6 war protesters arrested at Democratic lawmakers office
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Six War Protesters Arrested at Democratic Lawmaker's OC Office
By Jennifer Delson
The Los Angeles Times
Thursday 09 August 2007
The group camps at Rep. Loretta Sanchez's office overnight, demanding that she oppose Iraq funding. She refuses, and police are called in.
Six antiwar demonstrators were arrested Wednesday at the Garden Grove office of Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) after camping there overnight and telling her they wouldn't leave unless she promised not to approve more funding for the war in Iraq.
Most of the protesters are members of the group Military Families Speak Out, and some have relatives in the armed forces. They entered the office about 7 p.m. Tuesday during an open house. They sat on the floor in the lobby and refused to leave unless the congresswoman made the statement they wanted. Sanchez, who opposes the war, refused.
The lawmaker's staff initially chose not to call police and allowed the group to stay overnight. Police removed the protesters in handcuffs about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, while Sanchez was attending a meeting of Orange County Latino leaders.
The protesters were taken to the Garden Grove Police Department, where they were issued misdemeanor citations for trespassing. Five were released pending an October court hearing, but Robert Dietrich was being held because he refused to sign a document promising to appear in court.
Sanchez, Orange County's only Democratic member of Congress, voted in 2002 against giving President Bush authorization to invade Iraq. More recently she voted to begin pulling troops out within 90 days.
Tuesday night Sanchez said she could not support the protesters because the $145 billion in Iraq war funding was in the same bill that would provide money to build the C-17 aircraft in California.
"I never voted for this war," she said. But "I'm not going to vote against $2.1 billion for C-17 production, which is in California. That is just not going to happen."
Protesters did not accept Sanchez's argument.
"This is a war that was made up and people are dying, and there is no reason for it," said Ed Garza, who was one of those arrested and who has a nephew in the military.
Medea Benjamin, who was not at the protest, said, "It's quite immoral for Sanchez to say she is more concerned about jobs in her district than the lives of our soldiers." Benjamin is co-founder of the national women's peace group Code Pink.
Declaring the start of the sit-in, Patricia Alviso, whose son has served two tours in Iraq, said, "We risk arrest to demonstrate the level of our commitment to peace, and we risk arrest because our children risk far more."
Once seated on the lobby floor, Alviso began reading the names of Californians killed in Iraq.
"Jeromy D. West," she said.
"God forgive us," the others responded.
"Aaron Boyles."
"God forgive us."
Such sit-ins have become more popular in the last year because of war critics' desperation over the situation in Iraq, Benjamin said
Before Congress approved $95 billion for the Iraq war in March, protesters conducted sit-ins in the offices of several Democrats, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Rep. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts. Also targeted were the offices of Republican critics of the war, such as Sen. Olympia J. Snowe of Maine.
Democrats have been targeted more than Republicans by the nonpartisan Military Families Speak Out because they control Congress, co-founder Nancy Lessin said. Code Pink is planning to camp out and conduct a hunger strike next week at the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).
When protesters refused to leave Sanchez's office Wednesday, more than a dozen police officers surrounded it.
Those arrested were Garza, 60, of Santa Ana; Alviso, 55, of Huntington Beach; Dietrich, 61, of Los Angeles; Jarret Lovell, 34, of Costa Mesa; Abraham Ramirez, 23, of Fullerton; and Tutrang Tran, 25.
By Jennifer Delson
The Los Angeles Times
Thursday 09 August 2007
The group camps at Rep. Loretta Sanchez's office overnight, demanding that she oppose Iraq funding. She refuses, and police are called in.
Six antiwar demonstrators were arrested Wednesday at the Garden Grove office of Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) after camping there overnight and telling her they wouldn't leave unless she promised not to approve more funding for the war in Iraq.
Most of the protesters are members of the group Military Families Speak Out, and some have relatives in the armed forces. They entered the office about 7 p.m. Tuesday during an open house. They sat on the floor in the lobby and refused to leave unless the congresswoman made the statement they wanted. Sanchez, who opposes the war, refused.
The lawmaker's staff initially chose not to call police and allowed the group to stay overnight. Police removed the protesters in handcuffs about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, while Sanchez was attending a meeting of Orange County Latino leaders.
The protesters were taken to the Garden Grove Police Department, where they were issued misdemeanor citations for trespassing. Five were released pending an October court hearing, but Robert Dietrich was being held because he refused to sign a document promising to appear in court.
Sanchez, Orange County's only Democratic member of Congress, voted in 2002 against giving President Bush authorization to invade Iraq. More recently she voted to begin pulling troops out within 90 days.
Tuesday night Sanchez said she could not support the protesters because the $145 billion in Iraq war funding was in the same bill that would provide money to build the C-17 aircraft in California.
