One of these days, we'll hold an armed march here. We'll see if they object to OUR singing then. From NBCWashington.com:Two months ago . . . a group of students were confronted by a security guard for singing the national anthem. The students, members of the conservative Young America’s Foundation, were told by U.S. Park Police that they were "were in violation of federal law and their impromptu performance constituted a demonstration in an area that must remain 'completely content neutral,'" reports FoxNews.com.
"The area they were standing in and singing is an area that is restricted for this type of activity," said Sgt. David Schlosser. "The United States Park Police is absolutely content-neutral when it comes to any sort of demonstrations in these areas."
One of the students, Shawn Balcomb, said the singing was spontaneous, not planned, and was certainly not intended to be political. "We got maybe two lines in and a police officer came over and he was yelling," he told Fox News. "I was dumbfounded."Evan Gassman, a spokesman for the group, said, "I was taken aback. You wouldn’t expect a display of national patriotism to be censored." At that point, he said, it had become political -- and the group kept singing as an act of civil disobedience.
"If their idea of civil disobedience is singing the national anthem, then so be it," Gassman said. "Let them disobey."
26 comments:
If there's a more apropos place for denial of free speech, or much of anything else regarding freedom, the Lincoln memorial is that place.
Lincoln had nearly 30,000 people arrested and held without bail or charges for speaking out against his unlawful war. He broke into and destroyed over 300 newspapers, arresting many of their publishers. All in the northern states.
So, stopping free speech at this shrine to the Butcher of Illinois, the US government's worst president ever, is symbolically correct.
Thanks Mike, that brought tears to my eyes. Having 4 children and 4 Grandchildren I wonder sometimes just how soon and quick we can rid our Nation of these Collectivist's, Marxist's and Socialist's. These kids should give one solace, makes me Proud. As far as the "The Security Gnome" goes, go find a dark corner to scurry into...and hope nobody has a "N.O.D.".
Chris
III
Yes, let them disobey! We need more of this defiance in the face of justified outrage.
We know Lincoln's opinion of the Constitution: same as the current president's. A song about freedom was maybe a little inappropriate at his memorial.
But, that aside, what kind of drones value order over love of country?
Oh, that's right. We know.
Incidentally, a furniture store had a Fourth of July sale, and their commercial featured a dancer dressed as George Washington AND one as Lincoln. Really hit me wrong.
Not to make light of the incident. It is an outrage. PUBLIC PLACE. OUR city, OUR monuments.
Did the NPS read the complaint and decide that the guards were within policy?
Throw them out, too.
"The United States Park Police is absolutely content-neutral when it comes to any sort of demonstrations in these areas."
THAT would mean that the **Park Service** HAS NO CONTROL over the content of free speech in those venues, NOT that the DEMONSTRATORS must be "content-neutral."
A treasonous, fascistic deliberate misreading of ... oh, a common-sense regulation. Imagine that.
Glad no one was Tasered.
My wife and I were talking about our life expectancy this morning. She wants to retire to some sunny clime. It breaks my heart, really. She's in total denial.
If it was me they'd told I couldn't sing the National Anthem, I'd have started in on a loud rendition of "Dixie". (Which is what I'd prolly sing there anyways...)
Actually, don't you think it's past time ?
No singing the NATIONAL anthem?
How dare they.
The explanation is bullshit and everyone knows it. This kind of shit government is what my tax dollars are paying for? Time for a change.
I suppose they'll sing a song after the revolution as well. Rod Steiger, in Dr.Zhivago.
The article fails to mention that despite being scolded by police, the crowd kept singing and people from the surrounding area joined in. It also seems there were no arrests or actions taken against them.
Blogger Pat H. said...
If there's a more apropos place for denial of free speech, or much of anything else regarding freedom, the Lincoln memorial is that place.
Lincoln had nearly 30,000 people arrested and held without bail or charges for speaking out against his unlawful war. He broke into and destroyed over 300 newspapers, arresting many of their publishers. All in the northern states.
So, stopping free speech at this shrine to the Butcher of Illinois, the US government's worst president ever, is symbolically correct.
