Post subject: Anti-War/Bush Teachers Suing over Strip-Search
Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 8:25 pm
too drunk to moderate properly
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Quote:
Strip Searched Teachers Sue Over Arrest at Bush Campaign Rally 29 April 2005
This is outrageous! On September 3, 2004, two female teachers, both in their 50’s were arrested at a Bush campaign and subsequently STRIP-SEARCHED at the local county jail.
Quote:
Two teachers arrested at a 2004 campaign rally for President Bush and strip-searched at a county jail have filed a lawsuit alleging law officers conspired to violate their constitutional rights.
Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson, both in their 50s, were among five protesters arrested at the Sept. 3 rally. The pair were handcuffed, taken to the county jail, strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass. The charges were dropped months later.
"I believe the federal government behaved very badly in this situation," said David O'Brien, the women's attorney.
The lawsuit claims the strip search violated constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Typically suspects are searched only if authorities have cause to believe they possess a weapon or illegal drugs, O'Brien said.
"We don't think they had a reasonable belief that these two, 50-year-old school teachers had a weapon or contraband in their possession that day," O'Brien said, whose clients requested a jury trial and unspecified damages.
Strip-searched? Good gracious, how far do the henchmen for this administration need to go before America wakes up to the fact that we are under the thumb of a dictatorship? What was so threatening about these two women that this type of violation of civil rights was allowed to happen?
Quote:
McCabe and Nelson — described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq — attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.
The questions must be asked… What is so threatening about a “No More War” sign or a Kerry button? Have these free speech items been deemed deadly weapons? Are they considered illegal contraband?
I applaud these two women for standing up for their civil rights after experiencing this appalling and demeaning treatment for expressing their first amendment rights. In my opinion, this lawsuit stops short of naming those who have conspired to allow such a thing to happen.
Quote:
The lawsuit claims the women's rights to free speech, free assembly, equal protection and due process were violated, and that federal agents conspired with local and state law enforcement to deprive them of those rights.
Named in the lawsuit were the Secret Service and three of its agents, the Iowa State Patrol and two patrolmen, and Linn County.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Last edited by ¡B! on Mon May 02, 2005 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:17 pm Posts: 13551 Location: is a jerk in wyoming Gender: Female
turkey sub jr. wrote:
That article makes it seem as though Bush personally strip-searched those malcontents. As far as I know, Bush doesn't run local county jails.
damn those malcontents.
Quote:
McCabe and Nelson — described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq — attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:40 pm Posts: 746 Location: Tampa
malice wrote:
turkey sub jr. wrote:
That article makes it seem as though Bush personally strip-searched those malcontents. As far as I know, Bush doesn't run local county jails.
damn those malcontents.
Quote:
McCabe and Nelson — described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq — attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 20537 Location: The City Of Trees
I need to know a lot more about this event before I can form an opinion.
Oh, and when the article says "Good gracious, how far do the henchmen for this administration need to go before America wakes up to the fact that we are under the thumb of a dictatorship?", I have to raise an eyebrow.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:17 pm Posts: 13551 Location: is a jerk in wyoming Gender: Female
turkey sub jr. wrote:
malice wrote:
turkey sub jr. wrote:
That article makes it seem as though Bush personally strip-searched those malcontents. As far as I know, Bush doesn't run local county jails.
damn those malcontents.
Quote:
McCabe and Nelson — described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq — attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.
p.s. no, it doesn't.
Doesn't what?
The article doesn't make it sound like GW strip searched them, and malcontent is pretty heavy handed of you seeing as how it means this:
A chronically dissatisfied person.
One who rebels against the established system
yet the women were working within the system taking measures they (apparently incorrectly) believed part of their rights and obligation as US citizens.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Green Habit wrote:
I need to know a lot more about this event before I can form an opinion.
Oh, and when the article says "Good gracious, how far do the henchmen for this administration need to go before America wakes up to the fact that we are under the thumb of a dictatorship?", I have to raise an eyebrow.
Well, it is a blogger and not a news article.
I've edited my original post to break out the original Yahoo article (below) from the blogger's comments.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Last edited by ¡B! on Mon May 02, 2005 8:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
That article makes it seem as though Bush personally strip-searched those malcontents. As far as I know, Bush doesn't run local county jails.
damn those malcontents.
Quote:
McCabe and Nelson — described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq — attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.
p.s. no, it doesn't.
It doesn't?
Quote:
Strip-searched? Good gracious, how far do the henchmen for this administration need to go before America wakes up to the fact that we are under the thumb of a dictatorship? What was so threatening about these two women that this type of violation of civil rights was allowed to happen?
I applaud these two women for standing up for their civil rights after experiencing this appalling and demeaning treatment for expressing their first amendment rights. In my opinion, this lawsuit stops short of naming those who have conspired to allow such a thing to happen.
Named in the lawsuit were the Secret Service and three of its agents, the Iowa State Patrol and two patrolmen, and Linn County.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
turkey sub jr. wrote:
That article makes it seem as though Bush personally strip-searched those malcontents. As far as I know, Bush doesn't run local county jails.
Actually, I felt that it was blaming Karl Rove.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:17 pm Posts: 13551 Location: is a jerk in wyoming Gender: Female
pjam81373 wrote:
malice wrote:
turkey sub jr. wrote:
That article makes it seem as though Bush personally strip-searched those malcontents. As far as I know, Bush doesn't run local county jails.
damn those malcontents.
Quote:
McCabe and Nelson — described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq — attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.
p.s. no, it doesn't.
It doesn't?
Quote:
Strip-searched? Good gracious, how far do the henchmen for this administration need to go before America wakes up to the fact that we are under the thumb of a dictatorship? What was so threatening about these two women that this type of violation of civil rights was allowed to happen?
I applaud these two women for standing up for their civil rights after experiencing this appalling and demeaning treatment for expressing their first amendment rights. In my opinion, this lawsuit stops short of naming those who have conspired to allow such a thing to happen.
Named in the lawsuit were the Secret Service and three of its agents, the Iowa State Patrol and two patrolmen, and Linn County.
Sorry, I don't see it. The author of the article sounds rather ridiculous, but I don't see how anyone could see it as GW searching them.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:02 pm Posts: 10690 Location: Lost in Twilight's Blue
While Bush might not run county jails, there are numerous examples of activity like this that took place last year during the elections. Check this out, happened right here where I live so we got a lot of coverage of it:
Quote:
ACLU Applauds Court Decision to Dismiss Charges Against Couple Wearing Anti-Bush T-Shirts at a July 4th Presidential Rally
July 15, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHARLESTON, WV - In a victory for free speech, the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia applauded a court decision today dismissing trespassing charges against a couple who wore anti-Bush t-shirts to a July 4th rally for the president at the state Capitol.
"It is ironic that two people were arrested on the Fourth of July for expressing their First Amendment rights," said Andrew Schneider, Executive Director of the ACLU of West Virginia, which represented the couple, Jeff and Nicole Rank of Corpus Christi, Texas. "The ACLU applauds the city of Charleston’s decision to drop the absurd trespassing charges against the Ranks."
The Ranks were arrested at a rally for President Bush at the West Virginia Statehouse after they removed an outer layer of clothing to reveal homemade anti-Bush t-shirts. Local law enforcement officials removed the couple from the event in handcuffs when they refused to cover the t-shirts.
The rally was billed as an official presidential visit and was open to the public.
Charleston Municipal Judge Carole Bloom dismissed the charges after a city attorney informed the court that the law enforcement officers had no authority to charge the Ranks with trespassing at the Statehouse. According to city officials, the arresting officers were acting under the direction of the Secret Service.
The incident was not the first time the ACLU has come to the defense of protesters at political rallies. In September, the ACLU asked a federal court for a nationwide injunction barring the Secret Service from directing local police to restrict protesters’ access to appearances by President Bush and other senior administration officials. The Secret Service denied engaging in the practice, but agreed with the ACLU that such actions would be inappropriate and unlawful.
"The ACLU will be out there watching and monitoring to make sure free speech rights are not violated by any government agency, regardless of political affiliation," Schneider said.
The explanation for the policemen's behavior that was given in the paper here was that these were orders handed down from the Secret Service regarding how to handle the visit. So it seems like the buck doesn't exactly stop with our local bumbling law enforcement. The couple mentioned in the article also lost their jobs over the incident, as odd as that seems. Even Bush supporters I know who attended rallies last year said that the level of control they exercised over any kind of dissent or even spontaneous questions was just ridiculous. I definitely think it was a damn shame that these women were treated that way though, unless there's something I don't know here.
_________________ Scared to say what is your passion, So slag it all, Bitter's in fashion, Fear of failure's all you've started, The jury is in, verdict: Retarded
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Peeps wrote:
no, i most certainly hope noone did...i mean, that would be really dumb of them *nervous laughter*
That's why a link was provided. So you could say, "what fucked up news source let their writers write ...? oh, it's just some blogger."
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
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