Grrrr. It's illegal to turn your back on the president?

[kyrielle]

I'd try to write eloquently about this, but so many others already have, and I'm steamed.

The first link I saw (from cadhla) was to vyoma who writes this entry (note the links in the comments to various other articles on the matter):

http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=vyoma&itemid=376607

And camwyn gives information on where to get contact information for your senator and representative, if you need that information, here:

http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=camwyn&itemid=49545

Update: Note the mention (of at least the statement of intent) in the last paragraph of the CNN article, here:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/06/14/bush.ohiostate.ap/index.html

Comments

[elena23.livejournal.com]

I'll repeat here what I commented on the other journal where I saw this. It is not illegal to turn your back on the president. But there is a time and a place for everything, and a University commencement is not the place for that type of protest.

A diploma is not a right, nor is attending graduation a requirement. The University is well within its rights to make rules that promote a peaceful atmosphere at its public functions. It chose to draw a line and I support the right of that University to do so. If you don't like the political statements of a University, give your money elsewhere. (This was not a case where the person had no other choice about where to go or what to do with their lives). This doesn't mean we no longer have a free country, or that the people are oppressed, or that we're suddenly all under the influence of big brother.

I don't believe that everything Bush is doing is great -- far from it. But he is the president of this country and will be for the next couple of years no matter what we say and do. And I defend his right to speak as much as I defend people's right to oppose him. So yes, write to your representatives and express your political opinions. Go and vote and try and make a difference. Protest. But protest in the proper time and place. The person who wrote this (the article, not you Kyr) was in poor taste.

[kyrielle]

Actually, I agree with you. Some of the reaction is over the top.

However, I don't think threatening to have someone arrested, or having them arrested, is appropriate for that. THAT - the threat, as no one apparently was arrested - is over the line. I think they should have been ejected from the event, and if a student even expelling them would be within the school's rights.

But the threat of arrest for turning your back, should not have come up. (Now, if you were told to leave and didn't? Then, yes, it's appropriate. They have a right to kick you out. But that's not how it was presented, even in the CNN article, and I think it was taking it too far.)

[kyrielle]

I should add to that statement, that I'm less steamed than when I first posted. My temper tends to cool, and I can certainly see why they would not want that sort of thing at an occasion like that. On the other hand, it's a lot less "disrupting" a protest than many, and as I said, I think they went that one last step too far in dealing with it.

Re:

[elena23.livejournal.com]

*nods* I dont think that arresting people, or threatening to, was "right."