BREAKING NEWS

[sff_corgi_lj]

From the ABC 'The Note':

CAPITOL POLICE ARREST ANTI-WAR ACTIVIST CINDY SHEEHAN AHEAD OF STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH

So she can't even sit in a public place now because it bothers Them?

---

Peter David's running commentary:

9:06: Bush is said to be in a small holding room. Makes him sound like a rodeo bull. I wonder if his testicles will be tied tightly to get a better show.

Comments

[baralier.livejournal.com]

Followed the link to the actual Sheehan story and found this lovely little footnote: Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., had invited Sheehan to the address as her guest.

I'm sure George wears a brown shirt under his suit.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I'd been trying to find something more substantial than a headline.

According to, I think, Sam Seder on AirAmerica, I think she had a banner. That was the 'disruption'.

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

Yes, she had a banner, and I heard (on TV) she was detained as opposed to arrested. CNN.com reports that she was arrested. But--sorry, "guest" or not, did she really think they were going to allow her to wave a banner around during the State of the Union Address? It's not a rock concert. Pretty clear she did it on purpose to make a scene.

But don't worry, David and I are sitting on our couch and mocking Bush during this speech probably as much as you are. ;)

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Well, I doubt she was waving it, and it wasn't even during the speech yet; but they also could have just siezed the banner. What, they think she'd have spares? Or flash the camera a la Mardi Gras if she ran out of signs? [/humorous music effect]

Looking for more reportage, one way or another.

Oh, I'd love to hear your mocks, just for the PoV!

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

Well, I think that by bringing a banner and unfurling it she indicated pretty clearly she was hoping to start something. By showing up with a banner in the first place she showed that she wasn't interested in sitting and watching Bush deliver his speech in a civil and respectful manner. I'm sure that attending the Address is a highly coveted privilege, and it sounds to me like Cindy Sheehan lost it. How could they reasonably expect her to act with decorum?

Oh man, he just started in on human cloning!!! What an opportunity to share some of my mocks with you! Did he really just express fear of stem cell research/cloning leading to animal-human hybrids? We're laughing ourselves to tears over here. David: "This isn't a fuckin' episode of South Park! This is not the X-Files!" Wow.

I also appreciate the almost total lack of policy in this speech... not to mention his blatant hypocrisy in extolling the virtues of science when he supports Intelligent Design. Oh, and all of his wonderful promises about how we'll have much better and more efficient energy in the future... six years from now, when he is out of office. In the year 2025, when he will probably be dead. Thanks George.

Oy.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Cindy: Oh, likely so. But 'lost it'? Tsk. :) Somewhat of an extreme expression.

Was this the section?

Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research – human cloning in all its forms … creating or implanting embryos for experiments … creating human-animal hybrids … and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift from our Creator – and that gift should never be discarded, devalued, or put up for sale.

No, just thrown away in a series of illegal wars to show Daddy 'mine are bigger', right?

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

Sorry, my mistake for not being clear--hard to type and pay attention to the TV at the same time. I meant that Sheehan lost the privilege to sit as an audience member at the Address.

And thanks for that quote--I can put it in my LJ now!!

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Oh, lost THAT. Gotcha. :)

[second-batgirl.livejournal.com]

You know, I was going to type a very rage filled comment, but my brain has shut down to the point where I just want to scream.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I'm not listening even to the AirAmerica/Atrios/ThinkProgress snark. Just Peter David's blog.

[wombat1138.livejournal.com]

Now I really want her to run for the Senate. Problem is, though, it doesn't much help us if she simply replaces Boxer or Feinstein. (And she framed her original statement over the weekend as being conditional on DiFi's cloture vote.) I wonder how much, say, Joe Liebermann's constits might like her?

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

It's interesting - immovablemover thinks she went in there 'aiming to misbehave' [/MalReynolds]; Mike Malloy on his radio show said she was pretty much the only person in the room standing up for what she believes in. I'm too much the Libra, I can see both -- but isn't 'aiming to misbehave' what we need right now anyway?

[wombat1138.livejournal.com]

Based on a Google News search for "Sheehan" and "banner", this morning's Palm Beach Post says the initial report of a banner was, shall we say, misoverestimated and eventually reduced down to the t-shirt she was wearing.

Shrub *really* doesn't want to face her at all, does he?

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

There's photo links in this post of mine.

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

See, I think the reaction of many who are all up-in-arms about how Sheehan being arrested is a violation of her free speech rights (which it's not), who are furious at the Bush administration for trying to "censor" Sheehan (nonsense), is exactly what she wanted. You asked earlier why they didn't just confiscate the banner (which turned out to be a t-shirt)... it's because she didn't want to take her shirt off. Police warned her that her shirt wasn't allowed and she didn't listen, and I think she got exactly what she wanted.

In all honesty, I think she would have made a bigger splash if she had removed the t-shirt and then sat in the audience. Can you imagine how much camera time she would have gotten? There would have been quite the media frenzy about it and it probably would have been better for her cause.

Also, just out of curiosity, do you truly believe that Bush ordered her out because he disagreed with her shirt or didn't want to see her? If it was someone else who showed up to the Address and did all the same things Cindy Sheehan did, but had a confederate flag or a swastika on her shirt--do you think that person should have been allowed to sit in the audience?

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

First, this, which I think you'll find interesting, especially the code I found.

Second, there's conflicting reports over if she was actually warned about the shirt. Unfortunately, it'll probably be a 'he said/she said' sort of thing and we'll never know for certain. Bah.

Third, the Capitol Police weren't acting on direct or indirect orders from Bush, but on their own parameters (so to speak), so I don't think it was a matter of 'he had her removed' -- that's overstating the case if anybody says that. As you'll see, though, they actually did take somebody else out, but didn't arrest her. Another question there.

Thanks for discussing this! :D

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

Third, the Capitol Police weren't acting on direct or indirect orders from Bush, but on their own parameters (so to speak), so I don't think it was a matter of 'he had her removed' -- that's overstating the case if anybody says that.

I guess I misinterpreted this thread and wombat1138's comment here, both of which seemed to imply that Sheehan was removed because Bush doesn't like/didn't want to see her. If I read those the wrong way then I stand corrected.

Also... aaahhhhhh, I see what you meant about how Beverly Young was removed but not arrested. I don't know. This is another thing we may have to chalk up to "he said/she said"... or perhaps it was just that Sheehan's reputation precedes her and the police had more reason to believe that Sheehan wanted to cause a fuss than Young. I don't know, and perhaps nobody but the police ever will.