifles perched upon our rooftops as the presidential motorcade approached. Helicopters flew low, overhead. A cadre of motorcycle police zoomed into town. Black SUVs followed, sandwiching several black limousines carrying the president, his wife and their entourage as they sped to the local inn where they would eat and sleep.
The main street was lined with people gathered to witness the event. Many supported the president. Many did not. Some came because they were simply curious. There were men, women, young and old. The mood was somewhat festive. Supporters of John Kerry sported signs, as did supporters of George Bush. Individuals, exercising their rights of free speech began chanting. On one side of the street, shouts of “four more years�? echoed in the night air. On the other side of the street, chants of “three more weeks�? responded. The chants were loud and apparently could be heard by President Bush. An order was issued that the anti-Bush rhetoric be quieted. The local SWAT team leapt to action.
It happened fast. Clad in full riot gear, at least 50 officers moved in. Shouting indecipherable commands from a bullhorn, they formed a chain and bore down upon the people, only working to clear the side of the street appearing to be occupied by Kerry supporters. People tried to get out of their way. It was very crowded. There was nowhere to move. People were being crushed. They started flowing into the streets. Pleas to the officers, asking, “where to go�? fell upon deaf ears. Instead, riot police fired pellets of cayenne pepper spray into the crowd. An old man fell and couldn’t get up. When a young man stopped to help, he was shot in the back with hard pepper spray balls. Children were hit with pepper spray. Deemed “Protesters�? people were shoved and herded down the street by the menacing line of armed riot police, until out of the President’s ear-shot.
There the “Protesters�? were held at bay. Anyone vocalizing anti-Bush or pro-Kerry sentiments were prohibited from venturing forward. Loud anti-Bush chants were responded to by the commanding officer stating: “FORWARD,�? to which the entire line of armed police would move, lock-step, toward the “Protesters,�? forcing backward movement. Police officers circulated filming the crowd of “Protesters.�? Some were people like me, quiet middle-aged women. Some sported anti-Bush signs, peace signs, or Kerry signs. A small group of youth, clad in black with kerchiefs wrapping their heads chanted slogans. A young woman in her underwear, sporting a peace sign sang a lyrical Kumbaya. Mixed among the “Protesters�? were supporters of the President. One 19 year- old man shouted obscenities at anyone expressing dissatisfaction with the president, encouraging the police to “tazar�? the “Stinking Protesters.�? Neither the “Protestors,�? nor the police harassed this vocal young man. Across the street, individuals shouting support for the president were allowed to continue. Officers monitored this group but allowed them to shout words of support or hurl derisions toward Kerry supporters, undisturbed. Honking cars filled with Bush supporters were left alone. A honking car full of Kerry supporters was stopped by police on its way out of town.
The standoff with “Protesters�? continued until the President finished his dinner and was secured in his hotel cottage for the night. Only then were the riot police ordered to “mount-up,�? leaping upon the sideboard of a huge SUV, pulling out of town, and allowing “free speech�? to resume.
In small town American I witnessed true repression and intimidation by law enforcement. I saw small children suffering from the effects of being fired upon by pepper bullets. I felt legitimate fear of expressing my political opinions: a brand new feeling. Newspaper accounts state the chaos started when a violent “Protester�? shoved a police officer. No one I talked to witnessed this account.
It is reputed that President Bush and his staff will not allow any opposition activity to occur within his ear or eye sight. I can confirm, that in tiny Jacksonville, Oregon, this was true. Physically violent means were taken to protect the president from verbal insults. Freedom of speech was stolen.
My father was not paranoid as he lay dying. He was expressing great insight into the dangers of our current presidential administration and its willingness to repress personal freedoms. If I could talk to my father today, I would say, “I am sorry Daddy for doubting you.�? And, no matter what, I will continue to exercise my individual right to freely express my opinions. Americans cannot take four more years.”

This presidency is bad news.

This behaviour is atypical of the Bushies. Here in Pennsylvania, when Bush had a rally/speech at a high school in Harrisburg, PA, even pro-Kerry students were filtered out from attending said rally at their own school -during- school hours. Needless to say the media didn’t make much fanfare of it happening, but I spoke with several students afterwards who felt they had been completely abused by this. This president and his administration are disgraceful. The only thing I can compare this behaviour to is when the Nazi’s took power in Germany. Simply disgraceful.

