BUSH SAVED FROM SCARY TERRORIST WHILE STUMBLING OVER HIS SOTU SPEECH

Last night I was at a neighborhood SOTU party at a local bar. I was shocked when I walked in because I expected to see maybe 50 people TOPS and there were close to a thousand. It was uncomfortably packed-- and noisy. Bush hadn't even come out to read whatever pack of lies, propaganda and distortions his team of right-wing writers had put together for him but the volume of boo-ing and yelling at the tv screens as creeps like Condoleeza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld and Scalito were flashed on the wall was annoying. When the ABC-TV announcer started making an announcement about Cindy Sheehan I strained to listen, but couldn't even make out the gist of what he was saying. I decided to go home at that point; Bush's voice grates on me anyway and I knew he wouldn't say anything worth listening to. He never does. I didn't find out Cindy had been arrested until I woke up this morning to hear some TV talking head say she had "unfurled a banner" and was arrested. When I opened BuzzFlash I saw what really happened. (The photo above shows her "unfurled banner.") Here's the letter Cindy wrote about what happened:

What Really Happened at the State of the Union

Dear Friends,

As most of you have probably heard, I was arrested before the State of the Union Address tonight.

I am speechless with fury at what happened and with grief over what we have lost in our country.

There have been lies from the police and distortions by the press. (Shocker) So this is what really happened:

This afternoon at the People's State of the Union Address in DC where I was joined by Congresspersons Lynn Woolsey and John Conyers, Ann Wright, Malik Rahim and John Cavanagh, Lynn brought me a ticket to the State of the Union Address. At that time, I was wearing the shirt that said: 2245 Dead. How many more?

After the PSOTU press conference, I was having second thoughts about going to the SOTU at the Capitol. I didn't feel comfortable going. I knew George Bush would say things that would hurt me and anger me and I knew that I couldn't disrupt the address because Lynn had given me the ticket and I didn't want to be disruptive out of respect for her. I, in fact, had given the ticket to John Bruhns who is in Iraq Veterans Against the War. However, Lynn's office had already called the media and everyone knew I was going to be there so I sucked it up and went.

I got the ticket back from John, and I met one of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's staffers in the Longworth Congressional Office building and we went to the Capitol via the undergroud tunnel. I went through security once, then had to use the rest room and went through security again.

My ticket was in the 5th gallery, front row, fourth seat in. The person who in a few minutes was to arrest me, helped me to my seat.

I had just sat down and I was warm from climbing 3 flights of stairs back up from the bathroom so I unzipped my jacket. I turned to the right to take my left arm out, when the same officer saw my shirt and yelled; "Protester." He then ran over to me, hauled me out of my seat and roughly (with my hands behind my back) shoved me up the stairs. I said something like "I'm going, do you have to be so rough?" By the way, his name is Mike Weight.

The officer ran with me to the elevators yelling at everyone to move out of the way. When we got to the elevators, he cuffed me and took me outside to await a squad car. On the way out, someone behind me said, "That's Cindy Sheehan." At which point the officer who arrested me said: "Take these steps slowly." I said, "You didn't care about being careful when you were dragging me up the other steps." He said, "That's because you were protesting." Wow, I get hauled out of the People's House because I was, "Protesting."

I was never told that I couldn't wear that shirt into the Congress. I was never asked to take it off or zip my jacket back up. If I had been asked to do any of those things...I would have, and written about the suppression of my freedom of speech later. I was immediately, and roughly (I have the bruises and muscle spasms to prove it) hauled off and arrested for "unlawful conduct."

After I had my personal items inventoried and my fingers printed, a nice Sgt. came in and looked at my shirt and said, "2245, huh? I just got back from there."

I told him that my son died there. That's when the enormity of my loss hit me. I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go? I started crying in pain.

What did Casey die for? What did the 2244 other brave young Americans die for? What are tens of thousands of them over there in harm's way for still? For this? I can't even wear a shirt that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing.

I wore the shirt to make a statement. The press knew I was going to be there and I thought every once in awhile they would show me and I would have the shirt on. I did not wear it to be disruptive, or I would have unzipped my jacket during George's speech. If I had any idea what happens to people who wear shirts that make the neocons uncomfortable that I would be arrested...maybe I would have, but I didn't.

There have already been many wild stories out there.

I have some lawyers looking into filing a First Amendment lawsuit against the government for what happened tonight. I will file it. It is time to take our freedoms and our country back.

I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether he/she has paid the ulitmate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government. That's why I am going to take my freedoms and liberties back. That's why I am not going to let Bushco take anything else away from me...or you.

I am so appreciative of the couple of hundred of protesters who came to the jail while I was locked up to show their support....we have so much potential for good...there is so much good in so many people.

Four hours and 2 jails after I was arrested, I was let out. Again, I am so upset and sore it is hard to think straight.

Keep up the struggle...I promise you I will too.

Love and peace soon,

Cindy


11 AM UPDATE: RIGHT WINGERS GET ARRESTED BY A POLICE STATE TOO

My friend Steve Barton, former lead singer of Translator, informed me this morning that the wife of right wing nut case Bill Young (R-FL) was also asked to leave Bush's State of the Union last night for wearing a t-shirt. Unlike Cindy, she wasn't roughed up or arrested. But it wasn't the fashion police either. Beverly Young was wearing a shirt that read "Support Our Troops," a sentiment that probably all Americans agree with, although one that makes the Bush Regime understandably nervous since they obviously don't support them. Bill assures us little wifey's tee was suitable fashionable and had "long sleeves," and he's pissed. "She has a real passion for our troops, and she shows it in many, many ways," Young said. "And most members in this House know that, but because she had on a shirt, that someone didn't like, that said, 'Support Our Troops,' she was kicked out of this gallery while the president was speaking and encouraging Americans to support our troops. Shame. Shame."
Young is right. No American should be treated like that by the fascist regime he supports with all his might.


THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE: "OOPS! SORRY 'BOUT THAT MS SHEEHAN

Now Bush's goon squad says it was all a big mistake.