ACLU: Settlement in anti-Bush T-shirt caseFederal government to pay $80,000 to Texas couple arrested at rally
Nicole and Jeffery Rank of Corpus Christi, Texas, were handcuffed and removed from the July 4, 2004, rally at the state Capitol, where Bush gave a speech. A judge dismissed trespassing charges against them, and an order closing the case was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Charleston.
“This settlement is a real victory not only for our clients but for the First Amendment,” said Andrew Schneider, executive director of the ACLU of West Virginia. “As a result of the Ranks’ courageous stand, public officials will think twice before they eject peaceful protesters from public events for exercising their right to dissent.”
The ACLU said in a statement that a presidential advance manual makes it clear that the government tries to exclude dissenters from the president’s appearances. “As a last resort,” the manual says, “security should remove the demonstrators from the event.”
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I always thought that the right to protest was not challenged in this country. I guess I was a little naive on this point. Amazing how you can just assume that you have rights in a free America......then, something comes along that makes you realize not to let your guard down, or you might find yourself in an America that you don't recognize anymore. Good thing we got the ACLU to counteract the bullies who want control over the masses....at any cost......including the degradation of the U.S. Constitution. Bush and the boys have been doing this sort of thing for the past seven years.