Something interesting I found since my last post: http://www.2600.com/rnc2004/index.html

It describes what happened to the 1800 or so protesters (from someone who was arrested) during the RNC back in late August. Hell, according to this poor guy, you could have just been delivering pizza in the general area and you would have been arrested.

The incidents in Jacksonville Oregon seem more reminiscent of the rebellions of the Bolsheviks and the Russian government back in 1917. Or the Chinese government’s action during Tiannamen Square. Repressive governments have no place in a democracy.
There are two ways to put Bush on notice about this kind of behavior: to massively protest, so that there are not enough police officers and jails to hold anyone arrested. An example would be the million man march in the Washington Mall and the pro choice marches this past spring. if people are arrested for simply wearing tee shirts with varying slogans on them, then it tells the American people that a lot more is at stake.

Nixon got pushed out of power because his own abuse; the same need to happen to George Bush.

Bush and the police should also be prosecuted for violating their oath’s of office, which incudes swearing to defend and protect the Constitution, including the bill of rights.

Bush must be held legally accountable for his actions, so that future presidents and leaders will think twice about engaging in this kind of behavior.

Careful how you word it, people!

Bush supporters are rabid, and the Secret Service obliging

there is a reason for tight security at rallies; and with tight security, bad things happen on occasion.  during the republican national convention, some liberal made a big scene on national television.  he could have disrupted the convention or started a freaking riot if he had not been dealt with swiftly.  for him to try steal tv time in an attempt to make bush look bad was just plain wrong.

so what happens when one of these liberal fanatics sneaks into a bush guys shit stomp him?  do you think the police arrest him, or his assailants?  they arrest him for inciting a freaking riot.  then it’s all over the news that there was a riot at a bush rally and people start to wonder what kind of a candident would have a riot at one of his rallies.  they did the same basic shit in yugoslavia.  fuck, people.

You have so few clues as to you’re actually talking about, grey!

Brock, no facts were hurt in the production of the comment preceeding yours.

If it were a security issue, then anyone wearing a tee shirt or carrying a sign would have been arrested; the police action would have been used on both Bush and Kerry supporters. Because it was limited to Kerry supporters, it could be interpreted as suppressing dissent.

The first amendment is not about liberal or conservative dissent; it is about all dissent. Everyone should be able to disagree with one another without fear of being arrested. That idea seems lost on the Bush Administration and the Republicans.

What’s the old adage, persuade others by the strength of your argument, not by coercion.

As for self censoring to protect one from the Secret Service, I don’t see anything written here close to violence

If a “liberal fanatic” manages to sneak into a Bush rally, he’s not going to do it wearing a Kerry t-shirt or carry a Kerry/Edwards sign, now is he?

GeekMom: ??  I’m not sure I took your comment the way you meant it.

And my comment was almost troll-like in it’s construction. It should have read:

“You have so few clues as to what you’re actually talking about, grey!”

And it should have contained counter-arguments to grey’s statements.

I would have done this but I’m tired and ruined by candy.

Who needs counterarguments?  Just post a pretty picture

Compassionate conservative braids protestor’s hair for her

Sweet.  Inclusion is a wonderful thing.

I was watching 60 minutes and I just saw footage of Schwarzenegger, at the RNC, calling people who were skeptical about the economy “economic girlie men.” Then the camera panned out to a sea of white, gray-haired, paunchy men in expensive suits.

Right.  I’m sure that a lot of those fuckers are currently unemployed and worrying about being evicted.  There’s a reason the economy doesn’t scare them Schwarzenegger; it’s their economy.  It sure as hell isn’t mine.

As for self censoring to protect one from the Secret Service, I don’t see anything written here close to violence

Neither did she. Just found it interesting.

I thought the Republicans showed their true colors when WABC caught a man kicking a woman protestor while she was down on the floor, all on video:

“Young Republican Kicks Female Protestor on Floor”
The video is here: http://ww2.7online.com/global/video/popup/pop_index.asp?ClipID1=247870&h1=Headline&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=111867&activePane=info&playerVersion=8&rnd=51992696

Other mentions of the incident here:
http://talkleft.com/new_archives/007794.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jmzcal/iblog/C1636973019/E1879551571/

Nothing like kicking a lady when she’s on the ground.  Classy.