"Any sign of demonstrating will cause your removal"

[panader0]

Ain't democracy grand?

[sabbat hunter]

1. what is this in reference to? n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. The Betray Us hearing is going on right now. Code Pink is there protesting him and his LIES..

"Generals lie, Soldiers die."

No signs allowed either!:grr:

That's OUR House, not theirs. The House of Representatives is THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE!

[CT_Progressive]

2. I see no problem with this.

You can't yell "Fire!" in a movie theatre, and I agree with that, too.

This is a hearing. Its perfectly acceptable to ensure no disturbances to the process.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. I've a hard time getting worked up over it.

Compared to a warmonger lying to Congress and getting troops killed, worrying about a few good citizens is just plain stupid.

[backscatter712]

6. I'm with you.

Petraeus and his fellow Bushies need to be heckled.

[Bitwit1234]

4. I think this country to a certain degree stinks........

Why aren't there overwhelming millions of people descending on DC for the anti-war marches. I know a lot of people can't afford the trip but there are enough in the surrounding states to show up.

And then why don't they go to all the republican state capitols and demonstrate there.....This country has citizens who sit back and let everyone else do their work for them. It wasn't like that during Viet Nam. Of course tho there was a difference because there was a draft and lot more young people were on track to be drafted. That stirred them up. Well they should demonstrate now so there doesn't have to be a DRAFT.

[AngryOldDem]

5. What good would it do to have this turn into a free-for-all?

You do need parliamentary procedure at these things.

The Left has already gotten some pretty good slams, just in the introductory comments. Having protesters try to disrupt would play even more into the right's propaganda/whitewash of Petraeus' testimony.

Let's get this over with as quickly as possible so Petraeus is forced to defend what he is saying.

[Anita Garcia]

7. 12:45 kicked out

The Chairman just kicked out "all those persons supporting the person in the back of the room."
Not just the person who yelled out loud, but all those supporting "that" person.
Yep, democracy is just great.

[Mabus]

8. Welcome to the New America

where speaking out leads to being lead out and locked up.

[sabbat hunter]

10. they were asked to be quiet

you need to be respectful during the hearings. the committee has work to do and is trying to do it by questioning Patreus. People heckling, yelling isn't leading to anything positive.

You can protest all you want outside of congress, on the steps, etc.

But inside you have to respect the rules of an orderly meeting. We cannot let it fall into chaos or nothing will be acomplished.

also were they actually arrested or just led out of the room/

[Mabus]

11. And you can also ask participants to hold their comments

rather than announcing they will be hauled out immediately after the first sound they make. It's one thing to ask people to be quiet and then remove them after a warning and another to decide remove people the first time one of them makes a sound and then announce a blanket policy.

I also wasn't happy when Skelton suggested removing people that they suspected were with a woman who spoke out.