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Open thread: Civil liberties edition
Submitted by James on Mon, 03/31/2008 - 8:38am.
 Holy mackerel. We now live in a country where an 80-year-old guy in a wheel chair, who is a deacon in his church, can get arrested for wearing the wrong t-shirt in a shopping mall. Unbelievable.
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Speaking of church
An interesting discussion at Ed's place about the pagan roots of some Christian rituals. It reminds me of the post I wrote called Happy Eoster.
Dan Besse will be in Carrboro at 7:30pm.
What is a supporter to do? Maybe my computer would last long enough for me to live-blog it while contributing here? probably not.
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Yeah...probably not good form
to run something to compete with our gubernors in waiting.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
I meant live-blog the governor's debate...which doesn't
make sense I now realize. ; )
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
OOoooooOOOOO
Now I get it. :D
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
Dive into the refreshing blast of insanity
Feeling apathetic? Wondering if political fatigue is setting in? Or have you just had enough with reality?
Get a shocking dose of malicious fantasy with the Right-Wing Blog Report, only here on BlueNC.
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Trespassing
It was private property and he refused to leave.
The wheelchair was used to remove him from the mall after he refused to leave on his own two feet.
He was not arrested for wearing the wrong shirt. He was arrested for trespassing.
Sorry, but the right to free speech does not carry over to others' private property.
You're right
He was asked to leave the private property because the mall ownership didn't like his shirt. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's right.
PS Thanks for the clarification about the chair. I missed that.
there have been some discussion about speech in malls
I think there are one or two states that say that malls count as a public marketplace, and that political speech is protected there. I think Florida had this law for a year or two, but that it was reversed. I know that currently Florida does NOT have this law protecting speech. It's an interesting topic.
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As Jobs Vanish and Prices Rise, Food Stamp Use Nears Record
New York Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/us/31foodstamps.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1...
Elizabeth Dole has voted repeatedly to cut food stamps for hungry children. I brought a bunch of Raleigh residents to her office to object to this. Her staff person, Reggie Holley, told the families I was with "I grew up on food stamps; I understand your concern." but was apparently unable to convince his boss to not make those irresponsible cuts.
Sue Myrick's chief of staff personally, to my face, lied to me and working class parents to say that Myrick would not cut funding for food stamps, and then of course, Myrick shafted those families.
Burr refused to even speak to NC voters that traveled all the way up to DC to visit him.
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Interesting Topic
Jerimee --
This is an interesting topic (and probably deserves its own post).
The largest increases (Washington, Nevada, Arizona, North Dakota, Florida, Maryland, Rhode Island) aren't even in the areas where I would have expected increases (Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virgina).
Just a few other stats:
There was an N&O article from a few weeks ago. Out of 9 million people, about 10% are currently using food stamps (and there are efforts to reach an additional 5% that the government estimates are eligible for food stamps but don't get them).
eligible for food stamps but don't get them
At the YDNC convention, Chelsea Clinton said her mom wants to do something about this. Obama may also recognize this as an area for improvement.
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it is amazing the number of clients we find through our agency
who are eligible for food stamps, S-CHIP, and other benefit programs that they are not aware of. When we tell them "you're eligible", they're happy, but then when they find out they have to go all the way to Carthage to the DSS office to apply, their faces fall. Transportation is a HUGE issue for this population. If there were a way for the application to come to them, I imagine that the percentage of eligible families who don't receive would fall quite a bit.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
You know what I'm doing?
Absolutely nothing!
I'm enjoying a week long vacation on Topsail Beach, while everyone else worries about primaries and such.
ahhh, the soothing noise of breaking waves....
enjoy!
Talk a walk on the beach at night - there's nothing like it to ensure you understand your place in the cosmos.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
speaking of civil liberties
some of the godless heathens that frequent this site might appreciate this:
http://laughingsquid.com/flying-spaghetti-monster-statue-outside-of-tenn...
background here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster
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I don't need any background on the FSM!
But that's because I suppose I'm a heathen. Not godless, though. I have lots of Gods, Jerimee. Lots of 'em. :)
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors