Bush Protestors Fighting Court Charges

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2004-07-14 08:27am

From Charleston (WV) Gazette:

July 14, 2004
'We weren’t doing anything wrong’
Couple in anti-Bush T-shirts were arrested at president’s speech

By Tara Tuckwiller
Staff Writer

A husband and wife who wore anti-Bush T-shirts to the president’s Fourth of July appearance aren’t going down without a fight: They will be represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union as they contest the trespassing charges against them Thursday morning in Charleston Municipal Court.

Police took Nicole and Jeff Rank away in handcuffs from the event, which was billed as a presidential appearance, not a campaign rally. They were wearing T-shirts that read, “Love America, Hate Bush.”

Spectators who wore pro-Bush T-shirts and Bush-Cheney campaign buttons were allowed to stay.

“We weren’t doing anything wrong,” said Jeff Rank. The couple, who said they had tickets just like everybody else, said they simply stood around the Capitol steps with the rest of the spectators.

“We sang the national anthem,” Rank said.

The Ranks hardly fit the image of rabble-rousers. Jeff Rank, 29, has a master’s degree in oceanography. Nicole Rank, 30, has degrees in biological science and marine biology. They have been married for seven years.

Nicole Rank arrived in Charleston soon after the Memorial Day floods. She was working as deputy environmental liaison officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, making sure cities and counties obeyed federal environmental laws as they repaired roads and bridges.

After police arrested the Ranks, fingerprinted them and took their mug shots, FEMA told Nicole Rank she was no longer needed in West Virginia.

“I have not been fired per se,” she said. “But I was released from this job. And when they release you from a job, you no longer get paid.”

The Ranks started to go home to Corpus Christi, Texas, but they only got as far as Roanoke, Va., when it occurred to them that they might not be able to contest their arrest if they weren’t in Charleston on their court date. A phone call confirmed their suspicions. So they turned around.

“We’ve been living in motels ever since,” said Jeff Rank, who spent Tuesday evening in his motel room with his wife, their cocker spaniel Feinman, and their marmalade cat Rowr.

“It’s extremely difficult [financially]. We can only afford to do this for so long.”

But they had to stay and fight the charges, he said, “because we didn’t think we were guilty.”

Since Bush took office in early 2001, people have been banned from displaying anti-Bush messages at dozens of Bush appearances across the country. In September, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against the Secret Service, seeking an injunction against the Bush administration for segregating protesters at his public appearances.

The Secret Service agreed that such censorship was wrong, said Witold Walczak, one of the lawyers that filed the lawsuit.

“They had an internal memo dated September 2002, saying they couldn’t treat protesters differently or worse” than anyone else at a presidential appearance, Walczak said. “The judge said any agent responsible for doing so could be held liable for damages.”

The Secret Service had been telling local police to sequester anyone displaying an anti-administration message, usually in areas completely out of sight and earshot of Bush. Because the Secret Service agreed with the ACLU that it shouldn’t be doing that, the judge dismissed the case.

“Prior to filing our suit in September, we’d get a couple of confirmed ‘protest zone’ complaints every month,” Walczak said. “After we filed, there were practically none. We had two documented incidents between September and March: one in Little Rock, Ark., and one in Knoxville, Tenn.”

But now, lawyers like Walczak are carefully monitoring cases like the Ranks’ — and two similar incidents recently in Pennsylvania.

“We’re trying to assess what is going on at these appearances ... whether these ‘protest zones’ are resuming,” he said.

“We are continuing to monitor all campaign events by both Republican and Democratic candidates. We’re prepared to go back into court if we see discrimination occurring.”

Because Bush’s Fourth of July stop in Charleston was billed as an official presidential visit, not a campaign rally, “That makes it an even more glaring violation of the First Amendment,” said Andrew Schneider, executive director of the ACLU of West Virginia.

“It’s an Orwellian way to keep speech out of sight of those the speech is intended to critique ... We want to nip this in the bud before it becomes a habit of future administrations.”

A Bush spokesman did not return a telephone call seeking comment on the necessity of the “free speech zone.”

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-07-14 01:31pm

How disgusting.

Omega-13 · Post by **Omega-13** » 2004-07-14 03:29pm

what a stupid fucking country, thats why i hate america

can't even protest without getting arrested, infact they weren't even protesting, just freedom of speach,
they weren't chanting, just wearing a shirt
just like that kid who got suspended for wearing "international terrorist" with a pic of bush on it,

great country, (ya right)

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-07-14 03:34pm

How nice. Lose your job and livelihood for wearing a politically incorrect shirt in the same area as your executive in an official state appearance.

