RAf,
Thank you for your efforts to clarify your statement.

I see your comprehension skills are just as dependable as they always have been. They do not increase or decrease. I asked for clarification for a reason, and gingerly stated that I would make an assumption. I even re-stated that it was only an assumption, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

During the civil rights movement, it was made clear that certain water fountains were for whites only. It was made clear that "black" people had to sit at the back of the bus. I could go on and on. However, inalienable rights were being ignored. There were many people, white and otherwise, who chose to ignore the very clear and explicit racist laws set in place. Do you choose to also belittle those people?

I do not claim to read anyone's mind.

The restrictions in the capitol were made clear to those carrying signs; they decided to not follow them. Nothing more than people thinking they are above laws\restrictions\policies. The fact that "some" choose to pick what rules are bad for protesters while ignoring these are not new or unheard of, as many cities require them as well, was the point of my comments all along. If people want to make the comment all protests, everywhere, should not require permits, fine then make it. They haven't. They have just questioned those in place at the state capitol.

I see you still think you have the ability to read minds through words on a page, I had hoped the claim for this trick had long since stopped being part of your works.

"Funny how the people complaing now over permits ignore how even the city of Madison requires them." -RAF

This is why I had to ask what permits you were talking about. I even stated that I believe most, if not all, municipalities require permits for at least some things. I find it peculiar how you ignore even kind gestures and requests for clarification. I think you prefer to pretend you have to always be on the defensive.

Most of us are complaining that people are being arrested for carrying signs... signs that sometimes are nothing more than a standard size piece of paper. If that is our complaint, and then you levy the aforementioned comment, how do you expect your words to be interpreted?

The city of madison "waived" the permits for the OWS protests. Funny how I never stated a single person carrying a sign in Madison did need one. The reality is most organized protests, like the events held daily at the capital, do require permits. Ignorance of the law has never been a valid excuse for not following it.

RAF, as far as I am aware, most if not all municipalities require permits for at least some things. What permits are you talking about?

I am going to make a leap of faith here, but keep that in mind. If you are saying there is an ordinance in Madison that states one cannot walk around carrying/holding a sign, please provide a link to the ordinance. I've been searching for a while now, and the closest I can find only pertains to organizing a special event. I'm not sure, but I think special events include protests. I haven't applied for a permit to hold a protest yet, though, so I'm not sure I'm looking in the right place.

Thanks in advance for your help. I approciate (sic) it.

Funny how the people complaing now over permits ignore how even the city of Madison requires them. Must be more of that selective fringe group think.

Perhaps you should look for yourself and see the "bullying and harassing" tactics of the protesters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biK0WPbjK...

---

Really - arrested for holding up their Red Cross T-shirts during a blood drive?

So much for free speech in Wisconsin, of all places. And at the same time corporations are people and unlimited spending is speech. That's messed up. Fighting Bob must be rolling in his grave. Shame!!!

Speech is only free if you have to get a permit to speak it.

To Janesvillian, Yeah, you're right, I got the name wrong. It should have been Dick Wheeler. So in your mind I guess that and the illness justifies Ryan's actions. There are certain methods of behavior that should never be tolerated, and this is very close if not over the edge.

I thought this would go to court and be overturned as most of the goofy rules this bunch has passed. They are true authoritarians that really want no dissent. But now I see that two of our resident legal experts, royal air force and whineygirl have decided that the law constitutional, so there is no point in filing a lawsuit. Silly me, I always thought the reason for the first amendment was to protect speech we didn't like. Speech we agree with generally doesn't need protection. When a permit is required to use free speech, we don't have free speech.

They should be allowed to protest with their colorful little signs outside. More people will see them and communicating their message would be just as effective. People work inside the Capitol and their need for a quiet workplace should also be respected.

cnw1313, it's pretty hilarious that you rush to the defense of someone whose name you get wrong. This seems to suggest your knowledge of the entire affair is rather limited. (I found another right-wing source that gives him his daughter's married name. Research ... it pays off.)
.
I personally feel that Ryan's antics can be over-the-top but generally fall within free speech. He may feel he has little to lose as he has a terminal illness. Nevertheless, the key point is that Ryan's antics are Ryan's. They are not those of everyone else, and you cannot arrest or condemn everyone else for what he has done. Because Jane Doe sings a song does not mean you arrest David Roe for holding a sign, and is not justifiable under law or common sense.

ya same place fly_on_the_wall went

boisterous !!!! thas it right there

wislady pushed the "cigarettes for signatures" story that was so truthful!! Listen to wislady she has the truth all figured out, if you want her version of it just visit the nation, miver or any host of right wing ideologues, because that is the truth.

947.01 Disorderly conduct. (1) Whoever, in a public or private place, engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous,
unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes...

cnw1313, Please stop with all these positive posts. Your views are so up lifting, I think I am getting a sugar rush. I am so happy that you show so many caring feelings about your fellow Americans and are able to accept views that disagree with your own.

Lets not ignore the fact that knuckle head "segway boy", who has been at the capitol every day for 2 years acting like a fool, has been singing and screaming loudly, that the father of the lady that had to move, Bert Wheeler, was dead. Now you lefties should be proud of him. Yes, the father passed away last year and now your hero, Jeramy, is singing, "BERT WHEELER IS DEAD" in front of the daughter's office. Nice, and this is the lefties version of "free speech"?? Kudos to the new chief of capitol police. It's about time someone up in Madison grew some stones.

If wislady says it, it must be true. Lol

By the way wislady, please relate some of the, "standing near offices shouting and screaming vulgar verses and disrupting the work flow in those offices", that you have personally witnessed in this current timeframe and do give us dates and times.

The capitol police are not very fond of Bill Engvall (Here's your sign).

I haven't been up there, wislady, but I assume you have, since you seem to be so well informed.

Freedom of speech can be a pain. I remember something about a radio talk show host calling women on birth control "you know what's". Freedom of speech.

Kind of like the right to bear arms. It can be a pain in the butt sometimes. But, last I checked, the crazy freedom of speech people (who must be nuts to carry a sign near/at the capitol without a permit) haven't been killing, or even been loosely associated with killing, anyone.

wislady how come no one has been cited for those offenses?? Yet they're cracking down on signs?? I've got a friend who goes for the daily solidarity singing and if he is acting like what you describe then I'm a Cubs fan. Wait, I don't believe a word you type anyways so nevermind. Sry, I will say the peacock info was good and ours is enjoying his new home w/no cage:)

Holding signs? Really? So much for free speech.

@poobah - If your sign has money on it, you're headed for Gitmo.

Ben Masel is crying somewhere.

Carrying signs is speech; money is speech (so they say). So why haven't Walker and his cronies passed legislation to outlaw the carrying of money in the capitol without a permit?

Guess it was about time.

thekai

They are not "peacefully chanting". They have been standing near offices shouting and screaming vulgar verses and disrupting the work flow in those offices.

I didn't realize the protesters were flashing firearms and throwing sticks and stones now. Wow. That is far beyond simple freedom of speech. If all they were doing was holding signs and peacefully chanting it would be a different story. These rabble-rousers have got to go.

Three cheers for oppression:
Hip hip!

Madison and Milwaukee newspapers and TV have been ignoring the bullying and harassing tactics of the protesters. Reasonable protesting is certainly allowed, but such outrageous tactics should be toned down. A lady who publishes a daily log of Capitol activities was forced to move her office away from the Capitol after being there more than 30 years.Imagine the press coverage if a Tea Party group resorted to such tactics.