"I never voted for this war," she said. But "I'm not going to vote against $2.1 billion for C-17 production, which is in California. That is just not going to happen."
Protesters did not accept Sanchez's argument.
"This is a war that was made up and people are dying, and there is no reason for it," said Ed Garza, who was one of those arrested and who has a nephew in the military.
Medea Benjamin, who was not at the protest, said, "It's quite immoral for Sanchez to say she is more concerned about jobs in her district than the lives of our soldiers." Benjamin is co-founder of the national women's peace group Code Pink.
Declaring the start of the sit-in, Patricia Alviso, whose son has served two tours in Iraq, said, "We risk arrest to demonstrate the level of our commitment to peace, and we risk arrest because our children risk far more."
Once seated on the lobby floor, Alviso began reading the names of Californians killed in Iraq.
"Jeromy D. West," she said.
"God forgive us," the others responded.
"Aaron Boyles."
"God forgive us."
Such sit-ins have become more popular in the last year because of war critics' desperation over the situation in Iraq, Benjamin said
Before Congress approved $95 billion for the Iraq war in March, protesters conducted sit-ins in the offices of several Democrats, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Rep. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts. Also targeted were the offices of Republican critics of the war, such as Sen. Olympia J. Snowe of Maine.
Democrats have been targeted more than Republicans by the nonpartisan Military Families Speak Out because they control Congress, co-founder Nancy Lessin said. Code Pink is planning to camp out and conduct a hunger strike next week at the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).
When protesters refused to leave Sanchez's office Wednesday, more than a dozen police officers surrounded it.
Those arrested were Garza, 60, of Santa Ana; Alviso, 55, of Huntington Beach; Dietrich, 61, of Los Angeles; Jarret Lovell, 34, of Costa Mesa; Abraham Ramirez, 23, of Fullerton; and Tutrang Tran, 25.
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There are laws for "Lawful" protest and they did break the law.
Switching gears, here.
But it's clear that lawful protest has had no effect or influence on this administration. Even lawful protestors have been harrassed and arrested on trumped up charges; just to temporarily get them out of their hair.
Furthmore, it's clear the only way us Americans are going to get anything done and put a stop to Bush and Cheney's corporate favoring policies and their other evil actions; is to aggressively protest and revolt. That is the only way anything will get done, here. Sad, but true.
And don't kid yourselves, it's eventually going to happen if these douchebags (Bush and Cheney) continue to get away with their crap.
"I never voted for this war," she said. But "I'm not going to vote against $2.1 billion for C-17 production, which is in California. That is just not going to happen."
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This is where people get deluded about protesting. Protesters of this sort expect to get arrested whether anybody thinks they deserve to be arrested or not. It comes with the territory.
Getting arrested is better than being ignored, because it'll make the news. It will send a message.
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this thread is evidence of that...
the obvious hipocracy of this whole situation, and situations past, is that the president and his entire administration can bltantly lie to manipulate the country into war and not even get impeached, let alone charged with a crime... and protesters trying to stop this fucking war get arrested and charged with various crimes???
now that is fucked up IMO
And that is the message.
I thank you for your patronage, and patriotism on this matter.
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This is the kind of 'logic' that is not-so-slowly killing this world.
"Gee, I know Walmart will eventually displace all workers, and ruin all economies, but they sure have CHEAP shit, I can't pass that deal up!" ...
If I opened it now would you not understand?
shit being the key word...
As for what they want, I want the troops out, but unfortunately, the majority of Americans are clueless about what it means and how long pulling out will take. We have to do it tactically, last estimate I saw said it would take 7 billion dollars, and it's 160,000 troops with equipment, Kucinich said he would have them out of Iraq by the end of the year, that's why I could never vote for him, it's not realistic, and I would expect someone in Congress to have a better grasp on the situation. We are most likely looking at 18 months to pull out.
We have to realize that America invaded Iraq, regardless of who we voted for, and what we wanted...we have a responsibility now.
A proper pull out plan will give the Iraqi's an opportunity to take over security, and for us to provide enough support while we move units out. Not sure how many brigades are in iraq at the moment, but last week three different retired generals said we could move 2 brigades a month out safely.
We need to start the pullout now, but the politics are the problem. Regardless of whoever is in charge, once the pullout begins, I believe it'll take 1 to 2 yrs for us to move out.
Stop by:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14678777351&ref=mf
Slaves electing slaves. Ahh, the sweet smell of democracy.
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Q: Hey mister, love it or leave it.
A: I do love it. And, I talked to Jesus last night.
Q: Oh, ok. You're alright in my book then.
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Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Is this the official make the same response in every thread day?
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde