just ask "Dick" cheney

and don't forget Jeb's brother

pete

I don't blame you for being proud of him!
And if I haven't said it yet, welcome to JoeUser!

"This weekend, my brother and his good friend, a firefighter, went a meeting of the republicans in their city."

...

"Before sitting down, they were looking around at the stands that were set up selling Bush gear."

...

"(I'm not ripping on her because I know she was just doing her job.) Upon a third attempt to get them to buy a shirt, my brother said in frustration, "There is no fucking way I'm going to buy a shirt that says Bush on it.""

You are anti-Bush, but you go to a Republican "meeting", you don't want to buy stuff, but you were looking around at the stands. You are looking around at the stands, and get annoyed when people try to get you to buy stuff.

Then your brother smarts off to a worker and is outraged he was asked to leave...

Tell ya what. You go to the perfume counter of a department store. Not Wal-Mart, some place decent. You mill around there not buying anything for a while, and the third time she asks if she can sell you something you belt out "There's no fucking way I'm buying that".

Has nothing to do with Bush. If your brother doesn't like Bush, why is he hanging out at a Republican "meeting"? Sounds like someone was being a smart ass and the people running the event didn't like it. Boo-hoo. Much to be proud of there...

BS

If your brother doesn't like Bush, why is he hanging out at a Republican "meeting"?

My brother stays informed. He listens to all he can hear from every perspective as much as he can. He's an information addict. He was at the convention to hear the discussion. Just because he doesn't like Bush doesn't mean he doesn't care about what the leader of the country and his party have to say.

And yes, he was looking around at the stands. Big deal. He doesn't have to buy anything. And yeah, it would have been a better choice not to swear at her. On the other hand, the sales woman was an adult. I'm sure she has said the oh so naughty f-word before herself. I think it was silly and childish of her to call over the officials of the event. Her reaction is ridiculous.

He can say "fucking" in public to another adult and shouldn't be kicked out for doing so. It really only worked to the disadvantage of the republican cause anyway, because now his opinion of the party in general is lowered. Although, I can't say for sure he'd lower his opinion because I'm sure he realizes it was just that woman. He's not the type to judge a whole party on one woman's hang ups about swearing. She probably doesn't even realize she may be causing her own party to lose votes.

Anyway, swearing aside, the point was that when they were escorted out of the convention, the reason they were given was that they looked conspicuous. It was a flat out lie. The officials knew that they couldn't escort them out because they swore at another adult. So, they made up some crap. And come on, conspicuous? It's a total joke.

The powers have been using this to target people who haven't done anything wrong throughout time. They exclude people. Then, when the people that disagree with them start to get power and a following, they frame them. They lock them up so they can't lead. Look at Mumia, Assata, or Peltier. Or Rubin Carter. My brothers experience is nothing compared to those cases. I realize it's dramatic to even compare them. But these things start small and close to home.

"He can say "fucking" in public to another adult and shouldn't be kicked out for doing so."

That might be true in some circumstances, but "public" isn't always "public". People have the right to choose a standard of behavior in their organization or on their property. You think your language can't get you fired from a job?

No, if you can propose that he had the right to say anything, however offensive it might be, then you have to also accept that they have the right to choose who may and may not take part. There's no descrimination laws that protect the crass and tactless. You don't have a constitutional right to take part in a Republican event. If you are there, you are there because you are allowed there by those running the event. Insult them, and what do you suppose will happen?

When it comes to Peltier and the rest, again, a fundamental ignorance of "rights" versus "civil disobedience" is the problem. Sure, you can rebel in the same way that MLK Jr, or Ghandi, or the rest did, but that doesn't mean that they didn't break laws, or that they should somehow think that they shouldn't go to jail for it. This is the wussiest protest generation I have ever seen, frankly. They seem to think that civil disobedience is some constatutional right and when it really becomes a conflict they think they are wronged...

BS
He swore at a sales lady who overreacted.

