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When King George travels, liberties suffer
The Capital Times ^ | May 13, 2004 | John Nichols

Posted on 05/14/2004 8:20:31 AM PDT by freeeee

The King made a royal visit to Wisconsin last week, and as is common when monarchs travel, individual liberties were suspended.

King George Bush's bus trip across western Wisconsin closed schools and roads, prevented residents from moving freely in their own communities, and prevented citizens from exercising their free speech rights.

All in all, it was a typical George W. Bush visit.

But there's a slight twist.

People in western Wisconsin, who hold to the refreshingly naive notion that they live in a republic as opposed to an imperial realm, are objecting.

"There's a pattern of harassment of free speech here that really concerns me," says Guy Wolf, the student services coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. "If they're going to call it a presidential visit, then it should be a presidential visit - where we can hear from him and he can hear from us. But that's not what happened here, not at all."

Wolf and other La Crosse area residents who wanted to let the president know their feelings about critical issues came face to face with the reality that, when King George travels, he is not actually interested in a two-way conversation.

Along the route of the Bush bus trip from Dubuque to La Crosse, the Bush team created a "no-free-speech" zone that excluded any expressions of the dissent that is the lifeblood of democracy. In Platteville, peace activist Frank Van Den Bosch was arrested for holding up a sign that was critical of the president. The sign's "dangerous" message, "FUGW," was incomprehensible to children and, no doubt, to many adults. Yet, it was still determined sufficiently unsettling to the royal procession that Van Den Bosch was slapped with a disorderly conduct ticket.

Up the road in La Crosse, the clampdown on civil liberties was even more sweeping. Wolf and hundreds of other Wisconsinites and Minnesotans who sought to express dissents were videotaped by authorities, told they could not make noise, ordered not to display certain signs and forced to stand out of eyesight of Bush and his entourage. Again and again, they were told that if they expressed themselves in ways that were entirely protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, they would be "subject to arrest."

"Everyone understood the need for basic security for the president, but none of us could understand why we had to give up our free speech rights," explained Wolf.

La Crosse Mayor John Medinger shares that concern. The Bush-Cheney campaign leased a portion of a local park where the royal rally was held. Yet, Wisconsinites who wanted to protest Bush's visit were told they could not use a sound system in a completely different section of the park.

"I want to find out why the whole park was used when only a portion was leased," Medinger told the La Crosse Tribune. "So when demonstrators were told they couldn't have (sound) systems, the question is why."

The Bush-Cheney campaign paid a $100 fee to use one part of the park, but disrupted much of the city. Medinger is now assessing the full cost of the royal visit and hopes to deliver a bill to the campaign, which State Elections Board attorney George Dunst says the Bush campaign should pay. Other communities, including Prairie du Chien, are looking at following Medinger's lead.

But the challenge should not just be a financial one. The Bush visit attacked First Amendment rights up and down the Mississippi. A lot of people are owed apologies.

In a monarchy, of course, the King never apologizes. But in a democracy, the president is supposed to be accountable to the people.

By pressing demands that the charges against Frank Van Den Bosch be dropped and that the White House and the Bush-Cheney campaign apologize for participating in an anti-democratic endeavor, residents of western Wisconsin can, and should, take up the cause of this country's founders. It is time once more to challenge a King named George.

Caption: President Bush waves to crowds from his campaign bus as he passes through Prairie du Chien last Friday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: allbushsfault; bakedzot; baronvonzothausen; bbqzot; brainddonor; bustour; du; feelingzotty; freeassembly; freespeech; gotzot; ismellozone; jfk04; kinggeorge; kittenchow; kittylitter; lacrosse; moosebitmysister; protest; roastzot; takeittodu; vikingsrule; waaaaaaaahhhh; whineandcheese; zot; zotaugratin; zotbot; zotfest; zotsky
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To: freeeee

...This is,,, a sensitive issue. The administration is not above criticism, but, there is a time and place to disagree and debate about policy. We are at war. And until it is over, we must be civil, and united as a nation...


381 posted on 05/14/2004 4:34:14 PM PDT by gargoyle
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To: freeeee; armymarinedad
I can only surmise that the policy of running off protesters is not in effect 100% of the time. However there is ample evidence that it is in effect a portion of the time. My guess is when Rove wants a good photo-op, perhaps during campaigning. For these propaganda purposes it is likely not necessary nor feasible to remove protesters every time the pres moves.

If he only did it once it would be utterly intolerable.

