Campaign buttons are NOT de facto evidence of "electioneering"

[11 Bravo]

... maybe. I got flamed like a freeper earlier today for reporting that I refused to remove my Kerry button when confronted by a repub poll WATCHER (as opposed to a poll WORKER); a distinction I made clear in my original post. The individual in question had no authority to do anything other than to refer his concerns to a poll WORKER. The poll WORKERS said nothing to anyone wearing either Bush or Kerry buttons during the 45 minutes I waited in line. Yet this WATCHER confronted me directly, and demanded that I remove my button. As I posted earlier, I politely declined. When he moved further into my face, I declined less politely, and advised him not to attempt to remove my button himself. I also suggested that he summon a policeman if he was so sure of his position. He then walked away. Upon relaying this story earlier today, I was told "He was right", I acted like a "jackass", I am lucky I wasn't arrested, I should go back and apologize, I need to stop bullying poll workers (which he wasn't), and finally, I seemed to be some sort of a "super-macho" fool. Well, I have now heard back from the office of the county Supervisor of Elections. They state that the statute is ambiguous, and is being enforced in a haphazard fashion all across VA. There is widespread disagreement as to whether a campaign button rises to the level of a display of campaign literature or material which may be intimidating in nature, and which the statute was designed to prohibit. I can attest to the level of disagreement by virtue of the fact that my representative to the Virginia House of Delegates has told me personally that my stance was legally correct. But in any case, the individual who stormed up to me and demanded that I remove my button had NO right to do so, and according to the woman in the Supervisor's ofice, I conducted myself with restraint. And here I thought freepers were the only ones who ate their young.

[Francesca]

1. I was asked to remove

my Kerry/edwards stickers on my jacket inside. When I was outside I asked a police officer if I could go in with them and he smiled and said "of course". I am sure I could have argued with the guy inside but I know him (he's a dem) and he did not seem happy to ask me to take them off. I am also rather shy about making a scene....

[theshadow]

2. As a police chief....

...watching utter chaos outside my office as people come to the village hall to vote, I'd say that neither my officers or me should say anything contrary to what a poll worker (not a watcher) says. They run the show, and their boss is the municipal clerk. They make the call.

[theshadow]

3. Mea culpa, 2Dumb2beprez

[11 Bravo]

4. Thanks, but not really looking for mea culpas.

More for a little hesitation from those DUers who seem to enjoy throwing sanctimonious shit (and I don't include you in their numbers, they know who they are).