My friends on the left, repubs are in charge of security, not dems.

[Melodybe]

I am so mad the the media is trying to make it look Kerry is responsible for the free speech zones, he is not.

Security for the convention is done by the secret service, as it always is. Bushco's IS RESPONSIBLE for the free speech zones. This is a fact that our media is neglecting to mention.

Now I do not know about what is going on on the convention floor, but after Teresa gave her speech last night all I can say is she firmly believes in her own words, "True patriots speak truth to power." She grew up in Aparhtide, she knows the value of dissent, she said so herself last night.

Yes, I think that the war was a mistake, and yes I believe that we can deliver independence to Iraq with out putting a gun in anyones face, in fact I think it is the only way for Iraq to be a peaceful nation. I also believe that we have to have Kerry in the White House first. But don't accuse me of wanting to supress those individuals that want to speak out against the war. I have been to a few anti-war protests in Oxford, MS, no less. We all agree that the war was horrible and wrong. We all agree that Bushco is a fascist bunch of war profiteers, they are. But I disagree that pulling our troops out of Iraq is the right thing to do. I think that we are responsible for those Iraqis that do want a free Iraq, not just another fundi muslim regeime to oppress women and the Kurds. I think that with Kerry and the UN instead of making sure our soldiers have guns in that faces of Iraqis they will make sure that Iraqis are treated with kindness and respect.

I said earlier that I feel sorry for those that do not see that John Kerry will be able to bring to Iraq what we all want so badly.

I think that a peaceful Iraq is possible, if we have the right leaders anything is.

I appreciate those that feel so strongly that we should leave Iraq, even though we disagree we want the same thing. I personally think that we should stay but instead of being an occupier with tanks and guns I think that we should become peace keepers. I think under a Kerry adminstration that is possible, but first we have to have a Kerry adminsitration.

I guess I just wanted make my peace with the protesters at the DNC and remind them that their cries are not falling on deaf ears.

I guess I'll end this with a Ghandi quote b/c he makes me believe that this world can really be a better place.

We can only win over the opponent by love, never by hate. Hate is the subtlest form of violence. We cannot be really non-violent and yet have hate in us. --Ghandi

[DoNotRefill]

1. If it's Kerry's Secret Service detail doing it...

Kerry IS responsible. He can simply tell them to go away, and they HAVE to. They don't have a choice.

[Melodybe]

2. Kerry's secret service yes, secrect service at the entire convention, no

[Selwynn]

3. exactly

[DoNotRefill]

8. sorry...

but the Secret Service do not have jurisdiction unless they are REQUESTED to act. It's entirely a voluntary thing.

[Kitka]

4. Through all the talk of “we will not sacrifice civil liberties"...

last night, not one word was said about the ‘free speech zones’ from the Democrats. This is why I sometimes do wonder if Democrats are interested in representing the more progressive among them.

Through many thousands of people protesting over the last few years, very, VERY little violence has come. There is no excuse for the treatment of those wishing to express dissenting views. If Kerry and the Democrats want to keep us in the fold, honestly, they have to do more to address these things as they happen. Yes, many of the voices of protest at the DNC are against Kerry’s stance on Iraq, one you obviously share. But you’d think that a party that is claiming to be so pro-civil liberties would argue for those voices to have true freedom of expression.

I’ve said this earlier today here and I’ll say it again – I’m not trying to rain on the DNC parade and was actually moved quite deeply watching it last night. But when some of my brothers and sisters are behind barbed wire with snipers guarding them… it’s simply going to be an issue I’d like to see addressed.

[Melodybe]

6. I agree and I hope that both Edwards and Kerry point that out.

Teresa did last night, I hope that they do the same.

[JohnKleeb]

7. Didnt Teresa in the primaries come out very critical of Gitmo

I believe Kerry did as well.

[MadHound]

5. Agreed, Kerry is not responsible for the free speech zones

However, you would think that a man who is supposedly so concerned about our civil rights would have the spine to speak out against such a travesty of liberty as these pens are.

Instead we hear the sound of silence on this issue, the same sound we have heard on many other equally important issues.

[Melodybe]

9. Kerry has no effect on the free speech zones, but he can mention them.

I just called the DNC and requested he do just that. You should call and do the same, here is the number [phone]. All I ask is that those calling remember that it s a democrat that is volunteering his/her time to be there and that you be respectful to them b/c they are on our side.

Plus, short of a court order there is nothing Kerry could do about the free speech zones.

Peace

[leanings]

10. Bzzzzzzzzt!

You think that somehow the Secret Service can FORCE a party or an individual to act in the manner they think is the most secure? I mean, he didn't have anything to do with setting them up but if he raised an objection they'd be gone in a second.

[DoNotRefill]

13. It's more than that, somebody had to REQUEST them.

If you're having a parade or gathering, "first amendment zones" for protesters don't just magically appear, they must be requested in advance by the people having the function.

[truthspeaker]

11. yet Dems are silent

Remember in 1968 when a speaker denounced the CPD's tactics from the convention stage? That's what I want to see. I want to see John Kerry standing right in front of a free speech cage demanding the fences be torn down.

"Mr. Bush, tear down this wall."

[DoNotRefill]

14. It'll never happen...if he did that, they'd be torn down just like that...

the cages are there to keep protesters away from the convention. It was requested by the convention. The convention could make ALL security disappear simply by telling them to "go home".

[Ravenseye]

12. What's the zone like at the RNC in New York?

Oh wait. It's like 12 miles away on Long Island. At least the one for the DNC is within SIGHT of the Fleet Center. The free speech zone for the RNC is in frickin Long Island. What's the point of that? You might as well have the convention in New York, and allow protesters to gather in San Francisco. I mean if they're not going to be anywhere nearby does it matter if they're 12 miles away or 1200?

So Democrats get a free speech zone by the convention and the Republicans complain about it, meanwhile there's might as well be on the other side of the country. Hypocrites.