Posted on 02/02/2006 6:32:07 AM PST by steve-b
Two T-shirts -- one black, the other heather gray -- spotted in the House gallery the night of the president's State of the Union speech caused a major ruckus on Capitol Hill.
It spilled into yesterday and came complete with impassioned political speeches, strident questions about rights being trampled, threats of lawsuits and a hat-in-hand apology from the U.S. Capitol Police chief.
The black shirt with white letters was worn by celebrated war protester Cindy Sheehan; the white letters read: "2,245 Dead. How Many More?" Beverly Young, the wife of a Republican congressman, sported a heather gray top with red, white and blue letters saying, "Support the Troops."
The wearers were hustled out of the House gallery by Capitol police who said the shirts amounted to protesting....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
What I'm angry about is that there were apologies!
Electioneering is barred within the proximity of polling places, it seems that a legislative body should be free from such advertising as a matter of decorum, on whatever side.
What part of "a t-shirt is inappropriate attire for the SOTU address" do these people not get? Printed with a slogan or not. (and a sweat suit is just reprehensible)
That said, if banners are not allowed, then it was proper to remove them from the gallery...pro slogan or anti-slogan. Neither has a case, especially since there is a precendent with the guy that was ejected for a Clinton speech.
I agree. There is a time and place to wear T-shirts, the SOTU is not the place. Sad that we need the police to enforce the rules that these two grown adult women should have known. I expect such behavior from Ms. Shaheen, she is just downright self-absorbed in her own little mind, but Mrs. Young should have known better.
Precisely. Caving and apologizing opens the door to the day when the SoTU gallery is full of nuts like that guy who used to hold up "JOHN 3:16" banners at football games.
Young said he wouldn't be so mad if it were just Sheehan. "I totally disagree with everything she stands for," he said. But by removing his wife, Gainer's officers clearly "acted precipitously," Young said.Here's a free clue for you, Congressman: This attitude that there should be rule for commoners and a different rule for your exalted self is one of the reasons people despise politicians.
Oh PUHLEEZE! You've never watched the HoR when Pelosi speaks (or Sheilah Jack@$$ Lee, or Kerosene Maxine, or...)
Damn fool... I hope hubby 'corrected' her later.
Look at the bright side: This way one from each side got tossed, so they can't claim it was just a rule to prevent anti-bush people from protesting.
I have no problem with a husband publicly supporting his wife, as long as he doesn't turn to belittling others in the process. OTOH, in private he needs to remind her that she needs to make him look good, too.
Celebrated? CELEBRATED??? Move along, folks. No bias here.
If it's good enough for John Q. Public every day of the year, it's good enough for this Congress critter's wife and Cindy Sheehan.
If that loudmouthed Congress critter doesn't like the rules, he should convince his colleagues to change them.
Correct, but to me it wasn't even about t-shirts. Cindy Sheehan should not be allowed anywhere near the President. She is a stalker. She despises the President, blames him for her son's death and is clearly unhinged. Earlier the same day, she spoke at the Bush impeachment forum and said right over Cspan that if bin laden killed three thousand people on 9-11, then Bush is ten times the terrorist bin laden is because Bush admitted that 30,000 people had been killed in Iraq since we invaded. Again, to me, this is not about t-shirts, although if it were, your point is spot on.
It's not the place for HEY LOOK AT ME kind of behaviour.
It's enough that the congress creatures and sinators make asses of themselves for national TV.
It is about the t-shirts. She was an approved guest and had a right to attend- as long as she followed the rules.
Our operatives are smarter than their operatives.
I know Young is a Republican, but he sounds like a pretty big jerk. As if Karl Rove doesn't have more important things to think about than his wife's T-shirt?
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