Virgil Goode makes Thelma Drake look reasonable
As most of us already know, Thelma Drake had a man arrested in front of her office last week. A google news search proves that the media has indeed picked up on this atrocity and the story is getting out to constituents and voters.
Guess what? Virgil Goode had 3 people arrested, and not a word has been spoken about it.
I just got the email below. I knew that a protest of Goode's office had been planned, but I assumed that he had a heart and didn't actually arrest anyone since I never heard nor read a word about it. Instead, he had THREE citizens arrested for speaking their minds and disagreeing with his failed policy.
Guess what? Virgil Goode had 3 people arrested, and not a word has been spoken about it.
I just got the email below. I knew that a protest of Goode's office had been planned, but I assumed that he had a heart and didn't actually arrest anyone since I never heard nor read a word about it. Instead, he had THREE citizens arrested for speaking their minds and disagreeing with his failed policy.
Thursday, March 1, 9:30 AM.If we are going to go after Thelma Drake for arresting one person, I see no reason why we aren't lambasting Virgil Goode for doing the same thing times three.
Please come out and support the three protestors who were arrested on Feb. 21 at Rep. Virgil Goode's Charlottesville office. The Charlottsville General Circuit Court will hear the case of Susan Frankel-Streit, Shelly Stern, and Jeff Winder on Thursday, March 1. THE RALLY WILL BE HELD OUTSIDE THE COURT AT 9:30 AM, 606 Market St. Court session begins at 10:00 AM. The three were arrested at Rep. Virgil Goode's office on Wed. Feb. 21. They are charged with criminal trespass as they remained after hours to demand Goode's signature to pledge not to support more funds for warmaking in Iraq.
posted by Phriendly Jaime at
10:48 AM
8 Comments:
The only things I know about these situations have come from reading here and at NLS.
"Instead, he had THREE citizens arrested for speaking their minds and disagreeing with his failed policy."
That just isn't true. They were not arrested for having an opposing viewpoint they were arrested because they wouldn't leave at closing time. Did you read the e-mail you received? "They are charged with criminal trespass as they remained after hours...blah blah blah..."
They had their views heard and wouldn't leave when it was closing time. They were in the wrong and I have no problem with them being arrested. Now, Thelma on the other hand was way out of line. It seems very wrong to me to have someone arrested for waiting to speak with their congresswoman.
I think this post is the irrational flaming liberal part of you speaking. :)
Phriendly, Whackette has a good point.
She sure does. He's still a douchebag though.
They had their views heard and wouldn't leave when it was closing time. They were in the wrong and I have no problem with them being arrested.
Oh, come on. Anytime Republicans want to suppress political speech they don't like for any reason, they trot out this pathetic "law and order" argument. Whether it's free speech zones, listening to our telephone conversations, or getting rid of pesky citizens, it's always "by the book" and legally impeccable.
All it does is make people doubt the justice of this "law and order" they preach. Would it kill Goode to keep his office open a little longer to serve his constituents? Answer: yes.
Jeremy, What should Mr. Goode and his staff have done? Stayed at the office all night because the protesters refused to leave?
Much as it pains me to do so I have to come down on Goode's side in this one. The e-mail makes it clear they refused to leave until he agreed to sign something they knew he wouldn't sign, and that this persisted after hours. It's one thing to have an open office to which constituents should be able to come and petition their legislators and present their grievances; it's another thing altogether to got to a legislator's office and announce that you will not leave, even at the close of business, until he does what you want him to do. Sounds like trespass to me.
IF Virgil Goode had closed his office in the middle of the day I would have agreed with you...but there's no comparison to what Drake's office did and what Goode's office did.
Drake's staff has the landlord call the police whenever a group of constituents shows up and attempts to have the press cover their delivery of dissenting letters or petitions....They want to scream Private Property you are trespassing just leave. Portfolio's reporter D.D. Delaney has been there when this has happened...it is not something "unusual" for Drake to call the police to have the group of her constituents made to leave.
What was new this time was Drake's staff closed her office in order not to communicate with the dissenting constituents and one of her constituents was arrested....a military veteran named Tom Palumbo.
Drake is just disgraceful...buzz...buzz...
Whackette: Goode is not a businessman or private citizen like you or me. He claims the right to run our lives via the rule of law. Therefore, he shouldn't be able to dismiss those whose lives he's affecting simply because it's inconvenient.
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