August 13, 2010 5:34 AM
Pat H. I know what your saying about "Lincoln" is correct but FREE Speech is just that, FREE Speech. That is the point, brother.
Chris
III
Just a wild guess ....Pat H is from the South. I know that Lincoln was no friend of the Constitution.... however it did survive his Presidency. I doubt that the Constitution will survive the present POTUS if he is allowed to implement his policies.
I think that the point of the exercise is that even our young Conservative students have more courage than a lot of the "heroes" I see writing on the internet these days. I am very proud of them and they deserve to be recognized as heroes who do not bow to tyranny, who looked it straight in the eye and defended their liberties ..... can we all agree on that?
Jeez! These were High School Kids who probably absorbed the meme of Saint Lincoln with their mothers milk. If someone tried to tell them what Lincoln was really like it would probaly invoke a fnord.
At least they got the National Anthem right. I'm alway surprised at how many people believe it's "God Bless America".
I like the picture of the Lincoln Memorial there. In Fallout 3, I smeared a bunch of slave traders on those very steps with my trusty Gauss Rifle.
The current resident from Illinois is the worst, ever, and he's only about 19 months into it.
And at least old Abe was born in country.
As indicated on the Eternity Road blog, we need to ram the iceberg.
Tom III
Shame. If they want to sing a religious hymn to their god in his temple, while he rests his hands upon the fasces, they should be allowed to.
Damn, Pat H. already expressed my feelings on this.
This was actually a good thing.
Say what?
These kids have now been directly exposed to the tyrannical lunacy of political correctness that we all face. Some have figured out that we are in a mess and these kids now have first hand experience that they will most certainly share with their friends. Hopefully some of them will join the fight to rid ourselves of this albatross called progressivism/marxism/socialism/communism.
Bob Katt
There's more than one way to give "the man" the finger...and those kids just found one.
May "the man" get many more such fingers shoved in his face.
(Just in case you haven't figured it out yet, Maobama, this finger is for you.)
Sign me up, my FAL has a real sweet sound to it! Its a Baratone, and my AR varminter has a mellow tone in the floating hand guard. I'll bring both.
I was taught to Say What You Mean and Mean What you Say. And the Inheritors of this Nation--whatever it will be depends partly on THEM and They Stood THEIR Ground. I agree Lincoln was a Shitbird and I am a Texican but they Stood The Line, Hats off to'em. 2 cents worth.....
Chris
III
Texas
The video begins just after the Brown Shirt stopped them and told them they couldn't. Then they do again, loudly. I'm so proud.
Y'all are right. This has set them on the path of learning what freedom used to feel like, and taking it back. For some people, it's their first gun and negotiating the forms and criminal record check, and learning about infringements on that which shall not be infringed.
There are many roads to Threeperville.
Pat H. took the words from my mouth.
I'm happy to say I've never been to the Lincoln Memorial. If I ever do see it up close, I'll be under arms and singing this.
Dakota writes:
"Just a wild guess ....Pat H is from the South. I know that Lincoln was no friend of the Constitution.... however it did survive his Presidency. "
Uh, actually it didn't survive it, as any number of Lincoln coury historians (eg Gary Wills) openly admit. Among other things, Lincoln basically destroyed the old federalist balance between the states and the federal goverment, paving the way for the inevitable and rapid consolidation of Federal power. As conservative "fusionst" political philosopher Frank Meyer put it:
"Were it not for the wounds that Lincoln inflicted upon the Constitution, it would have been infinitely more difficult for Franklin Roosevelt to carry through his revolution, for the coercive welfare state to come into being and bring about the conditions against which we are fighting today."
Since Meyer's day, both parties (mainly through their judicial picks) have only further destroyed the constitutional order. Nowadays, there's not much of a Constitution to kill, if any at all.
And one doesn't necessarily need to be a Southerner to realize Lincoln's pivotal role in all this.
Good for those kids! I'm proud of them.
Witchwood: Amen.
"The cause of the South is the cause of us all." (A. Stephens)
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