Posted on 12/30/2005 8:07:26 PM PST by kristinn
An officer with Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) ordered the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic to silence our voices tonight at our weekly support the troops demonstration outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
The officer cited complaints from the neighborhood about the noise our voices make as we chastise the so-called antiwar protesters across the street at the main gate to Walter Reed.
The officer went across the street and issued the same order to the Code Pinkos. We're not sure if the order applies to their singalong guitar player (who serenaded the wounded troops tonight with Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door".)
Two weeks ago, several MPD officers staked out our Walter Reed demonstration. One officer issued a similar order but he did not enforce it as we verbally challenged it on First Amendment grounds and called in a complaint to MPD's 4th District HQ where Walter Reed is located.
We plan to formally challenge tonight's order as a violation of our First Amendment rights. D.C. case law is extremely "liberal" when it comes to exercising First Amendment rights and we believe there is strong grounds for our right to vocalize our political beliefs.
Our permit application on file with MPD clearly states that we planned to use battery powered megaphones. MPD has not denied the usage of megaphones when they processed the application. However, out of respect for the residents in the mixed-use area we have never used megaphones--just our voices.
The D.C. noise ordinance kicks in at 10 p.m. We stop using our loud voices between 9 and 9:30 p.m. when Code Pink slinks off before the Fran O'Brien's bus returns to Walter Reed with the soldiers and their family members.
Several months ago, Code Pink left fliers at the doors of residences near Walter Reed encouraging them to call the police to complain about our vocal exercising of our First Amendment rights.
We understand the complaints of those who live in the neighborhood, however our demonstration would be crippled if we were silenced.
We've never had to file a lawsuit in seven years of activism in our nation's capital, but there's a first time for everything.
But, PSA 401 - in which WRAMC and Takoma Metro are situated - is much smaller. This woman was, in fact killed, in your neighborhood. Sadly, she too, must have also thought the neighborhood was a nice one, with SUVs in the driveways and those cute little decorative flags hanging on sticks in yards.
How long have you been a local?
Maybe he has spent too much time watching reruns of "The West Wing" on Bravo to see the whole county.
I'm glad you're so darned concerned about your precious neighborhood that you can't even be bothered to come out to defend it. No, you leave it to others of us to drive for hours to stand against this anti-American filth, while you sit back and just lob criticisms about us. No concern at all for the soldiers inside of Walter Reed. Why? Because you're a liberal hack. And you're now busted.
Don't like our opinions about your neighborhood? Too bad. Come out some Friday evening and do your sales pitch in person. I'll be able to hear you just fine from across the street.
Sure you have. Since lying is all the rage on this thread, I'm sure you'll be quite happy to provide copies of the police reports. Thank you.
Once upon a time hospital areas were always "quiet Zones" by law...
Once upon a time hospital areas were always "quiet Zones" by law...
I received an email today from a soldier's dad, thanking FReepers for being at WR to support the troops, so I wanted to pass it on.
But no property or income tax. And even if they could collect property tax, they wouldn't get much of it, because so much of the District is federal property and therefore exempt.
Don't get me wrong; it's not really subject to dispute that DC gets and spends a lot of money poorly. My sole point is that it's misleading to compare federal tax dollars per capita, because the feds shoulder the whole load that's split between the feds, municipalities and states elsewhere in the U.S., from law enforcement to medicaid to schools.
Keep up the fight - let me know if you need us to chip in some bucks.
God bless.
singalong guitar player (who serenaded the wounded troops tonight with Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door".)
Cheery little rays of sunshine, aren't they? Sure they support the troops. After all, they didn't change the lyrics to "hell's door."
Perhaps no moral right, but they certainly have a LEGAL right. This is after all AMERICA.
I'd love to take a swipe, but you are keeping it covered, quite nicely. I can't hardly get in there! : )
Doesn't anyone in DC care about the soldiers but the DC Chapter of FR?
check this out.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1551266/posts
You're pathetic. Looks like we smoked out our useful idiot.
Nice, thanks for sharing.
Always room for one more when batting liberals around the room. :-)
And the story gets better.
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