DFA members banned from hearing President Bush in Fargo, ND!

[dakota_democrat]

Welcome to the police state, everyone!

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=82288

DFA members were not treated well when they asked for the opportunity to see President Bush. 33 members of the DFA meetup group in Fargo-Moorhead were turned away. In addition, individuals were turned away for, among other reasons, writing editorials opposing some of his ideas, supporting Joe Satrom's campaign, producing Ed Schultz's radio show, working as a glass artist, and organizing a rally in opposition to the same-sex marriage amendment.

I used to dislike those who would say "Not my president!" But after this, I'm realizing that they were right after all.

the dakota_democrat

[sniffa]

1. douchebags

i thought this wouLd stop after the eLection, but i was wrong. the bush admin. is stiLL just as vindictive as ever.

fuck them. fuck their famiLies. and fuck everyone who continues to support this piece of garbage.

[liveoaktx]

2. Do the local taxpayers have to pick up the tab for this sham?

I also thought this would STOP when the election was over, but obviously Bush learned the way to bamboozle people is through the power of only those who agree.

Yup, he is NOT MY PRESIDENT but it irks me to think if he came anywhere near me to talk, I might not be able to hear him just because I don't agree.

[beam me up scottie]

3. I know. Notice when we say he is not our president we get told to

"get over it" but yet he makes it crystal clear just who the "real" amerikans are.

[Ezlivin]

4. Do ANY taxpayers pick up this tab?

If it is funded at taxpayer (our) expense, then they have no right to turn away people: It's a publicly-funded, public event.

If Bush wants unity, he needs to keep doing this. Soon everyone will be united against him.

[durablend]

10. Everyone united against him?

WHO?!?

50+% of the population would die or kill for him if he asked.

[Vincardog]

12. That FAUX 50% only exists in the reality of DIEBOLD and crooked voting

counting black boxes. I believe the hard cord radical right wing fanatics for aWoL is about 30%. Those people are more than willing to kill for W. I do no know anyone willing to die for it.

[shadowknows69]

17. and they'd have to go through the other 49%

+ or - 3 points variation.

[musette_sf]

19. come on now

if that were true, the recruiting offices would have to be open 24/7. Let's say instead that 50% of the population (allegedly) support YOUR children being killed for him, but think that they've done *their* bit by enriching the guy in China who made those stupid yellow magnetic ribbons for their SUVs.

[frylock]

21. 60% of eligible voters participated in this last election..

so his mandate actually consists of 30+% of the population.

[w4rma]

16. The security, and probably his plane trip, will be. (nt)

[bloom]

22. I think that's a good point

The taxpayer angle.


I think it would act of God to get people united against him, though. The people who get to go now - probably think it's just great. They are the "pet" students.

[xxqqqzme]

5. well, this IS sobering!

all of us must be on a 'no admittance' list - how's that for 'freedom and liberty'?

Jan 20 freedom - 27
liberty - 15
Feb 2 freedom - 17
liberty - 8 (I think those were the #s from 'Democracy Now')

[bunkerbuster1]

6. Have they no shame? (His supporters, that is.)

This is one of those issues where I ask myself, honestly, "how would I feel if OUR side pulled this shit?"

Honest to God, I would be embarassed if the man I'd supported for President were so scared of dissenting opinions that he had to have all of his public appearances sanitized.

Where is their shame? At long last, have they no sense of decency?

[Liberty Belle]

7. Kick! Is the sports arena there publicly owned?

If so, seems to me this is a public event at which a public official is speaking in his public capacity--not a private fundraiser or campaign event.

Someone should file a lawsuit for violation of the "freedom of assembly" and "free speech" clauses in the Constitution.

Also, Dems in Congress should introduce a law to prohibit a President from unreasonably barring the public at any event. Unless someone is a clear security threat (not the cases here), this sort of thing should be illegal -- with stiff penalties.


Fargo residents, ask your Congressman or Senator to sponsor a bill.

[jean]

14. you had to buy a ticket - according to a radio report this morning

on AAR Minnesota radio. A young woman was interviewed and said she they were charging for tickets to the event. Didn't say how much - just that they ran out of tickets before she could get in.

[Liberty Belle]

23. Yes, but if the sports arena is owned by the city or county,

then anyone should be able to buy a ticket. That's different than if Bush speaks to, say, a GOP fundraiser in a private hall.

