The ITT List
Wednesday Feb 1, 2006 8:53 am
Cindy Sheehan’s message after State of the Union arrest
What Really Happened
By Cindy Sheehan
As most of you have probably heard, I was arrested before the State of the Union address last night.
I am speechless with fury at what happened and with grief over what we have lost in our country.
There have been lies from the police and distortions by the press (shocker). So this is what really happened:
This afternoon at the People's State of the Union Address in DC, where I was joined by Congresspersons Lynn Woolsey and John Conyers, Ann Wright, Malik Rahim and John Cavanagh, Lynn brought me a ticket to the State of the Union address. At that time, I was wearing the shirt that said: 2245 Dead. How many more?
After the PSOTU press conference, I was having second thoughts about going to the SOTU at the Capitol. I didn't feel comfortable going. I knew George Bush would say things that would hurt me and anger me, and I knew that I couldn't disrupt the address because Lynn had given me the ticket, and I didn't want to be disruptive out of respect for her. I, in fact, had given the ticket to John Bruhns, who is in Iraq Veterans Against the War. However, Lynn's office had already called the media, and everyone knew I was going to be there, so I sucked it up and went.
I got the ticket back from John, and I met one of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's staffers in the Longworth Congressional Office building and we went to the Capitol via the underground tunnel. I went through security once, then had to use the rest room and went through security again.
My ticket was in the 5th gallery, front row, fourth seat in. The person who in a few minutes was to arrest me, helped me to my seat.
I had just sat down and I was warm from climbing three flights of stairs back up from the bathroom so I unzipped my jacket. I turned to the right to take my left arm out, when the same officer saw my shirt and yelled, "Protester." He then ran over to me, hauled me out of my seat, and roughly (with my hands behind my back) shoved me up the stairs. I said something like "I'm going, do you have to be so rough?" By the way, his name is Mike Weight.
The officer ran with me to the elevators, yelling at everyone to move out of the way. When we got to the elevators, he cuffed me and took me outside to await a squad car. On the way out, someone behind me said, "That's Cindy Sheehan." At which point the officer who arrested me said, "Take these steps slowly." I said, "You didn't care about being careful when you were dragging me up the other steps." He said, "That's because you were protesting." Wow, I got hauled out of the People's House because I was "Protesting."
I was never told that I couldn't wear that shirt into the Congress. I was never asked to take it off or zip my jacket back up. If I had been asked to do any of those things ... I would have, and written about the suppression of my freedom of speech later. I was immediately and roughly (I have the bruises and muscle spasms to prove it) hauled off and arrested for "unlawful conduct."
After I had my personal items inventoried and my fingers printed, a nice Sgt. came in and looked at my shirt and said, "2245, huh? I just got back from there."
I told him that my son died there. That's when the enormity of my loss hit me. I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go? I started crying in pain.
What did Casey die for? What did the 2244 other brave young Americans die for? What are tens of thousands of them over there in harm's way for still? For this? I can't even wear a shirt that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing.
I wore the shirt to make a statement. The press knew I was going to be there, and I thought every once in awhile they would show me, and I would have the shirt on. I did not wear it to be disruptive, or I would have unzipped my jacket during George's speech. If I had any idea what happens to people who wear shirts that make the neocons uncomfortable,that I would be arrested ... maybe I would have, but I didn't.
There have already been many wild stories out there.
I have some lawyers looking into filing a First Amendment lawsuit against the government for what happened tonight. I will file it. It is time to take our freedoms and our country back.
I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether or not he/she has paid the ultimate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government. That's why I am going to take my freedoms and liberties back. That's why I am not going to let BushCo take anything else away from me ... or you.
I am so appreciative of the couple of hundred of protesters who came to the jail while I was locked up to show their support. We have so much potential for good. There is so much good in so many people.
Four hours and two jails after I was arrested, I was let out. Again, I am so upset and sore it is hard to think straight.
Keep up the struggle ... I promise you, I will too.
From truthout.org
By Cindy Sheehan
As most of you have probably heard, I was arrested before the State of the Union address last night.
I am speechless with fury at what happened and with grief over what we have lost in our country.
There have been lies from the police and distortions by the press (shocker). So this is what really happened:
This afternoon at the People's State of the Union Address in DC, where I was joined by Congresspersons Lynn Woolsey and John Conyers, Ann Wright, Malik Rahim and John Cavanagh, Lynn brought me a ticket to the State of the Union address. At that time, I was wearing the shirt that said: 2245 Dead. How many more?
After the PSOTU press conference, I was having second thoughts about going to the SOTU at the Capitol. I didn't feel comfortable going. I knew George Bush would say things that would hurt me and anger me, and I knew that I couldn't disrupt the address because Lynn had given me the ticket, and I didn't want to be disruptive out of respect for her. I, in fact, had given the ticket to John Bruhns, who is in Iraq Veterans Against the War. However, Lynn's office had already called the media, and everyone knew I was going to be there, so I sucked it up and went.
I got the ticket back from John, and I met one of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's staffers in the Longworth Congressional Office building and we went to the Capitol via the underground tunnel. I went through security once, then had to use the rest room and went through security again.
My ticket was in the 5th gallery, front row, fourth seat in. The person who in a few minutes was to arrest me, helped me to my seat.
