Arrested for Dancing at Jefferson Memorial - Right or Wrong?

Fightin Words' Walter Hudson responds to Restore the Republic's Gary
Franchi regarding the arrest of Russia Today's Adam Kokesh for dancing
at the Jefferson Memorial in an act of civil disobedience. Was Kokesh
the victim of police brutality, or interfering with an official action?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• the
• Memorial
• Kokesh
• Adam
• Republic
• Franchi
• Today
• Premiere_Elements_4
• Liberty
• Russia
• License
• Jefferson
• Restore
• Gary
• police
• dancing

[knanner91]

omg what ever. this is so stupid. honestly. you dont run on the side of a freaking pool because its not safe!!! DUH.

[FightinWordsUSA]

@knanner91 You're missing the self-evident point. Cities don't get to set the rules at municipal pools because the rules make sense. They get to set the rules because they own the pool.

[FightinWordsUSA]

@JRMCNEA I'm not sure what painting a house has to do with anything. I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to camp out on the memorial. I know for a fact you can't sleep there Regardless, even under your idea of what should be allowed, you admit there must be "procedures." The question then becomes: who establishes those?

[brianchabot]

Who is the government? The law Kokesh was accused of violating applies VERY specifically to protests within the pillars. Whether dancing is a form of protest or a simple form of peaceful enjoyment should be debated.  If they were not violating the rights of others to be present and peacefully experience the Memorial, I see no wrong. Lo music, a mosh pit, presenting a message, these are reasonable things to ban. Rocking out to tunes in headphones? That is open to debate IMO. And should be.

[FightinWordsUSA]

@brianchabot I'm all for debating what the policy should be. My fundamental point is that there is no right to be present and experience the Memorial. It is a privilege in the same way being present at and experiencing a state park is a privilege.

[zimbaroy]

If the goverment own the property it means the people owns it. Because the people pay taxes. The rules you have to follow on public property is the constitution. Both the goverment and the people has to follow the constitution. The whole idea of public property is that it is the property of the public. Please stop drinking fluoride from the tap water it is not good for your IQ.

[TroubleMan21C]

"Property rights of the government?" we ARE the government, at least that's what they want us to believe.

[123karismith]

Walter, I appreciate your razor sharp logic on this issue, when I saw the video of them getting arrested, it got me upset to see them thrown to the ground and cuffed (which is exactly what they were going for) but, if they came into my home and refused to follow my rules, I would kick them out. Makes perfect sense.

[texfam]

Yes, gov't. property is the "people's" property, but there have been rules made in ihe interest of all. If we don't like the rules, then it seems the first step would be to go through legal channels to change them, not put on a show like Kokesh and Code Pink are doing here. That gives the impression of being more for publicity than for anything else.

[sandratribble]

Great post, Thanks Fightinwords!

[biorgymd]

@FightinWordsUSA The issue does NOT have anything to do with dancing, dancing is NOT the issue, it’s the principle and your wordsmithing will not change that all. “Civil disobedience should not be deployed frivolously”. Yea right, revolutions have been started with less frivolous intentions. Without doubt, if this were to happen in China, North Korea etc, etc. your evil and wicked government would use it as a propaganda tool to try and promote freedom and democracy. That’s a fact.

[ObsenityofAtomicTech]

The guy answers his own questions he poses with his video's like a computer going though a algorithum. Preprogramed to come to one conclution. That is gov it right, people are wrong so sit down , shut up, pay your taxes, vote in sham elections. and bow to there will. I repeat go to hell. We do not need a gov telling us we can not move our body, or that tells us they must search our bodies. Gov. is not our slave master. We hire them, we do not work for gov. Repeal all unlawfull laws. Repeal it .