Democracy for Vancouver

4 Comments so far (Add 1 more)

1. The House (Congress) is suppose to be the people’s house. I don’t know about anyone else, but come in to my house acting like that, I would not be as gentle as those policemen were.

   Freedom of Speech and all that, however, that women crossed the line. It doesn’t matter if you like or dislike the SOS, or any person getting ready to testify before Congress. It is the wrong place to demonstrate.

   I agree that our Congress right now is a frigging joke, but just maybe they are trying to do their job, and some nut case wants to stop them. I feel that the Code Pink group are just as bad as the so called church from Kansas that tries to disrupt military funerals.

   I support the Freedom of Speech, but this was way past that. I hope those idiots are charged with some serious crimes.

   [Reply]

   1. Above comment written by Allen on October 26th, 2007 at 7:05 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).

2. I agree that there is a difference between free speech and being a disrupter. Without being there it is difficult to evaluate whether there was excessive use of force by the police and therefore I don’t make any such claim about what happened. I have been in meetings where it was my responsibility to stop people from being disruptive. It is a judgment call on how it is handled. If this were your home, I hope you would first try to at least nicely ask the people to leave before you got physical or called the police.

   Again without witnessing the event first hand it is difficult to evaluate. But just because you are part of a peace group you should not be automatically dragged out of a meeting because one or more of your group may have acted in an improper fashion.

   I don’t buy into any guilt by association argument. I am not responsible for what others do because I am wearing a matching shirt.

   [Reply]

   2. Above comment written by bushtool on October 26th, 2007 at 7:50 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).

3. Bushtool,

   I agree with your last sentence. This little clip does not show the whole picture that was on the news. The ones ejected from the House were being disrupted.

   In my house, I would ask first, for them to leave, and if not I would eject them, using whatever means I had to. But first and foremost, those kind of people would not be invited into, nor let into my house.

   But Congress is the people’s house, and they have the right to be there, but not the right to disrupt meetings like they did.

   Why not protest outside? More room and more media coverage for the idiots to have.

   [Reply]

   3. Above comment written by Allen on October 26th, 2007 at 8:12 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).

4. This clip made the national news. Do you think there would have been any coverage if they had stayed outside? That is why they are doing what they do.

   I admire them for being willing to get arrested with all the hassle and risks that entails for standing up for what they think is right. Quite frankly it is more than I am willing to do and more than most are willing to do. And maybe if more did, things would change for the better in this country.

   Practicing civil disobedience does not make them idiots. It is to be admired, not denigrated.

   [Reply]

   4. Above comment written by bushtool on October 26th, 2007 at 8:44 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).