“I can charge you with whatever I want to charge you with”

You probably have seen video of Howard Dean at Rep. Jim Moran’s (D- Va.) town hall meeting on Aug. 25. What you probably have not seen is the video from outside the school where a school security officer demanded a protester put his sign down. Did this use to be America? The officer states “it aint no more, OK?”

obama-final-solution-posterInside the auditorium, Howard Dean made it quite clear the administration would not consider tort reform in the health care bill since they did not want to tick off the lawyers who contributed to Democrats, and in fact, probably is responsible for more than 50 percent of the total GDP within the beltway.

Outside South Lakes High School in Reston, Va. – a public school – YouTuber DissentFromDayOne posted video of officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr. who demanded the videographer take down his poster because he said it was “no good.” Other people outside the school had posters, but the other posters were OK since they did not have a picture on it.

Granted, the poster (at right) was one that certainly can be considered a conversation piece, but there was no threat and as far as I can tell, the videographer was well within his 1st Amendment rights. Cheeks did not like the poster simply because it placed President Obama in a bad light and he used his badge to intimidate and threaten arrest.

No sir, Officer Cheeks, you’re not going to get away with this one.

Update: When I posted, I had not noticed that Allah already had the video, and Michelle Malkin has labeled it video of the week. I’m afraid videos like this will become a bit too commonplace and the main stream media will ignore them. We will not.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIKPKjl0-pg

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

17 Comments

  1. donh on August 28, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    Keeping it local..Senator Dodd joked at Kennedy Memorial that his prostate cancer treatment was preferable to giving a town hall meatings. I have no doubt Dodd is feeling severe grief , and grief can yield inappropriate morbid jokes as a coping mechanism. I do not know what is worse , that Senator Kennedy would make such a joke , or that Senator Dodd found it funny. I do know that it is a sad look at Senator Dodd insufferable contempt for the common man…. Thank you WTIC News for broadcating it.. .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWBzhucexws



    • Steve McGough on August 29, 2009 at 4:30 am

      Not sure what this has to do with the video of what happened in Reston, Virginia at the town hall meeting.



    • donh on August 29, 2009 at 8:05 am

      Giving a current local example where the people's freedom of speech is not welcome at town halls is ON TOPIC. Senator Dodd would rather have cancer treatments than hear from the people. At least Howard Dean held a town hall. Where is Dodd?



  2. skepticalcynic on August 29, 2009 at 7:05 am

    I'm sorry, since I don't know where to post this, I posted it in the lastest thread.

     

    Today I sat in my living room, shaking my head, wondering if my faith, Cath0lism, is just one big game.  Whats the point?  I realize that when push comes to shove, only God can really forgive and accept.  So it really comes down to Kennedy and HIM.  But then WHY is the Roman Catholic Church even HERE for?  If they are gonna throw its beliefs out the door in order to be politically correct, WHY BOTHER HAVING A CHURCH AT ALL?

    I watched this disgusting display, and I had to shower, I felt that filty.  And I have ANOTHER reason to believe in God and NOT the Catholic church.



    • Steve McGough on August 29, 2009 at 7:16 am

      Strange, what is it with this thread? This place is for comments on the current post – that's it. Both of the above comments are completely off topic. Again, I'll let this one stand, but if you're looking to find an outlet to post your thoughts and feelings, you can create your own blog elsewhere for free.



  3. sammy22 on August 29, 2009 at 9:23 am

    The poster is still on "message" with the Nazi innuendos. Can't people drop this message?



  4. Dimsdale on August 29, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    Well, back on topic!

     

    Officer "Butt" Cheeks (as I like to call him) is the living manifestation of Jackie Gleason's Sheriff Bufort T. Justice character in "Smokey and the Bandit", except "Butt" Cheeks ads an element of racism and (yes, I dare say it) Nazism to his real life role.

     

    And when the administration's (and this cop's) actions are more subtle than this poster's alleged message of Nazism , people can call for it to stop.



  5. Darlene on August 29, 2009 at 5:39 pm

    Officer Cheeks is exercising exactly why we are all afraid we are losing our freedoms.    And yet, I find myself wanting to recommend a "beer summit" for this could be a "teaching opportunity"  Do you think President Obama would like to use this one as an example of "acting stupidly?"  Doubtful. 



  6. sammy22 on August 30, 2009 at 3:23 am

    If Pres. Obama were so evil, why would he try to reform the health care system?? Why not just let it fall apart on its own?



  7. Darlene on August 30, 2009 at 6:23 am

    Sammy22 – I think that picture looks more like the Joker to me, you are the one with the Nazi translation.  But to follow along with your question, the evil is in taking away our freedoms.  The evil is in his "selective" application of our constitution.  In relation to this particular post – this cop is acting stupidly – If Obama were consistent he would say it himself, but consistency is not something I have learned to expect from this President.  Sadly



  8. Rick-WH on August 30, 2009 at 7:59 am

    The School Security Officer should have more clearly stated his authority and rationale for requesting that the sign be removed.    School Security Officers responsibilities and authorities are different than for a School Resource Officer inVirginia.    An SSO may detain persons for violating the Code of Virginia or the security policies of the local school board if there is reasonable suspicion.   Capitol Police in Hartford would likely have done similarly had such a sign been presented during the tea parties there.



  9. Rick-WH on August 30, 2009 at 8:02 am

    Darlene – I believe the Nazi translation comes from the use of the words "The Final Solution" and "National Socialist" in the poster.  Both terms are very closely associated with the Nazi movement in Germany.



  10. Darlene on August 30, 2009 at 9:25 am

    Oh thanks for the translation Rick.  I know you are thinking I missed that history lesson.  duh  In case you missed my point is …. you take away from a picture what you wish.  The cop was saying the sign was a problem because it had a picture.  I was referring to the picture.  And I saw many similar signs at the Hartford Tea Party and I do not recall anyone being asked to put them away, with the exception of someone with an actual pitchfork.  It is utterly crazy to me that we are arguing over the ability for someone to carry a sign.  The sadness about that in general is enough to disgust me.  This is freedom of speech issue … plain and simple.



  11. Anne-EH on August 30, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    After watching this short video, what is disturbing is what police officer Wesley Checks Jr. about this NOT being America anymore. A good law enforcement person is only to do the work of maintaining  safety and peaceful order of a local area when there are a large number of people, not get into political debate, even when he or she disagrees with the position of a single person or a group of persons protesting.



  12. Rick-WH on August 30, 2009 at 5:06 pm

    I believe in our Freedom of Speech and Expression.   I am no expert on where the line is drawn.

    There are multiple elements to this video, far beyond what can be discussed here.  Many assumptions have been made about what School Security Officer Wesley Cheeks did in asking for the sign to be removed and in making the unprofessional statement he did.  Perhaps, SSO Cheeks is just as upset about what is going on with our government as the protesters are. 

    SSO Wesley Cheeks is employed by the local school board for the  for ensuring the safety, security, and welfare of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors in the assigned school – whether it is a school sponsored event or not.  It is possible that the sign was in violation of school board policies which he is obliged to enforce.  Under Virginia law, he does have the right to detain persons for such violations if there is "reasonable suspicion."

    In the end, was the sign left up?  Was the person detained?  We don't know for sure.



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