Supporters of antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan claim she was improperly removed from last night’s State of the Union address and treated rudely during her detention by U.S. Capitol Police, according to a hastily written e-mail obtained by HUMAN EVENTS (see below).
Sheehan was invited to the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D.-Calif.), who gave Sheehan a ticket to the House gallery. But shortly after making her entrance, Sheehan was apparently removed from her seat for wearing a T-shirt marking the number of soldiers killed in Iraq.
“It was hot in the building so Cindy unzipped her sweater to remove it,” according to an email sent by Gold Star Families for Peace. “Before she even had it off a capital police officer began shouting ‘protestor’ and hustled her out of the chambers. They were very rough and rude with her. She was given a citation for demonstrating inside the capital building…..after being detained for 3 ½ hours.
The Gold Star Families for Peace e-mail, obtained by HUMAN EVENTS on Wednesday, was signed by “Dede.” It accuses the U.S. Capitol Police, and by extension President Bush, of violating her civil rights.
“This has got to stop. How many of your civil liberties are you willing to give up? No one with a dissenting viewpoint is allowed anywhere near where King George speaks,” the e-mail says.
The pro-Sheehan message implores her supporters to take action: “Show your support for Cindy and daily wear the number of Service members killed in Iraq on your shirts or blouses. Even you just jot it on masking tape and stick it to your top. We need to show the administration and those Americans with their heads in the sand this horrific number.”
Full text of the e-mail message sent by Gold Star Families for Peace is below.
Gold Star Families for Peace alert.
GSFP co-founder Cindy Sheehan was arrested last night at the state of the union address. She was invited to attend by Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. . She was escorted into the chambers by a representative of Congresswoman Barbara Lees office. Cindy had no intention of disrupting the speech. Partly out of respect for Lynn Woolsey . It was released by someone from the capital that Cindy unfurled a banner and was disruptive.
The truth is Cindy was wearing a t-shirt the VFP had made to commemorate the grime milestone of the death of the 2000th soldier in Iraq. The shirt says 2245 dead how many more. Cindy had been wearing this shirt all day and wore it to the SOTU. I was told by a congressional staffer that as far as they were aware there was no dress code guidelines for the guests who sit in the gallery. Cindy was in the gallery.
She was seated at 8:30 pm. It was hot in the building so Cindy unzipped her sweater to remove it. Before she even had it off a capital police officer began shouting “protestor” and hustled her out of the chambers. They were very rough and rude with her. She was given a citation for demonstrating inside the capital building…..after being detained for 3 ½ hours.
This has got to stop. How many of your civil liberties are you willing to give up?
No one with a dissenting viewpoint is allowed anywhere near where King George speaks.
Ordinances have been put in place in the county around King Georges ranch that effectively hinder protestors from exorcizing their right to free speech and to petition our government officials.
You can’t wear a message t-shirt inside the capital which in effect is another infringement on our 1st amendment guarantee to freedom of speech .
King Georges henchmen are spying on American citizens under the guise of battling terrorism.
Show your support for Cindy and daily wear the number of Service members killed in Iraq on your shirts or blouses. Even you just jot it on masking tape and stick it to your top. We need to show the administration and those Americans with their heads in the sand this horrific number.
UNTIL WE RISE UP AND SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH THIS WILL ONLY GET WORSE
In Peace,
Dede
www.gsfp.org
