Emperor Bush's Amerika

“Anti-war bumper sticker leads Secret Service to eject three from Bush speech
Posted on Wednesday, March 30 @ 09:53:39 EST

By P. Solomon Banda, Associated Press

DENVER (AP) -- President Bush's spokesman said a diversity of views is welcomed at events across the country as the president builds support for his Social Security reforms even as three people say the were singled out and removed from an event last week because of a bumper sticker.

During a news conference Tuesday, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the president hears different viewpoints on the news and the events are meant to educate the American people about the problems facing Social Security.

"That's what they're designed for, to talk about the problems that we face and to talk about possible ideas for solving it," McClellan said.

Internet technology worker Alex Young, 25; marketing coordinator Karen Bauer, 38; and lawyer Leslie Weise, 39, were approached by what they thought was a Secret Service agent and asked to leave the March 21 event at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum.

The three said they had obtained tickets through the office of Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., had passed through security and were preparing to take their seats.

Bauer said the agent put his hand on her elbow and steered her away from her seat and toward an exit.

Tom Mazur, a Washington-based spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, said an inquiry found none of the agents responsible for protecting the president were involved with the group's removal. He said it didn't appear any laws were broken because tickets were issued and a host committee has the right to remove people who might be disruptive.

Young said event officials told them the next day they were identified as belonging to the "No Blood for Oil" group. The three say they belong to no such group but the car they arrived in had a bumper sticker that read: "No More Blood for Oil."

"U.S. Rep. Beauprez thinks it's unfortunate that anyone was asked to leave, especially because of something like a bumper sticker," Jordan Stoich, Beauprez's spokesman.

Young, like Bauer and lawyer Leslie Weise, 39, is a member of the Denver Progressives, a political activist group. He said the three had T-shirts underneath their business attire that read, "Stop the Lies" and they had talked about exposing them during Bush's visit. He said they had scrapped the plan by the time they arrived at the museum.

First Amendment attorney Dan Recht said the T-shirts did not play a role in the group's removal.

"They hadn't done anything wrong. They weren't dressed inappropriately, they didn't say anything inappropriate," Recht said. "They were kicked out of this venue and not allowed to hear what the president had to say based solely on this political bumper sticker.

"The very essence of the First Amendment is that you can't be punished for the speech you make, the statements you make," Recht said, adding the group is mulling filing a lawsuit.

President Bush has visited at least 17 states to gain support for his plan to change Social Security, meeting with people who are generally supportive.

Some people who have stood up to disrupt Bush while he was talking have been removed. But a group called Americans United to Protect Social Security said there have been at least two instances where people have been removed or barred from a Bush event beforehand.

In February, a "black list" of people banned from getting tickets in North Dakota was obtained and published by the Forum newspaper. The White House and the Republican Party denied such a list existed and Gov. John Hoeven's staff said no one was denied tickets.

Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman for Americans United, called the Denver example the most egregious violation.

"They're screening the people who are allowed to come and then they're profiling them in the parking lot," he said. "It's quite extraordinary, and disappointing."

© 2005 The Associated Press.”

“Sounds like security did the right thing. The three scumbags should have been evicted and then maced.

I like the sound of Emperor though.”

“LOL! Somehow I knew you would! You dirty rotten fascist.
last edited: 3/30/05 7:43:14 PM”

“it didn't appear any laws were broken because tickets were issued and a host committee has the right to remove people who might be disruptive.

I really don't see what the problem is.”

“Private events = rights to privacy. That goes for any group be they repubs, democrats, KKK, Black Panthers, whoever…”

“But the folks hadn't done anything. It's one thing to make people leave after they've done something and another to punish them for having a bumper sticker.”

“a host committee has the right to remove people who might be disruptive.

What part of that doesn't make sense to you, solitary hiker?”

“The Constitutional 1st Amendment part. :)”

“There's no constitutional issue that I can see, like Nigal said.”

“From the story:

There are three people that obtained passes to this appearance through the office of a congressman. They passed through security clearance with no trouble. Sounds like they belonged there to me.

Instead of taking their seats, they are escorted out of the place without being given a reason. They wore nothing visible to alert anyone to a particular political stand that they may have. So, being that they were identified as part of the "blood for oil" group, it stands to reason that this came from some sort of surveillance that came about as a result of arriving in a vehicle that had a bumper sticker to that effect displayed on it.

Now, no disruptive acts were said to have taken place, meaning this was another of this administration's pre-emptive measures.

Also, the secret service did not escort them out. However, it seems more likely that the secret service would be the ones screening the cars, rather than the security at the venue. Of course, it would look better if they had the personnel at the place escort them rather than the SS. That way, they can dispel these delirious notions the left wing, commie, pinkos have that our beloved commander-in-cheese is selective about who can attend his sermons!
last edited: 3/31/05 1:15:30 PM”

“Much ado about nothing.”

“I'm trying to think of a reason why I would attend a speech by the pretender in chief.








thinking













thinking











Nope ... can't do it.”

““Much ado about nothing.”
StoveStomper
2:50:47 PM

That's what I say about a lot of your posts, Stovie!”

“Whatever.”

“hmmmm, would it be much ado about nothing if it were conservatives being escorted out??”

“““Much ado about nothing.”


This coming from the most spiteful person on this board...”

“I will say it again.

The Social Security system is the soundest institution in America.

GWB is lying when he says there is a crisis.

It would help to tie the Social security cap to the rate of inflation. The cap has been at the same level for years.”

““hmmmm, would it be much ado about nothing if it were conservatives being escorted out??”
Ewker

Good gawd, they whine loud and long as it is. Perish the thought!”

“From 'Attytood,' Philly Daily News blog:

Bush's goon squads: Fighting back


It wasn't our doing (we don't think), but both Congress and some of the mainstream media is starting to take notice of the goon squads that have been suspending the First Amendment at Bush's Social Security "Bamboozelpalooza" events around the country.

The Fargo, N.D., newspaper has been all over this, ever since a blacklist of some 40 lefty types who were supposed to be denied entrance to the taxpayer-funded event there leaked out. Now, with the reports that three people were barred from a Bush event in Denver, apparently because there was a "No Blood for Oil" bumper sticker on their car, the North Dakota congressional delegation wants a probe (Via Josh Marshall).

And, surprise, surprise, the Washington Post has taken notice. (Also here.)

So who's missing? The Democratic Party leadership, of course, which is why blogger Hesiod over at American Street (via Buzzflash) called them "The Dumbocrats."

How does this make the Democrats idiots, you ask?

Because the Democrats could easily expose this sham for what it is by just a few simple creative maneuvers.

First, find out where Bush is going next with his “bamboozlepalooza” tour.

Next, publicly have Democratic activists try to get tickets to the event, promising to not disrupt it. The higher profile the activists the better.

When the Bushies refuse them tickets or deny them entry to the event, file a preemptive lawsuit against Bush, the local Republican party, and the Secret Service to obtain a court order from a judge forcing Bush to allow them into the event.

Sounds like a plan, doesn't it?”

“Cue Stove Stomper ...


Jerry, Jerry ...”