Librarian with ‘McCain=Bush’ sign charged with trespassing at public campaign event

[proud2BlibKansan]

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was in Denver, CO, today for a town hall meeting. The event, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, was billed as “open to the public.” Yet Carol Kreck, a 61-year-old librarian carrying a “McCain=Bush” sign, was taken away by police for trespassing. A police officer told Kreck:

You have two choices. You can keep your sign here and receive a ticket for trespassing, or you can remove the sign and stay in line and attend this town hall meeting.

Watch it: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/07/librarian-with-mccainbush-sign-kicked-out-of-public-campaign-event/

[MountainLaurel]

1. Let's hear it for those radical militant librarians

(as the FBI calls them)

:applause:

[The Doctor.]

11. Great... add "RML's" to the list now.

:banghead:

[gratuitous]

2. Well, naturally

She was dishonoring the spirit of the town hall! And what if there had been newly sworn-in citizens who were confused by political protests? It would have been just awful. Truly! You have no idea.

[gratuitous]

3. I totally agree with the sentiments expressed in post number 2

And this is in no way intended to cover up a stutterpost, so stop saying that.

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Alert! Stutter Poster Alert!

It had to be said.
GAC

[gratuitous]

15. Nuh uh!

Post number 2 was just so brilliant, it needed some extra oomph. Arrest my case!

[Maat]

4. This should be plastered everywhere.

There was an earlier thread on it - we need to keep embarassing McCain.

Well, it would be a good idea - except for the fact that conservatives never seem to get embarassed; oh, and I don't thing they know one bit about that Constitution-thingie!

[CC]

5. So McSame is afraid of

Librarians that have a difference of opinion with him? And are willing to be outspoken? Great Commander in Chief material there. :rofl:

[New Dawn]

6. So much for "freedom of speech"

[norepubsin08]

7. This type of stuff happened during the Reagan Administration also

In October of 1988 George Bush then VP of the US had a campaign appearance at Seattle University. At that appearance was a Jesuit priest who happened to ask questions and was not so gentely carted out of the hall. Fast forward three weeks later and Bush wanted to come to UPS a Methodist College in Tacoma and use their field house as a campaign backdrop. Not so fast...to protect to integrity of the academics of the school, there was a requirement of a Q & A to take place...Bush said forget it and took his road show to downtown Tacoma. & of us activists got into the tightly controlled appearance and started asking questions at 2 minute intervals. After the fourth question the Bush crowd turn physically hostile. We were beat up and arrested, although none of us were verbally or physically abusive, just taking advantage of our supposed free speech. The bright side of that event was that Bush had to end his speech 17 minutes early, and that since then no presidential candidate has campaigned inside the city limits of Tacoma and Bush lost the state by 5,000 votes that year!!! So you see, the repukes have been doing this for a long time.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. I can beat that

The first protest I ever attended was in 1970, when Nixon came to my city. They handed out free tickets but gave out twice as many tickets as the arena would hold. So half the people who wanted to be inside ended up outside and it turned into a big protest.

[and-justice-for-all]

8. Oops! I guess she did not get that memo. that..

"The Constitution has been canceled...sorry for any inconvenience."

And what the hell is McShrub doing at the Center for Performing Arts?? I mean, REALLY?

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. Playing the role of a qualified presidential contender?

Badly mind you.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

9. I remember reading about free speech somewhere a while ago...

just can't quite put my finger on where that could have been.

[sakabatou]

10. Public is private. Freedom is Slavery.

[chat_noir]

14. K&R

Here's a pic of McBush from that Denver rally

[dccrossman]

16. It's called the 1st Amendment, dammit

Go on through thinkprogress to the Progress Now article:
http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/al/Cqyh

I like the picture here.

The lady with the "McCain=Buch" sign gets pulled out, the guys with the "peas in a pod" sign keeps walking.

lol

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Denver DUers!!

She is supposed to go to court July 23. I think she deserves a few supporters there.

[struggle4progress]

18. Protester outside McCain event ticketed

By Joey Bunch
The Denver Post

A 60-year-old librarian received a trespassing ticket today after a liberal group's protest outside a John McCain town hall meeting Monday.

Clutching a sign that read "McCain = Bush," Carol Kreck was removed from the atrium at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts by four Denver police officers.

Kreck, a former Denver Post reporter who works part-time as a librarian for an education think tank, said she was removed as she quizzed a police officer about whether he could deny her free speech "on city property" by taking away her sign, while McCain supporters wore buttons inside.

Jenny Schiavone, a spokeswoman for the performing arts center, said the venue is city-owned rental property, , but is not legally defined as public property ...

http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_9811687?source=commented-news

[Muttocracy]

22. journalist and librarian's free speech infringed? they picked the wrong lady to mess with! :)

[struggle4progress]

19. The Denver Performing Arts Complex appears to be owned and managed by the city

Here's the city website: http://www.denvergov.org/

And here is the contact page http://www.artscomplex.com/pages/contact.htm from the Denver Performing Arts Complex; note they all use city email:

Management

Booking Coordinator
Jeanette Murrietta
720-865-4225
[email protected]

Client Services Manager
Elizabeth Miller
720-865-4239
[email protected]

Director of Communication
Jenny Schiavone
720-865-4222
[email protected]

Director of Facilities
Mark Najarian
720-865-4236
[email protected]

Director of Events
Tad Bowman
720-865-4244
[email protected]

Guest Services Manager
Meredith Carson
720-865-4242
[email protected]

[Muttocracy]

21. awesome - especially her final question - she should speak at the convention!

Can you say backfire? The media would have paid her no attention - now she gets fame today, AND July 23.

By the way, what about the 2-peas-in-a-pod costume guy? Maybe they just didn't get it?

[jcla]

23. 2 Peas in a Pod was way too subtle....

So they went after the offender who was more easily mashed... the 61 year old Librarian.... Hey, Librarians don't kill... I work in a Library and ought to know! We quietly protest. I have my pin with hearts in a circle O hhh. And wear my Newfane, Vermont medal with pride.... And write congresspeople and senators... although with Feinstein it is a losing cause.

[Disturbed]

24. This is intimidation to discourage Free Speech.

Although it is a minor ticket, the ACLU should appoint a Defense Attorney to this patriotic person.