What a large pile of conjecture! Your attempt at making another batch of Protestor Stone Soup is thin gruel, freeeee.

Why don't you address armymarinedad's first-hand observation, instead of injecting your "guesses" or "ifs"?

Because you can't.

382 posted on 05/14/2004 4:37:51 PM PDT by an amused spectator (The SeeBS of 2004 would have revealed the precise date and location of the Normandy Invasion)
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To: freeeee
"I must be going now, I'll answer further posts on Monday."

One thing I have to say about you paid disrupters, you all punch that time clock on schedule. I've always wondered why so many Bush-bashers seem to only post during business hours. Then it hit me, it is your business.

Note to Soros: George, I know you have a lot of money but is this guy cost effective?

383 posted on 05/14/2004 4:39:37 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: Burkeman1

Oliver "Burkeman1" Twist to John Nichols: "Please, sir, may I have another?"


384 posted on 05/14/2004 4:41:40 PM PDT by an amused spectator (The SeeBS of 2004 would have revealed the precise date and location of the Normandy Invasion)
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To: CWOJackson

You are absolutely right. Their outrageous conduct over the past month has only strengthened my resolve and I've pledged to redouble my efforts. The left is blinded by their hatred, they care not what they destroy in the process just as long as they destroy this president. Our national security and sovereignty matters not and that makes them exactly the same as any other filthy terrorists.


385 posted on 05/14/2004 4:46:49 PM PDT by Darlin' ("I will not forget this wound to my country." President George W Bush, 20 Sept 2001)
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To: Darlin'
Thank you Darlin.

{Oh please don't my wife read that response...please.)

386 posted on 05/14/2004 4:51:32 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: BillyCrockett

Have you all forgotten Bubba and his entourage?

I live in NY and everytime they came to town for whatever reason he tied up traffic and inconvenienced hundreds of thousands of people for hours.

In the end, he got his comeuppance. The fancy offices he wanted in midtown wouldn't rent to him and he was forced to go to Harlem.


387 posted on 05/14/2004 4:52:35 PM PDT by Cincinna (Beware HILLARY and her HINO)
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To: freeeee

This happens with every President. What a bunch of crap.


388 posted on 05/14/2004 4:53:39 PM PDT by ladyinred (Torture is what happened to Nick Berg!)
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To: CWOJackson

FOFLOL.


389 posted on 05/14/2004 4:57:11 PM PDT by Darlin' ("I will not forget this wound to my country." President George W Bush, 20 Sept 2001)
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To: All
"I must be going now, I'll answer further posts on Monday."

I'M SORRY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE OFFICES OF HUEY, LUEY AND DUEY HAVE CLOSED UNTIL MONDAY. IF YOU WOULD CARE TO COME BACK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS, FREEEEEEEEEEE WILL BE HAPPEN TO ATTACK THE PRESIDENT FOR YOU.

REMEMBER, AT THE SOROS FOUNDATION, UNDERMINING THE PRESIDENT IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOB. SEE "DU" FOR OUR HOURS OF OPERATION.

390 posted on 05/14/2004 4:57:19 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: gargoyle

and while at war, what else should we give up? if they asked you to delay the election because of war would you?if they asked you to turn in your guns because of war would you? if they asked you to take your freedom of speech and withhold it ..only for a while.. would you?
i guess that question is already answered. the bigger picture or should i say the longer picture is, if we allow even these little things to start eroding our rights, the slope becomes very steep and hard to stop the slide. imagine sometime in the future near or far if another party is in power. the things we write about here might be considered illegal protest and banned.(or fined if uncle sam can find a way to make a buck off you)


391 posted on 05/14/2004 5:02:17 PM PDT by what i think
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To: what i think
...Our Constitutional Republic has for a long time, been called a democracy. I am sicken with that word! I will not secede that fundamental principal, the Bill of Rights, First and Second Amendment, the 16th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 26th, might be debatable...

...Yer right, the slope is getting steep, but when and how we disagree or protest, should be to our elected representatives, IMO, not in public, for our enemies to use against US...

392 posted on 05/14/2004 6:37:59 PM PDT by gargoyle
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To: what i think; freeeee
i guess that question is already answered. the bigger picture or should i say the longer picture is, if we allow even these little things to start eroding our rights, the slope becomes very steep and hard to stop the slide.

