JUSTICE 101

The Shadow · Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:59 pm Don't Tread on Me

Many people are saying that our freedoms are being taken away from us little by little, others say we are giving them up and still other say we have not lost any of our freedoms. I have avoided using the word RIGHTS here because that in general (in our thought) mostly refers to the Constitution but freedoms, basic freedoms are less conventional, not always covered by written law and often a matter of "tradition". I have heard people of all political persuasions comment that we are losing these freedoms. I heard it back in the late 80's and ever since. The article below backs up that idea. The freedom of expression of civil disobedience is being attacked and as you can see it on an almost daily basis. This was happening during other administrations not just this one but lately law enforcement has become almost paranoid in suppressing these kinds of freedoms. This is the time to stand up and protect these freedoms. This is just one example. I say this for those of you that are young and healthy, in my case I can afford to say "So what" because I am too old to take advantage of these things, I am too immobile to be able to execute these freedoms, I lived under a military dictatorship for seven years and I survived nicely and I have a valid passport. And lastly, as I look around this nation I am convinced that every nation gets the government it deserves. You all will have to do something about it if you want the America we have had and are slowly losing.

How I Got Arrested for Holding an IMPEACH Sign
Submitted by davidswanson on Fri, 2007-08-17 19:14. Activism
By Jonas Phillips

I am writing to tell you about an abuse of power in Asheville, NC by a police sergeant.

I occasionally stand on an interstate overpass near my place of work in the mornings and hold a sign that says 'IMPEACH BUSH / CHENEY'.

On Wednesday August 15, I was standing alone with my sign for about 10 minutes, when I was approached by Police Officer Russell Crisp. He asked me how long I was planning to stay there and I told him just a few more minutes because I had to go to work at 8:00. He asked for my ID and I obliged. I asked him if I was doing something wrong, and he said that his Sergeant was on the way and he was going to wait for him. SO, I went back to my sign holding over the interstate.

A few minutes later Sergeant Randy Riddle showed up with a paper in his hand. He spoke briefly to Crisp, then walked over to me and told me to put down my sign, put my hands behind my back, and that I was under arrest! I was shocked and almost thought he was joking until he told me again to put down the sign and put my hands behind me and I was under arrest. So I peacefully agreed and he cuffed me. I asked him why I was being arrested, he told me I was in violation County Ordinance 16-2, (the print out in his hand that he didn't bother to read to me or show me.) He told me I was obstructing the sidewalk. I told him I was not and that officer Crisp had witnessed a guy walk by me moments before.

Riddle yelled at me, "You were obstructing the sidewalk!" and "I'm sick of this shit!" then he said, "Here's your 15 minutes of fame buddy!" I looked back to see his name plate and he said in a mean condescending tone, "Yea, that's 'Sergeant Riddle' get it right!" He then put me in Officer Crisp's police car. Riddle took my sign with him and I was taken downtown and booked by Crisp. I was never read my Miranda rights.

While at the jail I was asked several times about what groups or organizations I was with, like a local group Veterans for Peace. And more specifically the Southeast Convergence for Climate Action group that had protested at the Bank of America on Monday. I was told by officer Crisp that since that protest the police had pulled out this ordinance. I was searched, and they took pictures of me and my tattoos. Since I haven't been in trouble in 15 years, I was given a court date and allowed to sign a written promise to appear in court.

This is an example of an American citizen having his/her civil liberties tread upon.

In Asheville, you are allowed to protest on city sidewalks without a permit. The sidewalk is about 5 feet wide. I never blocked the sidewalk; I knew about that ordinance already and was not trying to be arrested. It was obvious to me that Riddle had a problem with my sign because there is no way I could block the sidewalk all by myself. I feel like my rights were trampled by this harassment from Riddle. I got the feeling that he was trying to scare me away, but he only strengthened my resolve to protest more!

By the way, I never got my sign back from Sergeant Riddle.

Beth · Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:00 am

How I Almost Got Killed for Holding a SUPPORT THE TROOPS Sign

Several years ago I rented a car and drove a friend of mine who was a quadriplegic to an anti-war protest rally in Austin, Texas. The two of us belonged to the group "Protest Warriors". He was a member because of their conservative views. I was a member because it was the only national organization (at the time) that aggressively campaigned on behalf of military members serving in war zones. A lot of my fellow servicemen were members. I didn't have any politics. I did have many friends in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When we arrived there were thousands of anti-war protesters. There were about 20 of us. We confined ourselves to a small section across the street from where the protest was taking place. I stood by the curb, holding onto the handrails of my friend's wheelchair with my sign wedged between my body and his chair. It simply read "Support the Troops". Like I said, I had no politics. I wasn't there to tell them what to believe. I was there to remind them of precisely why they were protesting.

At first everything seemed to be going well. My friend was enjoying himself and there were lots of "colorful" people there. A reporter was doing interviews and everything was calm. Until he approached me. I declined to make a statement to the reporter and explained that I was a military member. I was extremely polite and even offered to give him the name and phone number of my CO in case he was interested in interviewing him. At the time I thought it was a very pleasant exchange. He seemed extremely understanding.

I was wrong. Once he left, I saw him cross the street and bee-line to a group we had affectionately referred to as the "wackos". They were dressed in burkas and suicide bomber costumes and were chanting that Bush was a war criminal along with other slogans that have since become commonplace. The reporter began to chat with them and then he did something very strange.

He pointed to me.

I remember thinking to myself "He did not just do that." I actually remember thinking that. In those words. What next ensued will either make you sick or make you laugh, depending on what side of the fence you reside. My brother-in-law thought it was funny.

The band of burka and bomber-clad individuals broke ranks and rapidly headed across the street towards me and my friend. Looking back, at that point, I should have taken him and tried to get away. I don't know why I didn't. I suppose they would have chased us down and I probably couldn't have outrun them pushing a wheelchair, but still......I knew what was about to happen.

Within seconds they had surrounded us, cutting us off from the rest of the group. They began to scream obscenities at us and eventually they began to spit on me. I was called a baby-killer, a terrorist, a c@#$, and numerous other things that should not be repeated. They took my sign from me and ripped it apart. They told my friend that he was just using his wheelchair to get sympathy. They even told him he was probably faking it and threatened to pull him out of it. By this time, one of my group had apparently alerted an officer. Unfortunately, it had not been soon enough.

Out of nowhere, I felt two hard blows to my back. All of the sudden, my friend and I were in the street and there was a car coming straight at us. The next thing I knew, someone had grabbed the neck of my jacket and jerked me back hard. I was still clasping the handrails of my friends wheelchair (thank God) and as I fell backwards, the chair rolled back onto my legs, ripping skin down to the bone. From what I was told, the car that was heading for us managed to swerve out of the way just enough that he missed my friend's chair (and my legs) by about two feet.

As I lay underneath the wheelchair, I looked up to see a police officer clenching my jacket. Officer Ortiz. Top Cop Ortiz. Super Cop Ortiz. The Man.

After they pulled my friend off of me, they surveyed the damage to my legs. Fortunately there were paramedics on scene to handle any issues that occurred at the event. Somehow I don't think they expected that. Sadly, as they were sopping up the blood from my legs, the same people that assaulted my friend and I, began to taunt me again (albeit, from a distance).

Only this time Officer Ortiz saw them. I don't think I have ever seen a cop that angry. He told them to leave or he would arrest them for assault. They retorted (quite disrespectfully) that he was violating their civil rights and freedom of speech. He then, told them that if they didn't leave he would arrest them all on 2 counts of attempted murder. He explained what they had done was legally just that and he had witnessed it.

They left.

What I am left with in all of this is not anger but questions. I am a Petty Officer in the United States Navy. I am a sailor. I would gladly die to defend their rights and freedoms. Why then did they choose to hate me? They said they were there to show solidarity with us. So why did they rip apart a sign expressing just that sentiment? They clamored to bring the troops home as if they had some grave concern for our well-being. Then why did they try to kill me? They scream to the hills about their rights and freedoms. Does that include the right to spit on me? Or to push me into on-coming traffic? Or destroy my property? Am I allowed to have rights and freedoms or are they simply commodities that are extended only to those who are entitled? Those with a favorable/similar belief structure. Am I free to support my brothers in Iraq and Afghanistan? Or are there strings attached to that as well?

But most of all, I want to know about my freedom to serve my country. The freedom to serve my country without ridicule, without being spit on, without being assaulted, without being threatened or insulted. Because these days, those are the freedoms that I am losing.

The road runs both ways Shadow.

The Shadow · Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:08 pm

Read carefully what i have written in red. There is no cause for argument nor confrontation. It is not a matter of one side or the other or in which direction the road runs. That is NOT what i am talking about. I am talking about the freedoms of all Americans to protest what they want. I frankly don't really give a shit for what side anyone is on. I do give a shit if they can exercise their freedom to gather, protest or do anything when it does not endanger the lives and welfare of other...and that includes smokng or whatever. I don't give a damn if a persons ideas run contrary to mine I still will defend that persons right to have and express his or her opinion. That is why we wear the uniform...it is not to support one view or another, one person or another. It is to support the freedoms of all peoples. At least that's why I put the uniform on. Beth you are being needlessly confrontational here.

Beth · Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:35 pm

The Shadow wrote: That is why we wear the uniform...it is not to support one view or another, one person or another. It is to support the freedoms of all peoples. At least that's why I put the uniform on. Beth you are being needlessly confrontational here.

I wasn't being confrontational at all. What are talking about? I was simply putting out the other side of the coin. I had no confrontational tone in that post at all. In fact I was on barbituates when I posted it. I was about as mellow as a person can get.

And are you insuating that I wear the uniform for only certain Americans?

I'm sorry if you don't like my story, but you stated that law enforcement was suppressing people's freedoms. I gave you an example of law enforcement that saved my life from citizens who were suppressing mine. The very citizens who are screaming at the top of their lungs about it.

You say it is time to stand up and protect these freedoms, but the problem is that the people hollaring for their precious freedoms don't actually mean freedom for everyone the way you and I do. They want only their voice to be heard and it comes from both sides of the aisle. Meanwhile people like me, who refuse to join either camp, are arrested by cops for holding signs on sidewalks or pushed into oncoming traffic by thugs. It's no longer about freedom, for so many of our citizens anymore. Most of them have never faced a situation where it had been in real peril. Most of them have never witnessed or experienced a society that doesn't have it. They don't understand what true freedom is. That in the act of suppressing one side's freedoms, they negate their own.

Nevermind. I give up. I'm going to bed.