Does the First Amendment mean anything to these cretins?

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-07-14 03:37pm

Omega-13 wrote:what a stupid fucking country, thats why i hate america

can't even protest without getting arrested, infact they weren't even protesting, just freedom of speach,
they weren't chanting, just wearing a shirt
just like that kid who got suspended for wearing "international terrorist" with a pic of bush on it,

great country, (ya right)

It completely escapes his feeble mind that one incident is not necessarily representative of an entire country.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2004-07-14 03:49pm

It does, however, seem to be part of a general pattern of behaviour on the part of the current misadministration.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-07-14 03:53pm

I don't contest that.

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-07-14 03:59pm

Omega-13 wrote:what a stupid fucking country, thats why i hate america

can't even protest without getting arrested, infact they weren't even protesting, just freedom of speach,
they weren't chanting, just wearing a shirt
just like that kid who got suspended for wearing "international terrorist" with a pic of bush on it,

great country, (ya right)

Yet again, you have proven how well you deserve your title

.

CrimsonRaine · Post by **CrimsonRaine** » 2004-07-14 04:15pm

LadyTevar wrote:<snip>

Please excuse the following language:

Jesus Fucking Christ, get this religious wanking President out of fucking office. And let all his fan club go down with him.

That is a direct attack against the freedom of speech. They voiced their opinion and were arrested for it. Are we back in fucking Nazi Germany?

This garbage makes me fucking sick. Perhaps it was disrespectful to where such a shirt at an appearance, but in no way do they have a reason to be arrested for it, no more than the ones supporting the president. You'd think the President's position has been raised to where we can no longer question or disagree with his position.

Was that angry?

Raine

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2004-07-14 04:17pm

This is despicable. I think in any reasonable courtroom the Defendants would have a slam-dunk case. I hope this goes to the Supreme Court and they rule conveniently-out-of-sight "Free Speech Zones" (which btw imply by default that the 1st Amendment does NOT apply outside these zones!) as blatantly unconstitutional as they really are.

Omega-13 wrote:what a stupid fucking country, thats why i hate america

can't even protest without getting arrested, infact they weren't even protesting, just freedom of speach,
they weren't chanting, just wearing a shirt
just like that kid who got suspended for wearing "international terrorist" with a pic of bush on it,

great country, (ya right)

And you wonder why we hate you so much, 13? Go fuck yourself and jump off a pier during riptide, asscunt!

Love America, Hate Bush!!

CrimsonRaine · Post by **CrimsonRaine** » 2004-07-14 04:21pm

Omega-13 wrote:what a stupid fucking country, thats why i hate america

can't even protest without getting arrested, infact they weren't even protesting, just freedom of speach,
they weren't chanting, just wearing a shirt
just like that kid who got suspended for wearing "international terrorist" with a pic of bush on it,

great country, (ya right)

I am saying this with extreme pleasure and prejustice:

Fuck off. I don't give a flying fuck where you're from, but I would never make such a comment. Don't like America? Why are you on an American board?

Go tea-bag yourself, you ignorant piece of shit.

Raine

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-07-14 04:28pm

CrimsonRaine wrote:Fuck off. I don't give a flying fuck where you're from, but I would never make such a comment. Don't like America? Why are you on an American board?

Canadian.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-07-14 04:37pm

Keevan_Colton wrote:Canadian.

Eh? Then why is the primary talk of AMERICAN politics,
not on what the Canadian PM had for breakfast

CrimsonRaine · Post by **CrimsonRaine** » 2004-07-14 04:37pm

Keevan_Colton wrote:
CrimsonRaine wrote:Fuck off. I don't give a flying fuck where you're from, but I would never make such a comment. Don't like America? Why are you on an American board?
Canadian.

Oh, I keep forgetting that. Still, don't insult my country. I don't take well to it.

And no, I will not make that awful joke, "Well, Canadians are basically Americans anyway." Because it's so not true.

Raine

CrimsonRaine · Post by **CrimsonRaine** » 2004-07-14 04:38pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Keevan_Colton wrote:Canadian.
Eh? Then why is the primary talk of AMERICAN politics,
not on what the Canadian PM had for breakfast

Mike Wong IS Canadian. But there a lot of Americans on this board and a lot of them are rather opinionated. I believe that's the difference.

Raine

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-07-14 04:39pm

Keevan_Colton wrote:
CrimsonRaine wrote:Fuck off. I don't give a flying fuck where you're from, but I would never make such a comment. Don't like America? Why are you on an American board?
Canadian.