Again,

Anyway, swearing aside, the point was that when they were escorted out of the convention, the reason they were given was that they looked conspicuous. It was a flat out lie. The officials knew that they couldn't escort them out because they swore at another adult. So, they made up some crap. And come on, conspicuous? It's a total joke

"The officials knew that they couldn't escort them out because they swore at another adult. "

They aren't here to say why they threw him out, I just have to take your word that that is what they said. You're wrong, however, since they can escort him out for any damn reason they please. It is their event.

Yeah, it's their event. They still lied about why they were making them leave, just like they lie about most everything.

Anyway, swearing aside, the point was that when they were escorted out of the convention, the reason they were given was that they looked conspicuous. It was a flat out lie. The officials knew that they couldn't escort them out because they swore at another adult. So, they made up some crap. And come on, conspicuous? It's a total joke.

You're wrong there.  It's private property, and they can have you escorted off the premises for whatever reason they can come up with. As for them 'lying' to him, my guess is that they were trying to be a little nicer about kicking them out than your brother was about not wanting to buy a T-shirt.

 

This is what happened:

It all happened less than a week ago today. I innocently enough was given a ticket to see the President of the United States of America speak at a political function in the neighboring town of mine. Although I agree with none of Mr. Bush's policies, I politely accepted the ticket and set out to attend a Republican function. Before ever even entering the premises where the President was going to speak I was politlely asked to lift up my shirt and reveal the shirt that was underneath it. Baffled by the man asking me this question, I asked him why. Well as it turns out, people have been writing negativities about Mr. Bush on t-shirts and smuggling them in under another shirt. I wondered why I hadn't thought of that and then kindly lifted my shirt. As I walked away, I was confused as to the fact that he had asked me to lift up my shirt. I was not sporting a John Kerry button, I didn't have a DFL hat or anything of that matter. Nobody asked the older gentleman next to me to lift up his shirt. Was it because of my age? Was it because of my sex? Or do i just look like one of those dirty liberals? Anyway, I shrugged it off and decided to not let it ruin my die. I would let the President do that later on. Within five minutes of my last incident, the exact same thing happened again. I will admit, I was starting to get a little pissed off. But it is in my nature, so I complied with the gentlemans request. Some time passed and I was starting to get a little anxious, I mean, I was in a place that I didn't fit in, and I was already shaken from the two men before. I stood up with a buddy of mine and headed for the back to split a smoke.
I was standing towards the back of the crowd, splitting the smoke i mentioned before and having a conversation about how out of place I felt when a middle aged women approached and asked if I wanted to buy a George W. Bush t-shirt. Before I could respond my buddy piped in and said, "There's no way in hell, I would ever buy that shirt." She simply turned her back and walked away. We laughed about the incident, and I felt bad for the lady, but why do people assume your a Republican if your going to see a Republican speak. Do I not have the right to hear the voice that is charge of my world, the air I breath, the water I drink, and is sending my generation to Iraq. If so, I guess I am a twisted individual, but America was found on the values that everyone has a diffferent view and together, many views become one great overall rule. But, once again. I was wrong.
We finished the smoke and headed back to sit down. Within ten minutes, we were approached by four state troopers and two Bush representaives. They were asking random questions, but the one that sticks out in my mind is, "Do you support this President." After Jake answered no the man looked to me and I answered the same. He then told us that they had reprots that Jake and I were going to start something, what we were going to start I do not know, something is all he would say and that they had to ask us to leave. I was scared shitless. There was more security there than I had seen in my life and after knowing that they were watching me I left. But I was pissed. I wasn't there to start anything, my god, what has this world come to. Everybody is up to something if you look a little different from the next guy and your not sporting a Support The Troops sticker or a President Bush pin. But anyway, I left. But I was soon to return.
Down the street was a group of protestors, so that is where I headed. Upon arriving I was greeted with smiles and handshakes and was more than reluctant to share the story of my day with them. Everyone was amazed at the stupidity of everybody involoved in kicked to kids out of a convention. Something then sparked inside my body and I started rounding up people. We starting marching. We started chanting. We started making a difference. Other protestors were hooking up with our group and before you knew it we had two city blocks full of people marching two miles back to the speech of Mr. Bush. I felt proud, and I felt American.
I was amazed at the reaction we recieved. I was called a faggot, a communist, and told to go back to Russia. None of which meant a thing coming from people who didn't accept me before either. I never raised my voice. I was brought up to respect people differing opinions as I am sure many of those people had. What ever happened to American values. I suppose it is just one more thing hidden by the Bush Administration. Or maybe it was Saddam who hid them, yes that's it, American values are with Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. But all joking aside, it was a truly eye opening experience for me and it definitley made my Liberal views even stronger. So to anyone who has had a similar experience, I am pulling for you, because at the end of the day, we are all in the struggle together.
But to continue my story, It wasn't even the way the Bush supporters treated me that hurt. It was the fact that I had been treated like a criminal all day just because my view differed from most of the people surrounding me. I was barracaded from a street because I had a John Kerry sign, while people with George W. Bush sign casually walked down them. Do we know longer have the right to peacefully assemble. I thought I remembered hearing about that somewhere. Oh yeah, what's that called again, The Constitution. Am I a criminal for disagreeing. I believe not and I will continue to do the same. With much more involvement. If there is one positive from the day. it is the fact that I have truly learned and witnessed what the Bush Adminisration has done to this country. Besides creating the largest job loss in 75 years, getting into a war with no cause and raising health care costs by nearly 60%, he has turned neighbor against neighbor. What an awful thing to do. I am gald I went to see President Bush and even more glad I got kicked out because I learned more outside the convention than I ever could have by the lies being told inside.

