Free expression of your political views lies at the very center of American freedom. This means being able to distribute letters or newspapers, or to stand on the street corner and say your piece. Thus, I was less than impressed with the Orwellian-ly named "free speech zone" at the Democrat convention.
On the other hand, freedom of political speech also applies to the conventioners. Democrats and Republicans and Libertarians and Greens all have the right to free association, to come together and have their say.
Purposely disrupting and obstructing the other guy's rally is NOT free speech, but the opposite. Thus, civil libertarians should be less than impressed with the thousand plus jackasses insisting on getting themselves arrested for blocking traffic and throwing bottles at the NYC police and such during the Republican convention this week.
You should be even less impressed with those who trick their way into the convention itself to disrupt the proceedings. From the AP:
NEW YORK (AP) - AIDS demonstrators disrupted a Republican youth gathering on the floor of the party convention Wednesday, shortly after President Bush's twin daughters left the stage.
The incident occurred after Jenna and Barbara Bush introduced White House chief of staff Andrew Card. As he began speaking, about 10 protesters sitting in the crowd jumped up, blew whistles and began to chant, "Bush kills" and "Bush lies."
Card tried to continue speaking, but was drowned out and stopped as young participants in the morning event scuffled with the demonstrators. Police moved in to remove the protesters, including a young woman hoisted out by two officers - one at her shoulders and one at her knees.
At least one delegate was slightly injured. Suhr Daniel, 20, of Milwaukee, said he was punched in the head by a protester. He had a cut near his temple and the side of his face was reddened.
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Article comments
1 - boomcrashbaby
I guess when someone shouts, you don't hear what they say? ACT UP is protesting government's relationship with the pharmaceutical industry. They also protested, but less so, during Clinton's presidency.
For the pharmaceutical industry, a pill or a treatment that cures someone is a one-time income from the patient. If the patient needs 20 or more pills a day to fend off HIV, then the pharmaceutical company gets a long term source of revenue from the individual (or the insurance company/government).
No, Bush isn't expected to put on a lab coat, that's silly. He is expected to work on behalf of his citizens, especially those that need help, is he not? His lack of doing so is what is being protested. It's costing lives.
2 - jack e. jett
democrats have played the pansie hand long enough. you must fight fire with fire now. i say, hats off to the protesters. they deserve a medal for being able to get it.
al, you are really cool with all this.
jack
3 - Rodney Welch
Reading Al's headline, I thought for sure he was referring to these little babies.
4 - Eric Olsen
I did too, they were nervous, gigling, silly little twits
5 - Al Barger
I see, Boom. So it's a pharmaceutical conspiracy to NOT cure HIV so that they can keep selling daily treatments. So then you really think that the president should, in fact, order the drug companies to cure HIV?
However, even if you believe something this plain damned silly, that STILL doesn't give you the right to stop other people from having their say. Print up some handbills and pass them out on the sidewalk, but you don't get to just vandalize or shut down other people's meetings because you disagree with them.
6 - boomcrashbaby
Al, I've never been an ACT UP member. I don't really want to be the one to explain their ideology, I don't feel I have the qualification. That's my understanding that is what they are primarily protesting, but probably other things as well.
While I haven't experienced what they have experienced to get them to their ideology, I know that they care passionately about it, that they truly believe in their cause, and that while I don't know exactly what the relationship between the pharmaceutical companies and the government is, I know that these people who dedicate their lives to their cause, most likely have reason to believe something is up.
If one TRULY believes that the actions or the inactions of the government is costing the lives of someone he cares about, he'd be an ass, Al, if all he did was "Get a hall, have some speeches".
It's unfortunate that blocking traffic in NY is such an inconvenience for you, in...where was it again?
7 - Marc
Boomcrashbaby: "then the pharmaceutical company gets a long term source of revenue from the individual (or the insurance company/government)."
You may not be a ACT member but you sure aren't adverse to parroting hairbrained theories all in the name of [not] "explain[ing] their ideology."
Dedication to a cause doesn't always correlate to something being up.
These people are dedicated to their cause, as are these people will you be quoting or defending them in the future?
Dedication means exactly zero if your methods obscure your message. By breaking laws they only bring scorn to themselves and their cause.
8 - Al Barger
I see how it works, Boom. Just convince yourself that you have some kind of supposed grievance. Then you have not only the right, but the positive obligation to shut down anyone from meeting or speaking who is not on your bandwagon. Why, you'd be an ASS if you didn't.
9 - Dan
Now I'm starting to see the strategic wisdom of the Republicans not instituting those free speech concentration camps the way the Dem's did. They'll capture the political middle by just sitting back and letting folks see these dim-witted degenerates in action.
10 - Al Barger
No kidding, Dan. Just consider the barely concealed seething hatred for W by the Democrat convention delegates - much less the stupid disruptive behavior of these protesters.
Contrast that to the Republican delegates lovefest. Notice that the delegates on the floor of the Republican convention were even literally applauding John Kerry for his valorous service in the military.
Who would you rather be associated with, the angry Democrat delegates and their mindless idiot protesters, or these nice, friendly, well-behaved Republicans? Which ones would you want for neighbors?
I don't support a lot of what the Bush administration does, but they certainly seem to represent a much higher class of individuals.
11 - boomcrashbaby
As I said before, I have never acted on ACT UP's behalf. I have never been an activist or broken the law to make a political point.
However, being part of a group that wasn't treated as human until an act of civil obedience (Stonewall), I can certainly see their viewpoint more than a smarmy conservative in Madison Square Gardens, feeling all 'compassionate', might.
12 - boomcrashbaby
obedience should be disobedience.
13 - Shark
Al, re. the pharmaceutical industry
Dangit Al, for a Libertarian, you're incredibly gullible, naive, and uninformed on this subject.
Re: Children misbehaving - I'm with the others; I thought this would be about those inbred little Bush twins -- whose next gig will inevitably be next season's "The Simple Life" tv show.
Gawd, they were horrible.
"...Mommy and Daddy call each other "bushy...""
Oh please, please don't use words and imagery that force me to picture laura's bush!