[meegbear]

8. Are they the only people banned?

Or are there any others?

[Larkspur]

9. This proves that the Repukes are TERRIFIED of Howard Dean and his

enthusiastic for democracy supporters.

Give 'em Hell, Howard!!!

[Jack Rabbit]

11. And while Bush keeps his citizen critics away from his public speeches

. . . he makes sure that his Marching and Shouter Society gets to ask questions at White House press briefings.

From the Boston Globe
Dated Wednesday February 2

White House-friendly reporter under scrutiny
By Charlie Savage and Alan Wirzbicki, Globe Staff and Globe Correspondent

The Bush administration has provided White House media credentials to a man who has virtually no journalistic background, asks softball questions to the president and his spokesman in the midst of contentious news conferences, and routinely reprints long passages verbatim from official press releases as original news articles on his website.

Jeff Gannon calls himself the White House correspondent for TalonNews.com, a website that says it is "committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news coverage to our readers." It is operated by a Texas-based Republican Party delegate and political activist who also runs GOPUSA.com, a website that touts itself as "bringing the conservative message to America."

Called on last week by President Bush at a press conference, Gannon attacked Democratic Senate leaders and called them "divorced from reality." During the presidential campaign, when called on by Press Secretary Scott McClellan, Gannon linked Senator John F. Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, to Jane Fonda and questioned why anyone would dispute Bush's National Guard service.

Now, the question of how Gannon gets into White House press conferences is coming under intense scrutiny from critics who contend that Gannon is not a journalist but rather a White House tool to soften media coverage of Bush. The issue was raised by a media watchdog group and picked up by Internet bloggers, who linked Gannon's presence in White House briefings to recent controversies over whether the administration manipulates the flow of information to the public.

Read more.

This is being dicussed on this thead, alson in LBN.

[KansDem]

13. Here are a few of the desperadoes!!!

CHECK OUT THEIR CRIMES!!!

Mark Folse: The Fargo man wrote a letter to The Forum in November saying Bush has created greater division of the country than ever.
Oh, NO!!! He wrote a letter!!!

Jon Offutt: The Fargo man is a glass artist.
a glass artist!!! Kyyyyyrist! What's this country coming to????

Cara Taylor: The Fargo woman wrote in a 2002 letter to The Forum saying, "The pursuit of equality for people of all orientations may be considered a more noble calling."
SHIIIIIIIIT!!! "Pursuit of equality" Now THAT'S a subversive!!!

Mike Coates: The Fargo man is the husband of Fargo city commissioner Linda Coates.
He's married to a ...*gasp*..."City Commissioner"!!! (inter-vocational marriage?)

I'm sure glad the Bushistas nabbed these malefactors...!!!

[Bridget Burke]

15. I had no idea there were so many dangerous radicals in Fargo.

Poor Bush--his world is full of enemies. Even in Fargo.

[Roland99]

18. America! Land of the Free (as long as you donate to the GOP)

[ProudToBeLiberal]

20. Let NORTH DAKOTA MEDIA KNOW. Link inside

http://www.usnpl.com/ndnews.html

[Liberty Belle]

24. I got a personal letter back from ABC

to an e-mail I sent complained of media bias there. Perhaps the fact that I mention I publish a newsletter and would be sharing their reply with a few thousand friends helped.

Nothing much, a woman named Violet promised to pass my concerns along to the appropriate executives. But I e-mailed her back this morning and suggested that they run a story on how the DFA members and other citizens were barred from Bush's Fargo appearance. I suggested that they interview some constitutional scholars about the legality of this, and also get comments from Dean.

I'll let you know if I get a reply.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

28. thanks for the hard work

:)

[Bouncy Ball]

25. Working as a GLASS ARTIST???

Since when was THAT a crime???

[bloom]

29. Oh - you know those artists

they might think independently or something. :eyes:

[HuckleB]

26. Indeed.

I swore that I would not follow in the footsteps of the Dittoheads with the "he's not my president" crap they used with Clinton. But it is very clear that Bush does not want to be my president, so I guess he's not my president.

President-less in America!

[bklyncowgirl]

27. Caller just brought this up on Randi Rhodes show n/t

[Moderator]

30. locking

Headline rule violation.