{"id":2675,"date":"2009-08-29T17:42:16","date_gmt":"2009-08-29T21:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/?p=2675"},"modified":"2009-08-30T13:07:34","modified_gmt":"2009-08-30T17:07:34","slug":"video-this-used-to-be-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/08\/29\/video-this-used-to-be-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Video: “This used to be America!”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Congressman Jim Moran’s August 25, 2009 town hall meeting at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA. <\/span>is turning out to be a goldmine for commentators… First because of Rep. Moran’s demand to see a constituent’s ID before allowing him to ask a question and Howard Dean’s remarks on tort reform<\/a>. Now there’s Officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr. confrontation with a protester:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n

As country lawyer, Blackiswhite, Imperial Consigliere, explains on his blog<\/a>, Taxes, Stupidity, and Death… Yes, bystander there are there limitations to the freedom of speech imposed on school grounds.\u00a0 Those limitations, however, are imposed on students, during school hours and at school functions. Not on adults attending non- school functions:<\/p>\n

Yes, there are limitations on the freedom of speech imposed legally on school grounds.\u00a0 However, they are imposed on students<\/em>, during school hours and at school functions.\u00a0 These same restrictions never have been enforced against adults present for non-school functions, and even a leftist judge would have a difficult time trying to impose such restrictions on adults visiting the campus for the purpose of listening and speaking to their duly elected representative.\u00a0 Political Speech is the gold standard of speech when it comes to legal restrictions.\u00a0 The signs would qualify.<\/p>\n

As to Officer Cheeks:\u00a0 If you\u2019re going to allow political signs that are just writing, and not ones with\u00a0pictues and text, prepare to get sued.\u00a0 The only possible reason to single this sign out for disparate treatment would be if it was obscene or pornographic, and even then, if you were dealing with someone who knows more about the law then you obviously do, Officer You-Can\u2019t-Bring-That-Sign-Or-I\u2019ll-Arrest-You-For-Trespassing, they might just let you arrest them and then sue you for violating their civil liberties.\u00a0 Federal section 1983 lawsuits for\u00a0civil rights violations can be a bitch, and when the other associated charges for false imprisonment, and violations of state law get added, they\u2019ll really cut in to the doughnut budget there, hoss.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Anyway, that said, the sign itself was, well, stupid… That coupled with the snarky little FEMA camp caption and the remarks in video’s description aren’t exactly confidence inspiring either.<\/p>\n

Update<\/strong> (Sunday, August 30, 2009): There seems to be some confusion about Officer Cheeks position… He is apparently not a police officer but\u00a0 rather a Fairfax County Public Schools Security Officer… More here…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congressman Jim Moran’s August 25, 2009 town hall meeting at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA. is turning out to be a goldmine for commentators… First because of Rep. Moran’s demand to see a constituent’s ID before allowing him to ask a question and Howard Dean’s remarks on tort reform. Now there’s Officer Wesley […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,43,7],"tags":[293,819,650,822],"class_list":["post-2675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-culture","category-health-care","category-politics","tag-jim-moran","tag-town-hall-meetings","tag-virginia","tag-wesley-cheeks-jr","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfpI7-H9","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2659,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/08\/27\/arrogance-congressman-asks-for-voters-id-before-answering-question\/","url_meta":{"origin":2675,"position":0},"title":"Arrogance: Congressman Asks For Voters ID Before Answering Question – Updated","author":"Jeff","date":"August 27, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I've have to hand it to Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia... I didn't think members could be anymore dismissive or condescending towards constituents than Steny Hoyer or Nancy Pelosi, who called town hall protesters un-American in a USA Today op-ed... But Congressman Moran found a way to sink to a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health Care"","block_context":{"text":"Health Care","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/health-care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2207,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/05\/15\/reminder-were-done-with-dodd-rally-this-saturday\/","url_meta":{"origin":2675,"position":1},"title":"Reminder: We’re Done with Dodd Rally This Saturday","author":"Jeff","date":"May 15, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Just a quick reminder... The We're Done with Dodd Rally sponsored by by Connecticut Resistance is this Saturday, May 16th from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. outside Senator Dodd's Office at 30 Lewis Street, Hartford, CT 06405 Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform Senator Chris Dodd and Congresswoman Rosa\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health Care"","block_context":{"text":"Health Care","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/health-care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2147,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/05\/08\/reminder-clinton-tea-party\/","url_meta":{"origin":2675,"position":2},"title":"Reminder: Clinton Tea Party","author":"Jeff","date":"May 8, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"\"It does not take a majority to prevail...but rather an irate, tireless minority keen on setting brushfires of freedom and liberty in the minds of men.\" -Samuel Adams Just a reminder to readers the Clinton Tea Party is tomorrow (Saturday, May 9th) morning. The rally kicks off at 10:00 a.m.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"800px-naval_jack_of_the_united_statessvg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/03\/800px-naval_jack_of_the_united_statessvg-300x157.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":577,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2008\/10\/02\/palate-cleanser-hank-williams-jr-thats-how-they-do-it-in-dixie\/","url_meta":{"origin":2675,"position":3},"title":"Palate Cleanser: Hank Williams Jr. – That’s How They Do It in Dixie","author":"Jeff","date":"October 2, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I need a break... Between the cold from hell and having to listening to a friend go one of his ill-informed rants about how the government needs to regulate and punish greedy corrupt banks,\u00a0 tax the windfall profits of oil companies and pretty much any other capitalist enterprise this morning...\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3582,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2010\/10\/08\/breaking-national-security-advisor-jim-jones-to-resign\/","url_meta":{"origin":2675,"position":4},"title":"Breaking: National Security Advisor Jim Jones to Resign","author":"Jeff","date":"October 8, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The Wall Street Journal is reporting that President Obama's National Security Advisor Jim Jones is resigning. He is expected to be replaced by Tom Donilon, the deputy national-security adviser. It's not uncommon for advisers or cabinet members to resign, but I can't recall ever seeing this many high profile presidential\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2604,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/08\/13\/specter-trails-toomey-by-twelve\/","url_meta":{"origin":2675,"position":5},"title":"Specter Trails Toomey by Twelve","author":"Jeff","date":"August 13, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters is enough to warm my cynical heart: Uncomfortable town hall meetings are just the tip of the iceberg for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. He now trails Republican Pat Toomey by double digits in his bid for reelection next year and is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2675"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2675\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}