More Serious Charges Confront Latest Demonstrators Inside Us Supreme Court
Source: Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Protesters who demonstrated inside the U.S. Supreme Court are facing the threat of a year in jail and stiff fines, a sign that prosecutors and the justices themselves are losing patience over the courtroom interruptions after the third protest in just over a year.
Five people arrested last week after voicing displeasure with court decisions that removed limits on political campaign contributions now face charges including one that carries a maximum jail term of a year and up to a $100,000 fine — a sharp escalation from the possible penalties sought after two earlier protests.
A leader of the group behind the protests would not rule out future demonstrations, despite what he called an effort to crack down on the courtroom disturbances. "We are not going to be silenced," said Kai Newkirk, whose group 99Rise opposes the influence of big money in elections.
While protests on the sidewalk outside the U.S. Supreme Court are common, until last year demonstrators had rarely broken the decorum of oral arguments inside the courtroom. In February 2014, however, Newkirk was removed from the courtroom after he stood and called on the court to overturn its 2010 Citizens United decision, which freed corporations and labor unions from some limits on campaign spending. It was the first protest to disrupt an argument session in more than seven years.
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/298860241.html
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Larry Engels
(387 posts)There comes a point where the "deterrent" value of a punishment gets out of synch with the gravity of the crime.
jalan48
(13,905 posts)
groundloop
(11,528 posts)stone space
(6,498 posts)
George II
(67,782 posts)Liberalagogo
(1,770 posts)47 traitors walk free.
George II
(67,782 posts)....disrupting a court proceeding, where ever it is, is wrong and bad.
stone space
(6,498 posts)
George II
(67,782 posts)stone space
(6,498 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Yes the right way is to upset the system you are protesting. It's really the only way to get attention. The wrong way is to stand on a side street with the cops out numbering you 3 to 1.
I bet you don't agree with either Henry David Thoreau or Martin Luther King Jr.
George II
(67,782 posts)...civil disobedience.
And if these people want to disrupt a court proceeding to gain attention, they should be willing to go to jail for it, just as Thoreau and King did.
My point is that they would accomplish so much more by protesting the "right" way. Doing what they're doing is indeed getting attention, but not "good" attention in my mind.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Maybe write a harsh email or letter. Maybe call your Congress-person or fill out a petition. I don't discourage those methods, however,
I say "the right way" is the way Thoreau and King did it. Of course you need to be willing to go to jail. We are going to see lots of people in jail before this is over.
mahannah
(893 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)plastic wraps on too tight and left people sit in their own urine and excrement for hours. People were beaten, sprayed in the face with pepper spray, and shot in the head with smoke grenades. One thing that OWS accomplished was to expose the lengths the government will go to put down peaceful protests. Next time it will be worse.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)Fiendish
(47 posts)...can make even the truth sound foolish.
Being obnoxious or belligerent in getting one's point across accomplishes nothing other than making the other side completely stop listening. Acting in such a way allows the other side to dismiss the protest as "childish" or "foolish" or "immature."
The voice of reason doesn't need to be a bellow or a scream, in my opinion.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Fiendish
(47 posts)I meant that figuratively as regards being obnoxious or rude while protesting.
Also, absolutely love your banner graphic there. Agree.
FairWinds
(1,717 posts)if everyone packed heat - but the rank coward supremes only
want guns in our schools, playgrounds, sports venues, etc. -
NEVER around them.
This court deserves zero respect. Citizens United was a case
of completely made-up law.
And note the clever spin the Associated Press gives this news,
cleverly blaming the victims.
AP are masters of the dark arts of propaganda.
mahannah
(893 posts)and all must stand.
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)Keep on keepin on is what I say. Protest the hell out of them.
