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Calif. Youth Reprimanded for Singing National Anthem in Capitol
Faith News ^ | 7/16/8

Posted on 07/17/2008 7:35:51 AM PDT by ZGuy

Students attending a youth leadership conference were reprimanded by capitol security on July 10 for singing the National Anthem and God Bless America in the state capitol rotunda. The patriotic expression was apparently so egregious that state troopers were called in to the rotunda to rebuke the students.

As the students ended their singing, several armed troopers entered the rotunda along with capitol sergeants-at-arms. They confronted conference staff and informed them that such singing is prohibited in the state capitol without a permit from the Rules Committee.

Undeterred by their shocking treatment at the hands of government officials, the students have applied for a permit to sing this Saturday, when they will visit the capitol for a mock legislative session on the Assembly and Senate floors.

The forty-five young people from all across California were at the capitol to attend the City on the Hill Youth Leadership Conference, where they learn the legislative and political processes. After spending the day meeting with lawmakers and their staff, the youth aged 14-18, engaged in a spontaneous expression of passion for their country by singing the National Anthem and God Bless America. Tourists walking through the capitol stopped to listen to the singing and clapped enthusiastically.

Among the students attending the conference were two young people whose father was held in a Communist prison in Romania. Another student is a Russian immigrant.

"This was a ghastly overreaction to some students expressing their patriotism in the seat of government," stated Karen England, Executive Director of Capitol Resource Institute and director of the youth conference. "These young leaders have sacrificed a week of their summer to come learn about our government system and this is the 'welcome' they receive from the government."

"I am deeply saddened by the treatment these young patriots received at our state capitol," stated Meredith Turney, legislative liaison for Capitol Resource Family Impact and a graduate of City on the Hill. "This invaluable program equipped me with the tools I use every day in my job working with lawmakers. Unfortunately, these future leaders have seen first- hand how we are losing our liberties-including simply expressing our patriotism in public."

Despite their treatment, the City on the Hill students applied for a government permit to sing the National Anthem in the capitol rotunda on Saturday, July 12, at 1:15 p.m.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: barneyfife; donutwatch; nationalanthem; orwell; uscapitol
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To: ZGuy

Bet the founding fathers would love this rule huh? How far we have fallen. Nothing is dumber or more freedom hating than a politician, and I include 99.9 percent of them in that statement.


41 posted on 07/17/2008 9:13:32 AM PDT by calex59
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To: ZGuy

Kalifornication.


42 posted on 07/17/2008 9:18:35 AM PDT by montag813
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To: ZGuy
"This was a ghastly overreaction to some students expressing their patriotism in the seat of government," stated Karen England, Executive Director of Capitol Resource Institute and director of the youth conference. "These young leaders have sacrificed a week of their summer to come learn about our government system and this is the 'welcome' they receive from the government."

They just sang the wrong anthem. After all, Washington D.C. is the capitol of Obamerica...

43 posted on 07/17/2008 9:19:48 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: olivia3boys
Visiting the U.S. Capitol nowadays is NOTHING like it was even 20 years ago or even 10 years ago.

That's probably because the "tourists" started dressing like they were going to a backyard barbeque instead of like they were visiting the national shrines.

Today I doubt that anyone even realizes that different standards of dress would apply.

44 posted on 07/17/2008 9:30:46 AM PDT by HIDEK6
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To: Allegra
I'm surprised you feel compelled to ask. It is most certainly not the kids to whom I am referring.

Thought so. Just wanted to be sure you weren't one of the jerks who lurk abound here, you know, the kind who would agree with the kids being treated like thugs -- as they were.

45 posted on 07/17/2008 9:30:56 AM PDT by Turret Gunner A20 (If the opposite of Pro is Con, what is the opposite of Progress? -- Tom Glennon)
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To: MEGoody

“Tourists walking through the capitol stopped to listen to the singing and clapped enthusiastically.”

This to me would indicate a quality in their passion.


46 posted on 07/17/2008 9:33:46 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...call 'em what you will...They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: Turret Gunner A20
Just wanted to be sure you weren't one of the jerks who lurk abound here, you know...

Goodness...I've been a fairly regular poster on FR since early 2001. First time I've had that suspicion cast upon me.

I'm curious...what would you have done had I been one of these "jerks?"

47 posted on 07/17/2008 9:36:16 AM PDT by Allegra (If you lived here, you'd be home by now.)
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To: thefactor

I agree with your comment on the matter. Somebody’s feathers got ruffled it seems.


48 posted on 07/17/2008 9:36:56 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...call 'em what you will...They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: ZGuy

49 posted on 07/17/2008 9:40:42 AM PDT by weegee (Obama loves America like Bill loves Hillary.)
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: Always Right

Wonder if they would’ve asked Code Pinko for a permit if they were caught singing “Give Peace A Chance”.


51 posted on 07/17/2008 9:44:22 AM PDT by weegee (Obama loves America like Bill loves Hillary.)
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To: Allegra
I'm curious...what would you have done had I been one of these "jerks?"

Welllll, while I abhor violence .....................

52 posted on 07/17/2008 9:46:04 AM PDT by Turret Gunner A20 (If the opposite of Pro is Con, what is the opposite of Progress? -- Tom Glennon)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

I ain’t skeered...


53 posted on 07/17/2008 9:50:10 AM PDT by Allegra (If you lived here, you'd be home by now.)
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To: Conspiracy Guy

“45 young people from California know the word to the National Anthem and God Bless America?”

I believe they are Christian and therefore not typical CA school kids


54 posted on 07/17/2008 10:02:31 AM PDT by elpadre (nation)
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To: ZGuy

Thank God that armed Barney’s stepped in before it was too late!


55 posted on 07/17/2008 10:03:52 AM PDT by JoJo Gunn (The McCainiac's creed: Death to America by a thousand cuts)
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To: TheBattman

Singing is a version of free speech. The right to peacefully assemble is also acceptable. The kids were applying their constituitional rights. The authorities were denying them those rights in an arbitrary manner. Heads up ACLU. Here is a slam dunk for you. We know how much you care about patriots rights(yeah, right...)


56 posted on 07/17/2008 10:17:44 AM PDT by hdstmf
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To: hdstmf

There are standards of decorum in public buildings that have nothing to do with constitutional rights.


57 posted on 07/17/2008 10:29:40 AM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: CT-Freeper

Oops! You are right!


58 posted on 07/17/2008 10:46:08 AM PDT by Polyxene (For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel - Martin Luther)
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To: hdstmf
Singing is a version of free speech. The right to peacefully assemble is also acceptable. The kids were applying their constituitional rights.

It's a complex issue. You can't exercise your Constitutional rights in every place, even in a public building. The Pentagon is owned by the American taxpayers, for example, but you can't hold a protest in its cafeteria.

The working portions of a State Capitol aren't really a traditional venue for the exercise of constitutional rights.

59 posted on 07/17/2008 10:58:29 AM PDT by Citizen Blade
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To: massgopguy
We don’t need no stinking permits.

. The right of the people to peaceably assemble, and all that archaic stuff./sarcasm

60 posted on 07/17/2008 11:00:36 AM PDT by Red Boots
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