Sunday, 24 October 2004 - 5:51 PM CDT

I'd like to see your statistical analysis for the proposition that Kerry supporters are committing more acts of vandalism than Bush supporters. My guess (not based on any such analysis) is that morons from both sides are guilty of such crimes, and they ought to be punished. If I see someone stealing my neighbor's Bush sign, I will call the cops. I hope that my neighbor would do the same for my property.

With regard to your previous post, at least the guy in your "Proxies" post didn't get arrested for wearing the other guy's shirt in one guy's territory. Bush and his henchmen have shown a penchant for using the power of the state to prevent party-pooping protesters from attending his rallies and even throwing them in the cooler.

How can conservatives (including yourself, my friend) countenance such illegitimate uses of the state's power? Doesn't true conservatism require that government interference with individual liberties be strongly curtailed if not prevented entirely? I keep listening for the conservative outcry, but I've heard only crickets. I am beginning to think that today's conservatives are not very conservative at all.

I should be careful, however, I am not sure if I am sitting in a free speech zone.

Monday, 25 October 2004 - 2:53 AM CDT

There's a Constitutional right to disrupt invitation-only political rallies? Nonsense.

And for every incident of anti-Kerry campaign vandalism, I'm sure I can find several aimed at the Bush campaign. For a bunch of peace-lovers, the Dhimmicrats certainly have some issues to work out.

Monday, 25 October 2004 - 10:31 AM CDT

Nice try. While some of the t-shirt protesters have been arrested at "private" rallies, a couple was arrested on the grounds (i.e., outside) of the West Virginia state capital. Their only disruption arose solely from wearing homemade (and probably goofy) t-shirts with anti-Bush slogans on them. Local police indicated that the arrests occurred at the insistence of the Secret Service.

I am still waiting for the enraged condemnation of this illegitimate use of state power by conservatives such as yourself. Hmmm. Crickets again.

With regard to the privatization of the rallies, loyalty oaths, etc., I agree those acts are not illegal. I would argue that such attempts to squelch dissent and create homogenous audiences further polarizes the country and does a disservice to democracy. But that may be a Republican, albeit not really a conservative, goal.

Monday, 25 October 2004 - 12:12 PM CDT

Oh, who cares? The proudest moment of those T-shirt protesters' lives was when they got arrested in defiance of the Bushitler War Machine, Inc. They were only given what they wanted.

And was it an illegitimate use of state power? I've only heard that from such patriotic Americans as you.

Monday, 25 October 2004 - 2:00 PM CDT

Now you're just being silly. Certainly the physical seizure of individuals by the state to prevent the peaceful expression of non-obscene viewpoints in a public forum is illegitimate under the First Amendment. Are you really taking a contrary position?

Monday, 25 October 2004 - 8:26 PM CDT

I don't know the full story, but inasmuch as what they did was an act of civil disobedience, I think they were wildly successful (as evidenced by our talking about them). Am I worried that they are still in some sort of danger of being rounded up and persecuted by a totalitarian state? No. Are they now on their knees in the middle of some concentration camp? No. They're political protesters who managed to get the attention they crave. Good on them.