Cindy Sheehan Steps Over the Line
by Alex K. on September 26th, 2005
It’s true – Cindy Sheehan was arrested today for protesting without a permit. After recieving three warnings from the police, she still refused to move away front the very front of the White House, where she was loudly chanting with 200 other protestors. Reuters reports:
...slogans ranged from “Mothers say no to war” and “Liar, liar, Iraq’s on fire” to “War is terrorism with a bigger budget.”“It’s a very powerful protest to tell the Bush administration to end the war in Iraq,” Dobbs said.
Yeah right. Although the offence apperently carries no more then a $50 dollar fine, it says a lot about their campaign.
3 Comments
Derek
September 27th, 2005 at 7:59 am
No it doesn’t. They were protesting relatively peacefully. Do you even know what they were arrested for?
“Sheehan and several dozen other protesters sat down on the sidewalk after marching along the pedestrian walkway on Pennsylvania Avenue. Police warned them three times that they were breaking the law by failing to move along, then began making arrests.” (From AP)
As Charlie Brown would sarcastically say: “The ultimate crime!”
I think it’s hilarious how both you and Kristin make a post about her getting arrested. It shows you’re paying attention to her, which is exactly what she wants. And since most people aren’t fanatically pro-war, many people have kinder feelings toward a mother who has lost her son, no matter what kind of other extreme views she holds.
Alex K.
September 27th, 2005 at 8:10 am
LOL - yes, I agree Derek, not a very big crime. However, it still says that she was willing to break the law after 3 warnings. That’s got to say something about a person. I mean, speeding is one thing. But if you get pulled over, get a warning, drive off at 70mph, get pulled ove again, get a warning, drives off at 70mph, ect. three times… So I guess I’d argue that it does have some effect, if it is rather small, as you say.
They weren’t breaking anything, if that’s what your saying by peaceful, although one fellow did climb over the fence.
However, I agree with you – I think it was mostly a publicity stunt on her part – why else would she ignore the police?
BTW - I know, I had to laugh when we posted at the same time :)
Susan
September 27th, 2005 at 7:17 pm
It was a puplicity stunt and as fairly common one at that. there are hundreds of people being arrested in D.C. all the time especially in front of the White House. The media won’t come out to see people protest but if they know that some are willing to be arrested the media comes out in force.
The $50 fine is right, the Police in D.C. are so swamped with this they simply process them and make them pay the fine. (the equivilant of say a parking ticket onb their record.)
This tactic is often used by other groups, not to long ago a group of young people were arrested for “stationary protest in a restricted area” otherwise known as kneeling in prayer in front of the White House!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002386095_scotusevan17.html