Despite the fact that Mr. Wong is a Canadian, this board is hosted by a server in the US. Also, Americans comprise the single largest nationality of all board members.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-07-14 04:50pm

Ma Deuce wrote: Despite the fact that Mr. Wong is a Canadian, this board is hosted by a server in the US. Also, Americans comprise the single largest nationality of all board members.

Except it's owned and operated by a canadian and when MJ's server has trouble it's "physical" location jumps back off into Canada....making it much more canadian than it is american

The rest is just an appeal to popularity.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-07-14 04:51pm

Bush's cowardice knows no bounds. It's bad enough he deserted from REMF duty in the Texas Air Guard, but he almost always arranges his rallies either at schools or military bases, because he knows he won't get heckled by audiences who face punishment if they show disapproval. The Secret Service and local police have been fucking over anti-Bush people even if their only action is to wear T-shirts, carry signs or boo or refuse to applaud.

Contrast this with the way Clinton showed up for a Veteran's Day rally early in his term when he knew he would get heckled by people calling him a coward and a draft-dodger. Dubya is the one person on Earth who could make Clinton look like the second coming of Audie Murphy.

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2004-07-14 04:59pm

Ma Deuce wrote:
Keevan_Colton wrote:
CrimsonRaine wrote:Fuck off. I don't give a flying fuck where you're from, but I would never make such a comment. Don't like America? Why are you on an American board?
Canadian.
Despite the fact that Mr. Wong is a Canadian, this board is hosted by a server in the US. Also, Americans comprise the single largest nationality of all board members.

The story itself wasn't clear on exactly what took place. What it looked like (has taken place in other areas) is that supporters are allowed nearby while protestors are shoved into the corner. Free speech at its best! No bias whatsoever.

If I was in the Secret Service, I'd examine the "pro" crowd more closely. Professional assassins or serious terrorist groups would most likely be in this group - they need to get close to Bush.

This has little to do with America and more to do with who is in charge. And yes, I Am Canadian - so I'm pro-America out of patriotism. Now give me a real beer.

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2004-07-14 07:44pm

Spectators who wore pro-Bush T-shirts and Bush-Cheney campaign buttons were allowed to stay.

“We weren’t doing anything wrong,” said Jeff Rank. The couple, who said they had tickets just like everybody else, said they simply stood around the Capitol steps with the rest of the spectators.

They had tickets, and they got charged with tresspassing when the only difference between them and the "legitimate" spectators was their shirts?

This sounded too evil to be real, but this pretty much establishes that there was, indeed, something very screwed up here.

After police arrested the Ranks, fingerprinted them and took their mug shots, FEMA told Nicole Rank she was no longer needed in West Virginia.

“I have not been fired per se,” she said. “But I was released from this job. And when they release you from a job, you no longer get paid.”

So, weasel words aside, she was fired for excercising her freedom of speech in a very nondisruptive way at a political event. Way to go, FEMA.

Since Bush took office in early 2001, people have been banned from displaying anti-Bush messages at dozens of Bush appearances across the country. In September, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against the Secret Service, seeking an injunction against the Bush administration for segregating protesters at his public appearances.
[...]
Because Bush’s Fourth of July stop in Charleston was billed as an official presidential visit, not a campaign rally, “That makes it an even more glaring violation of the First Amendment,” said Andrew Schneider, executive director of the ACLU of West Virginia.

"There ought to be limits to freedom", said George W. Bush, about a parody site that made fun of him. It looks like this guy is at it again.

A Bush spokesman did not return a telephone call seeking comment on the necessity of the “free speech zone.”

Here's a radical proposal: a very large free speech zone, in which freedom of speech is only to be curtailed if it interferes with other people's rights. Let's make it spread over the whole damn country!

Or would that be too free for Mr. Freedom-and-Liberty?

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-07-14 08:16pm

Welcome to Orwell's 1984: The Real Game.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-07-14 09:57pm

*grumbles something about pissing on the constitution*

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-07-14 10:02pm

Fasicism, thy name is Bush. First the Pairait Acts and now this? When does he start start us on the book burning rallies?

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2004-07-14 10:41pm

Hey Bush! I'm sorry, you can't imitate Lincoln, you don't have half the country seceeding...
Five bucks says Ashcroft's BEGGING for secession so that he can start wanking it to fascism...

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-07-15 02:30am

This is more proof that this Administration (well its president anyway) is nothing more than a puppet regime.

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

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