[Vision2020] Doves/Hawks agree THIS is sheer stupidity

[Debbie Gray]

Here's an article that goes into the story a little more. Note that he was
also 'confronting' people and that the mall (PRIVATE PROPERTY) has signs
about clothing that had the potential to provoke disturbances was banned.
I don't see the sense in arresting the man, but it is private property.
How do you balance that against free speech? What if he or someone came
into your PRIVATE business or even home and refused to leave even though
he/she was wearing a 'I Box and I Vote' or 'Boxers are Beasts' or
even worse: 'Boxers vs. Briefs'...

Debbie

------------From the London Times online--------------------------
POLICE have arrested a 60-year-old lawyer wearing a T-shirt saying "Give
Peace A Chance".
A judge charged Stephen Downs with trespassing after he politely declined
to leave the Crossgates Mall in a suburb of Albany, New York State, on
Monday evening, or remove his top, which he had had printed there.
Mr Downs pleaded not guilty and cited his right to free speech. He could
face up to a year in prison. His son, Roger, 31, avoided arrest by
removing a T-shirt saying "No War With Iraq" on one side and "Let
Inspections Work" on the other.
His father's second offending message was: "Peace On Earth." "We weren't
talking to people or handing out leaflets," Mr Downs Jr told a local
newspaper. "My point was I'm not trying to convert anybody," his father
said.
Most Americans support President Bush's war plans, but many Democrat
voters oppose them. James Murley, the local police chief, told The Times
that his office had been inundated with complaints since the arrest.
"We're getting all kinds of e-mails, some of them rather nasty," he said.
Chief Murley said that one of his officers had tried for an hour to
persuade Mr Downs to end a stand-off with two security guards who stopped
him and his son after a shopper reported a confrontation with passers-by
that she thought might turn nasty. But, as one guard pointed out three
times in his deposition to police, he did so "in a nice way". The other
guard took a tougher line, alleging that the men were "bothering" shoppers
by telling them why they opposed the "pending war with Iraq". Chief Murley
said that the shopping centre had signs advising customers that the
"wearing of apparel likely to provoke disturbances" was banned. Paul A.
Clyne, the District Attorney, also said that it was up to the mall to
choose its clients.
However, Mr Downs may have an ace up his sleeve when he appears in court
on March 17, with no jury. He is the director of the local office of a
state commission that investigates complaints against judges and imposes
punishments.


Debbie

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  Debbie Gray      dgray@uidaho.edu      http://www.uidaho.edu/~dgray/
  We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to
  have the life that is waiting for us." --Joseph Campbell
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