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.
The FReepers will go away as soon as the marxist al-qaeda symps cease their disgusting protest.
As for the patients and their families, they support the FReepers' presence outside the gate, standing up to the anti-America scumbags, once a week from 6:30 to 9:00pm. The only people who have expressed any objection have been the seditionist pukes across the street who started this in the first place.
Why don't you show up and talk with the people yourself. Then you will know how glad they are that we are there. It is not ranting. It is the truth and Code Pink can't handle the truth.
LOL!!
OOOOHRAH to YOU!!
Seeing how happy that lovely lady was to have her son's committment honored makes every minute of cold & hours of commute worth it.
Some of those who stand with us are medical professionals themselves. We know directly from those troops that our support is good medicine. Soldiers can see us- they look for us- but they cannot hear us.
We would never cause them distress or interfere in their healing process, and you would know this if you ever came to participate firsthand.
bmwcyle: Why don't you show up and talk with the people yourself...And I don't want to hear "Because I live in Florida." as an excuse!</SARCASM>Sisku Hanne: ...and you would know this if you ever came to participate firsthand...
But seriously, the first time I hear a Walter Reed patient tell me he/she doesn't like what I'm doing, I'll leave. Hasn't happened yet 38 straight weeks running.
I so appreciate what FReepers are doing.
I've said it before, and I'll say it for the millionth time:
If I EVER GOD FORBID FIND MYSELF INSIDE THOSE WALLS I don't want to look out and find Code Pink. Without those dear, dear FREEPERS giving them hell... I'd be forced to do it myself.
OK OK OK! I get it...I did not realize the protests were not on hospital grounds. It's hard to tell from the pics and I do not know how WRAMC is set up. As long as the patients are ok and not hearing the noise, etc..I'm fine with it.
Sorry...RANT ON! LOL
"And I don't want to hear "Because I live in Florida"
Becaue I live in Florida! LOL..Ok...see post #287. I've been corrected...
RANT ON! LOL
I came off a bit testy...I'm sorry!
Get someone there with a guitar to play country songs like "I'm Proud to be an American" and the like.
love it!
Code Pink does defy the law by attaching their signs and banners to the WRAMC fence.
And it's not only noise that affects wounded soldiers and their families. The messages on the Code PinkO signs are designed to cause doubt and even despair - that the US doesn't care about the wounded, doesn't help the vets, they're wounded because of government lies, etc.
The people who stand outside the gates of WRAMC have no consciences and bad intent, WRT their "peace protest." When Code PinkO and comrades leave WRAMC and allow our soldiers to heal unmolested, we'll stop yelling at them (at WRAMC anyway).
I know something you don't know.
It's about Friday night, but that's all I'll say.
Don't try to guess.
Can I? ; )
No. No guesses from anyone.
{{{{{{{{{Landry Fan}}}}}}}}}}}
Or this?...
Or these?...
That would be telling. I don't want any FReepers with minds like Nero Wolfe's to guess.
bump read later
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