I've seen this popping up across the Internet, and I'm still in wait-and-see mode before I jump on the bandwagon. According to their website, this was a group of young activists that research and report on "government abuse". They plan an event where they gather a few dozen people for a "silent dance party" where they simultaneously bob around to their iPods on the Jefferson Memorial at midnight. This is, of course, JUST weird enough to almost guarantee that the park police will stop by and tell them to beat it. Given the totality of the circumstances, I'm going to out on a limb and suppose that it was a deliberate publicity stunt, intended to get the result that they got.

A blog with professional-quality graphics work is ready to go and online within HOURS, and they immediately started collecting hundreds (maybe thousands?) of dollars for a "defense fund"... despite the fact that the one kid was released right away and faces a minor citation that probably carries a traffic ticket level of fine. If Ron Paul proved anything this year, it's that it is pretty easy to get libertarians opening their wallets for you when riled up. Call me paranoid, but the whole thing still smells a little fishy at this point. I'm not sure that these guys are the ideal "poster boy" for any particular cause at any rate.

Regardless of the intent. It still proves that there are very few "free speech, freedom of expression" zones left in America.

Also, it sort of reminds me of that joke about "Why Baptist only have sex laying down."

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The problem here is that the definition of "peacebly" has been bastardized to no longer mean "non-violent," but now mean "non-dessenting." Which means, you can only protest if you agree with the majority.

Democracy Sux. B. Franklin ?

I must agree with Daniel in the point that regardless of the intent anything that causes or brings about the exposure of the tyranny of the government that we have allowed to become the "served" and we now are the "servant" to is a good cause.
The founding fathers of our nation would surely become members of some underground militia due the freedoms and usurped authority those in power now abuse.
If you think you have free speech or freedom of expression or any freedoms that could threaten the expulsion from a position of authority those that are in power you are living in a dream world.
The quest to retain this power it the reason we see governments of America totally and completely out of control. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We live in a police state and if you think not try disagreeing with those in power and you will find that the sword is more mighty than the pen.
The law is what ever those in power want it to be. Just look at the way they spend our tax dollar. Most politicians actually develop a mindset that it is their right to tax at what ever rate they choose and their privilege to spend those confiscated tax moines on what ever suits their fancy or is of a political advantage to them.
I was just reading the Henry Daily Herald
new article of the Henry BoC touring the performing arts centers around metro Atlanta and was surprised to see Mr. district V commissioner was most impressed by the 600 seat Roswell Cultural Arts Center. Stating that such a center would be" great for tourism dollars that help our overall economy". "It is important to note that the current performing arts center is a facility of the Board of Education and is used frequently by the school system.....DUH.... and makes it difficult for the Henry Players or other art group to book any plays for more than one weekend at a time" added Hoover-Ernst.
Just a suggestion BoC. Why not let the Henry players and other artsy cultural groups build their own venue kinda like private enterprise. That would then indicate just how many people would be willing to spend their own dime not the taxpayers to make their endeavor the huge success that "some voters" think this facility would be.
Using common sense logic, I know that may be a foreign term to some in political position, why do you think an outside concern has not built a center such as the BoC seem to think is absolutely necessary to the survival and growth of Henry County? You surely don't think you folks are the only one's that have considered this project. It could be because they know it would not be profitable. Why should taxpayers business be treated any differently? It could be because it is to their political advantage or it could be they just don't know the difference between good business conduct and ..........you fill in th e blank.
As for what would be good for the economy ...fix what is already broken...the ability to move thru the county in less that 2 hours.....that would attract more jobs than a company of Broadway hopefuls....kinda like put a roof on the house before you move the furniture in.
The only thing I can figure is some of the folks in the decision making chain seem to think we have more hogs than Washington cause they want their pork.
Don

When I was in high school, I used to dress like a goth and act as weird as possible. Shockingly (!), school administrators gave me a hard time now and then. At the time, I acted like it was Adolph Hitler himself come from the beyond to impose fascism on the nation. 15-20 years later, I instead just laugh at how silly and childish I was... I WANTED to get harassed because I liked the attention.

This Jefferson thing sounds pretty much like the exact same thing to me. I'm NOT saying that makes it right. I'm just saying that it doesn't make my "radar screen of outrage", in comparison to real issues of more civil liberties substance like RealID, warrantless wiretaps, etc, etc. Actually, little Internet fads like this kind of irk me, because they make civil liberties activists look less serious and credible on those big issues.

Also, the First Amendment gets thrown around WAYYYYYYY too often like Scripture, as if quoting it verbatim stops an argument in its tracks. The caveat you mentioned about "peaceable" assembly is just one thing, and it DOES pretty much still mean "non-violent". However, the biggest thing that trips up First Amendment Quoters is property rights. Neither the First Amendment, nor the Second, nor anything else in the Constitution, trumps property rights.

You DON'T have the right to peaceable assembly on someone else's property without their permission. You may think that isn't an issue here because it's "public" property, but it makes more sense if you consider that this term really means "government" property. We don't have much direct right to public property, rather we have the right to elect its caretakers and then elect replacements if we don't like the job they're doing. The reason why George Bush's "Free Speech Zones" are possible is because the protesters are wanting to assemble on public land. If George Bush had been stupid enough to give a campaign speech closer to somebody's private property, then the First Amendment would have protected people's right to assemble on that private property with the owner's permission.

The First Amendment is about your right to peacefully assemble on land where you have permission to be, for the primary purpose of expressing political speech. If you're on land directly controlled by someone else, whether it's a public park or MY backyard, and that entity asks you to leave... the First Amendment is not a trump card that blocks those property rights.

Steve
Your statement that these people don't have an issue is exactly why we have a government that can wiretap without warrants, invade with our cause, require state IDs,and even escort dissenters from public meetings when in disagreement with the ruling elite. Remember a ship at sea will sink just a fast from the neglect of thousand of small almost unnoticed rusty holes as it will if struck by a torpedo.
Any right that is trampled by the government is a danger to us all and just because these folks mission does not ignite your radar it is a huge blip on theirs. You may need them to stand for what is important to you even tho it is not important to them.
Just a thought

That certainly is one way of looking at why we have RealID, wiretaps, etc. The other way of looking at it is that the people fighting these problems get lumped in with every looney person and issue on the planet... from legalizing heroin overnight, to the "Don't tase me, bro!" kid... and have no credibility as a result.

Take a look at the pro-life movement. I don't care whether you're pro-choice or pro-life, just step back and look at it objectively for a moment. After Roe v. Wade, those guys yelled and screamed and harassed young girl in front of clinics... and basically presented themselves as crazy people. Then about ten years ago they wised up. They started picking their battles... partial birth abortion, parental notification, etc. THEY started to look like the more reasonable side, while the people fighting for these things sounded more shrill. You can watch the culture shift as a result. Ten years ago, if a TV character got pregnant she might get an abortion. Today, you know that character will have a miscarriage... because TV characters DON'T get abortions anymore.

Pro-life people are a hell of a lot smarter than civil liberties people. By all means, send your financial support to any cause which tickles your fancy... that's your right. I personally am just tired of jumping with both feet into every bandwagon fad that comes down the pike, and not approaching big goals with the intelligence and focus necessary to earn credibility.