OK, one more time for the hard-of-thinking:

Leftist apparatchik* John Nichols took the fact that a jerk got arrested while protesting during a Bush visit (note: while protesting, not for protesting) and made up a bunch of real scary fictions, using quotes from his trusted Socialist fellow-travelers.

freeeee took Nichols' piece and ran with it, all 120 miles from Dubuque, Iowa to La Crosse, Wisconsin. It's a large crock of Left-wing hogwash, and freeeee thinks it's a steaming hot bowl of delicious anti-Bush Stone Soup.

Well, it's steaming, all right.

*I googled up "John Nichols" and "Clinton" and the very first hit I got was a June 5, 2003 column by Nichols entitled "Hillary Clinton hardly a liberal icon". Furthermore, Commondreams is practically conducting a love affair with the guy.

393 posted on 05/14/2004 6:40:45 PM PDT by an amused spectator (The SeeBS of 2004 would have revealed the precise date and location of the Normandy Invasion)
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To: an amused spectator

...Haven't kept up with all 393 threads, but, I was thinking there is a time and place to disagree, when I replied on 392...


394 posted on 05/14/2004 7:03:21 PM PDT by gargoyle
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To: freeeee
Did his little Repubs lock up the local media; like Kerry does? (He only likes to be 'covered' by the big guys.)

Did the FUGW lady - not toooo difficult to discern - have the sign ripped out of her hands? (Kerry people would have.)

Has the Secret Service paid her a visit yet at her home; looked into her income tax record? Threatened her? This is what the Dems are KNOWN for. . .it was 'normal procedure for Clinton; Kerry is NOOOOO better; uses the same threatening tactics. . .)

Maybe you have not noticed; but people line the by-ways anytime the President is 'rolling by'. But there are schedules to keep; destinations; they do not just 'stop the bus' and have a town meeting every couple of miles. So you're comlaining that they just 'rolled by'? Yahhhhhh! And so mean!

Are not the Bush's sitting out their daughters graduation because they do not want to disrupt the students and families of an entire graduation class because of them? Remember when Chelsea graduated?

I could go on; but you probably have not read this far anyway.

395 posted on 05/14/2004 7:40:32 PM PDT by cricket (Liberals are a scourge . . .)
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To: GOPrincess; freeeee
Apparently he's never heard of what it's like when either of the Clintons traveled. Even today I read that signs, etc., are removed from Hillary's presence."

For sure; and just mentioned same myself. . .

am thinking this poster was not of voting age; when Clinton was President. . .

So 'freeeee'; are you a new voter; and really do not have a clue as to how the Dems operate? It would curl your hair! Trust me; the Repubs cannot come down to their level; even should they try!

396 posted on 05/14/2004 7:46:31 PM PDT by cricket (Liberals are a scourge . . .)
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To: freeeee
"Those with critical views were forced to leave or face arrest. "

This was not an official 'protest'; and surely the President has a 'right or two' himself.

Maybe people with signage who want to be up close and personal and in your face; need a 'protest permit'. Would be a good idea; otherwise they may totally block the accessibility/view from those who want to enjoy the visit as it was intended.

Protest signs can be held; and observed and appreciated and even make it on TV!!! without the people holding them; hogging, disrupting and spoiling the whole event for everyone else.

397 posted on 05/14/2004 7:58:50 PM PDT by cricket (Liberals are a scourge . . .)
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To: freeeee

Forgot the most important. . .check post re Freepers experiences just 'Freepin' against Kerry. . .


398 posted on 05/14/2004 8:00:33 PM PDT by cricket (Liberals are a scourge . . .)
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To: gargoyle
...Haven't kept up with all 393 threads, but, I was thinking there is a time and place to disagree, when I replied on 392...

Exactly. I noted your post #392, and it was right on the money. A Constitutionalist knows when it's become time to do something when he or she gets that certain itch in his trigger finger.

I read the original report on this incident (non-John Nicholsized) and it's pretty clear that Frank was being a twit.

And Frank is the only thing that Nichols has got to hang his hat on.

399 posted on 05/14/2004 8:31:10 PM PDT by an amused spectator (The SeeBS of 2004 would have revealed the precise date and location of the Normandy Invasion)
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To: cricket
From the article: "Those with critical views were forced to leave or face arrest."

As I pointed out in my post #264, this was a hyperventilating fiction concocted by the Socialist fellow-travelers, who used the arrest of the lone jerk to concoct a bunch of theories about "whut woulda happened".

400 posted on 05/14/2004 8:37:36 PM PDT by an amused spectator (The SeeBS of 2004 would have revealed the precise date and location of the Normandy Invasion)
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