I had just sat down and I was warm from climbing three flights of stairs back up from the bathroom so I unzipped my jacket. I turned to the right to take my left arm out, when the same officer saw my shirt and yelled, "Protester." He then ran over to me, hauled me out of my seat, and roughly (with my hands behind my back) shoved me up the stairs. I said something like "I'm going, do you have to be so rough?" By the way, his name is Mike Weight.
The officer ran with me to the elevators, yelling at everyone to move out of the way. When we got to the elevators, he cuffed me and took me outside to await a squad car. On the way out, someone behind me said, "That's Cindy Sheehan." At which point the officer who arrested me said, "Take these steps slowly." I said, "You didn't care about being careful when you were dragging me up the other steps." He said, "That's because you were protesting." Wow, I got hauled out of the People's House because I was "Protesting."
I was never told that I couldn't wear that shirt into the Congress. I was never asked to take it off or zip my jacket back up. If I had been asked to do any of those things ... I would have, and written about the suppression of my freedom of speech later. I was immediately and roughly (I have the bruises and muscle spasms to prove it) hauled off and arrested for "unlawful conduct."
After I had my personal items inventoried and my fingers printed, a nice Sgt. came in and looked at my shirt and said, "2245, huh? I just got back from there."
I told him that my son died there. That's when the enormity of my loss hit me. I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go? I started crying in pain.
What did Casey die for? What did the 2244 other brave young Americans die for? What are tens of thousands of them over there in harm's way for still? For this? I can't even wear a shirt that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing.
I wore the shirt to make a statement. The press knew I was going to be there, and I thought every once in awhile they would show me, and I would have the shirt on. I did not wear it to be disruptive, or I would have unzipped my jacket during George's speech. If I had any idea what happens to people who wear shirts that make the neocons uncomfortable,that I would be arrested ... maybe I would have, but I didn't.
There have already been many wild stories out there.
I have some lawyers looking into filing a First Amendment lawsuit against the government for what happened tonight. I will file it. It is time to take our freedoms and our country back.
I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether or not he/she has paid the ultimate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government. That's why I am going to take my freedoms and liberties back. That's why I am not going to let BushCo take anything else away from me ... or you.
I am so appreciative of the couple of hundred of protesters who came to the jail while I was locked up to show their support. We have so much potential for good. There is so much good in so many people.
Four hours and two jails after I was arrested, I was let out. Again, I am so upset and sore it is hard to think straight.
Keep up the struggle ... I promise you, I will too.
From truthout.org
13 comments ·
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He’s truly a Fearless Leader if he won’t let even a t-shirt which states the truth appear in the gallery. This proves that DEVO was right all along; people can devolve!
Outrageous. Simply outrageous.
I just read that the Capitol Police officially apologized to Ms. Sheehan today which in my opinion does not compensate for their wanton violation of the law. If the President is allowed to parade his talking points, and members of Congress are allowed to voice their pleasure or displeasure with his remarks, then why cannnot a citizen of the U.S. with a ticket to the event do the same?
Is this Iran or North Korea or Indonesia or China?
Run, Cindy, run!
I have found it humerous [in the i want to run for my life sense] that the more we fight against communism and fight for our rights, the more communist we are getting, and the more our rights are being taken away.
I not exactly understand what is tickets? They given to some people, who may disput(i.e. may speak)?
And this people, who did good things for our country, only for live in peace, don’t be prohibit by Country or some others people who act solely in their own interests. Imho.
Sorry for mistakes in text, we just start learning.
Russian Post, with best wishes…
http://www.xnetdot.com
I feel sorry for cindy sheehan. the democrats have taken advantage of a person who is living in a parallel universe. She knows not what she does. But the democrats do.
It’s a parallel universe all right. One where a country like Iraq can be attacked and occupied by the US, and still be confused with the Germans and the Japanese. On the other hand, it’s not as if we’ve never done this before.
You mean like when Cindy Sheehan slept in a ditch, just like the American prisoners of war did on their way to Battan.
I think you have ditch confused with bitch. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
No, I mean like when a country like the United States can invade a country like Iraq and justify the occupation on the pretense that the Iraqis were actually threatening the Americans.
Your confusion is monumental.
Poor pitiful Cindy. She is so very sad and pathetic. Poor dear, i hope someone helps her.
Oh, don’t worry. Teddy the drunk will try to help, but will fall off the bridge into a ditch just before he gets to her. Jon Kerry knows ditches,(or is that ditz?) he married one(he served in Viet Nam, you know). Maybe Al gore will notice her and take bill clintons hand off her shoulder. That would be a help. Trying to help Cindystupid would be like trying to cure the common cold. When the cold is over, the nose will stop running.
Hey, no one is mentioning Hillary. Why, Cindy has numbers bigger than her…..she might have her as her running mate. They could call themselves the ditch bitches.
Is this a great country or what?
Good grief, Goober.
Half the Republican leadership currently conducted their affairs with one woman (or man) or another, while the other half wisely concluded them (or divorced their former wives and continued them), before they rose together to solemnly condemn the moral deviation of their Democratic leader.
Such hypocrisy appears to be endemic among the flaccid fools who support them.
major major, or as the democrats like to say Private Private.
i thought we were talking about the next democrat wizzbang, cindy cindy. is she not running for senator or what. after all she has, as all the dems in the know say, GRAVITAS. i think she will hold her own against any demo incumbentin a t shirt debate. especially any from california.
By the way, and before I go, why is it that all you california demos always in a heated discussion, eventually get around to referring to the male organ. you usually term it flacid ??-
and i ask “if that is because thats the way you left it”?
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