Thanks for the recap bro. I diddn't actually think you'd put your story up here. It holds up better when you tell it.

"Do I not have the right to hear the voice that is charge of my world, the air I breath, the water I drink, and is sending my generation to Iraq."

Sure, you can watch a debate, or the state of the union address. You don't, though, have the right to be at an event that the event managers don't want you at.

Frankly, I don't buy your story. Stuff like this is posted all the time on the internet, like some kind of urban legend. You had no business at a Republican event if you went there to smart off and generally be a wet blanket. The events I have been to have had lots of young people and none of them were stopped, etc. Maybe you don't realize that you were behaving like a heckler or an antagonist, but I don't think you were abused needlessly.

Do I not have the right to hear the voice that is charge of my world, the air I breath, the water I drink, and is sending my generation to Iraq. If so, I guess I am a twisted individual, but America was found on the values that everyone has a diffferent view and together, many views become one great overall rule. But, once again. I was wrong.

I felt proud, and I felt American.

This a great story! Have you thought about joining Leaping Lizard here to write?

My brother will be wearing a t-shirt that says A village in Texas lost an idiot when he goes to vote. Since it names no names, if anyone tries to say anything, it will them assuming that Bush is the idiot!

Let me translate BakerStreet for you all (this applies to 90% of the things he writes): "If the Republicans do it, it can never be wrong. If any non-Republican does it, it MUST be wrong."

It's amusing and predictable.

Reply to BakerStreet:

This is LL's brother again, but I have now joined the site. The fact that you do not believe my story deeply saddens me. I do not even feel bad that I was escorted out of an event that I did have the right to be at because I had a purchased ticket. It is the fact that America is so divided that upsets me. What happened to me was nothing and is easily believable compared to the first hand stories I have heard about from the Republican National Convention in NYC. They simply caged people in a warehouse there until the convention was over. No arrests, just being caged like an animal.
And to bring up the part of you saying I had no part being at the event is strictly bullshit. I have the same right as the man next to me supporting the president to be there. It is still MY PRESIDENT. Do I not have the right to let him try to sway my vote. I may be wrong, but I thought that was the reason that he was there. For people to hear him speak. As I said before, I was not wearing anything to reveal that I was a Democrat. Nothing at all. It just truly saddens me to see what George W. Bush has turned America into.