Santorum thugs use state trooper to threaten and curb free speech...

[rfranklin]

Santorum’s People Toss Young Women out of Barnes & Noble, Trooper Threatens Them with Prison
Matthew Rothschild
August 19, 2005

On the evening of August 10, Hannah Shaffer of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, decided to go to the nearby Barnes & Noble outside of Wilmington. She wanted to see Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who was promoting his book, “It Takes a Family.”

The event was billed as a “book signing and discussion,” Shaffer says.

But discussion was the last thing that the Senator’s people wanted.

Shaffer, her friends, and two other young women were booted out of the store and threatened with imprisonment even before they had a chance to say a word to Santorum, as Al Mascitti first noted in the Delaware News Journal.

-more-


http://progressive.org/?q=mag_mc081905

[Dynasty_At_Passes]

1. What a sad little angry fascist man.

Boot him out and lock him up, that behavior is totally extreme and should be made illegal.

[ClintonTyree]

2. Welkum to BushAmerika

This doesn't qualify for "creeping" fascism, this is full blown, brown-shirt, textbook fascism.
This "officer" was totally out of line, and hasn't a leg to stand on. I hope the girls, their Moms and Dads and anyone else involved, work with the ACLU to see that those who perpetrated this heinous action get their full and just punishment.
This is what Amerika has been reduced to. No dissenting opinions will be allowed and these "public servants," such as Sphinctorum and bush, hide inside a protective bubble allowing only those who agree totally with their policies to interact with them.
Nope, fascism isn't "creeping" any more. It's here.

[Missy M]

3. A senator who can't answer a few questions from his..

constituents doesn't deserve to be a senator. None of these politicians seem to realize they are there to serve the people. Any who don't must be removed from office.

[meow2u3]

4. The trooper operated as a Santorum mercenary

He was way out of bounds, working not to protect and serve the public, but to protect and serve Tricky Ricky from dissenting opinions. :grr:

[mourningdove92]

5. Pressure needs to be brought on Barnes and Nobles to

take a stand, an OPEN and LOUD stand on this.

Can you imagine what would happen to their earnings if all of us lefties left them? Can you imagine if their profits depended upon right wingers?

How do we go about this?

[mcscajun]

8. Time to write to B&N -- not boycott

I wouldn't be rushing to boycott B&N over this incident...


...first of all, they are a blue company.

Second, if you read the story, this is more about Santorum's people and the shady business of using Delaware State Troopers as private security guards, and one such Trooper overstepping his authority and his role.

excerpt from the story:

Aviola says it is not uncommon for Delaware state troopers, in their official capacity, to work for private contractors, who later reimburse the state.

(snip)

When I contacted the Wilmington Barnes & Noble store and asked for a manager, someone named Pam came on the phone, said “No Comment,” wouldn’t give her last name, and hung up.

At Barnes & Noble’s headquarters, Mary Ellen Keating, senior vice president for corporate communications and public affairs, gave this account.

“I spoke to the assistant manager, and what she told me was that the store management was not consulted on how the situation was managed,” she says. “A state policeman, without consulting management, removed these students from the store.”

================================
It's certainly worth writing to your local B&N and copying the Corporate HQ with your concerns, but boycott (which is what you're saying when you suggest 'if all of us lefties left them') is a big leap for a company that's generally on our side.

[sexybomber]

9. yeah, from what it sounds like...

it's not B&N's fault.

[Callalily]

6. The police officers actions

were totally strong arm, intimidating tactics, and he was absolutely beyond his limits as a security guard. I hope the state of Pennsylvania will remember this incident and as well as others, and boot Santorum out during the next election.

[Flubadubya]

7. This is as clear cut a case of FASCISM as they come...

This is atrocious, outrageous, and intolerable. :grr::mad:

Rick Santorum, your vile, ugly soul will rot in a liberal hell somewhere. You will be surrounded by liberal devils with condom covered pitchforks who will teach you the meaning of your name! :rofl:

[bettyellen]

10. .....