Are you this dumb?
"On the other hand, if you're offended by a t-shirt, you just have the person wearing it arrested, right?"
Yes, yes you are:
http://www.proteinwisdom.com/ind...og/entry/19787/
I'm pretty sure that the restriction on wearing t-shirts with slogans in Congress is viewpoint-neutral, and thus Constitutional.
Just FYI.
Mr. X,
I fail to find in the Constitution any enumerated power giving any branch of the federal government the authority to regulate the wearing of t-shirts. Could you point it out for me?
Our guest troll of the day above, Bill, notes in his own entry (linked from his comment) that this was done under Clinton, too ... and, for that matter, that it was done to a GOP congresscritter's wife last night. I wasn't blogging when Clinton was president, but I do recall thinking -- and saying, probably in print -- at the time that it was bullshit then as well, and it's also bullshit when done to pro-war folk with their hearts on their t-shirts.
Either the Capitol is public property, or it isn't. If it is, then the public has a right to wear whatever it wants when looking in on its employees' activities. If it isn't, then who owns it?
Regards,
Tom
Actually, the Capitol is subject to House and Senate rulemaking, since it's not an entirely public space, same as a courthouse.
Mr. X,
Bah. The Constitution delegates the authority to each house of Congress to set its internal rules of operation -- i.e. parliamentary procedure. It doesn't delegate to them the power to regulate what clothing will be worn by non-congresscritters in the building where they happen to meet, and in a later amendment it absolutely prohibits them from abridging speech, press or assembly/petition.
Don't blame me. Blame the framers.
Tom
Tom -
PERFECTLY said... I was going to blog about this myself...
-J
Sometimes I can't believe what they focus on. I mean who give a fuck if the people where a t-shirt when we have a war, president stealing rights, and fuel concerns (that was without even thinking)
Shit if I ran a company and we were busy and one of my employees ran up complaining about a t-shirt when there is real work to be done. That peson would be looking for a job.
Tom,
Looks like you were right:
"They were operating under the misguided impression that the T-shirt was not allowed," Hanley said Wednesday. "The fact that she (Sheehan) was wearing a T-shirt is not enough reason to be asked to leave the gallery or be removed from the gallery or be arrested."
And in a private meeting Wednesday, Gainer apologized and said he planned to issue a statement, Rep. Young told reporters.
"They apologized," Young said. "They made a serious mistake. What they did had no basis."
Yours truly,
Mr. X
...glad to be wrong...
note: They didn't dismiss the charges against Shehan *UNTIL* the Republican Congresscritter got up in almost tears to complain that HIS WIFE was also thrown out for her t-shirt.
Nazi's pick on everyone ....
I'm surprised Mother Sheehan hasn't tried to claim her brief incarceration time as a "political prisoner" period...
Methinks Sheehan's time hanging with Hugo Chavez might have rubbed off on her.
Look, she broke the rules, m'kay? Rules say "no slogans". Dingbat broke the rules. She can mug for the cameras with her t-shirts all day long, OUTSIDE, not in the House chambers. She should stop whining.
Keith,
First of all, the rules don't say "no slogans." That's why she got an apology instead of a docket slip.
Secondly, yes, during such time as she was held, she most definitely was a "political prisoner" by definition. Ditto for any amount of time the Republican congresscritter's wife spent in custody.
Thirdly, if the rules are flat wrong -- and these rules are -- then fuck the rules.
Regards,
Tom
P.S. I'm not a big fan of Sheehan. Agree with her about the war, of course, but as soon as she starts flapping her gums about anything else, she's worthless.
Tom, I'm just enough of a conformist to follow SOME rules... although I do go through the "out" door on occasion.
I didn't know there wasn't a "no slogans" rule in the gubmint building... just figured there ought to be. Makes sense, no sloganeering from ANYONE makes sense. Save that for out front, where CNN can get a good clear shot of it.
That also goes for the Hildabeast with her odd facial tics.
As for Sheehan... there HAVE to be better spokespeople for being against the war. My God, she's just stoopid AND annoying, and that's not just b/c she hung out with commie-symp Hugo Chavez.
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