Arrested While Wearing A Phatmass Shirt?

[Balthazor]

my hero.
Dude that takes balls.

[Nihil Obstat]

What will, or can, you be charged with after that?

[Selah]

Praying!

Watch over your daddy, Danny R.! <3

[Guest KevinSymonds]

[quote name='StColette' post='1639465' date='Aug 27 2008, 11:27 AM']lol Dr. Miravalle told our class a story once about an anti-abortion protest he and some of the faculty and friars of Franciscan were involved in lol Apparently they cemented themselves to the ground (practically) with 20 members from faculty/friars of FUS and about 20 from Protestant Churches. lol They were arrested, including Fr. Scanlan lol and Scott Hahn. Apparently they said they were going to be jailed for 6 months, but somehow got released in 3 days lol During those three days they held Mariology Classes and Biblical Studies classes with the non-Catholic folks lol[/quote]

Ah yes, I remember this story, though Dr. Hahn was not there. It was Fr. Michael, Dr. Miravalle and the Bishop of Steubenville, H.E. Albert Ottenweller. I saw a picture in the paper a long time ago.

I read the link to the protest story. Randall Terry actually PHONED the police and told the lieutenant they were there.

Sorry, but unless there is a piece of this puzzle that is unhitherto unknown to me, I think that was just absurd. First of all, this was not an abortion clinic. Second, what the heck is the point of phoning the police to tell them the group is there?

I am a teacher and if one of my students phoned me before I got to the classroom and said, "Mr. Symonds, I am sitting here in your classroom and I do not have my homework" I think my first thought would be "um, and why are you telling me this?"

The Report:
[i]He told the few children in the group to remain standing to the side, holding signs.

"You'll be part of a legal protest that may someday be covered in the history books," he said.

When the protesters first gathered at the gate, people with convention passes were able squeeze behind them to get through. When protesters sat down in the street, Terry asked an aide for the "red phone," a cell phone he used to call police. He could be heard saying "Lieutenant, we're here at the gate."

Then some of the protesters moved closer to the gate, blocking it. Secret Service officers shut it and directed convention-goers to another gate. Protesters sang a Catholic hymn, "Salve Regina." They said one Hail Mary for the police officers before a lieutenant approached them. Reading from a card, he cited the city ordinance they were violating and warned them they would have to leave or be arrested.

Associated Press writers Mary Hudetz and Chakhan Thomas contributed to this report.[/i]

Edited August 29, 2008 by KevinSymonds

[missionarybelle]

Hm. I thnk It's great that you had the guts to stand up and be arrested, but I'm not completely sure about the point. I don't agree with the democrats but they have the right to gather. I'd be ticked off if someone blocked my church or an entrance to the vatican or whatever. I think the sign though was really cool.

and i don't get hte point of calling the police and telling them what you're going to do. that kinda seems to me like you're just wanting attention. I dunno. this is just what it seems to me

[goldenchild17]

ahh I missed it! I wanted to get arrested too. srsly . Would've been fun. I'm like a half a block from there too. I didn't find out where you all would be so I didn't make it. oh well. peace

[Jevitt]

[quote name='missionarybelle' post='1641113' date='Aug 29 2008, 01:36 AM']and i don't get hte point of calling the police and telling them what you're going to do. that kinda seems to me like you're just wanting attention. I dunno. this is just what it seems to me[/quote]

Well isn't that what they wanted, attention? I mean, what's the point of blocking the entrance to the DNC and getting arrested for it unless some media pick it up and cover it?

And, while I agree that the Democrats have every right to meet, I applaud them for what they did. I mean, since this was a pro-life rally, I'd assume that they'd be protesting the pro-choice stance of Obama and other Democratic Party leaders. It seems to me like they were trying to make their presence known and message known, and they accomplished this goal.

[CoffeeCatholic]

golden- call me any time you want to do something like this and I'll let you in on the scoop. Transportation also provided.

Also, I'm going home for 3 weeks starting Sunday, but Joey really wants to hang out with you- plus he'll be lonely. Any chance you want to meet up for a vigil mass Saturday night at Holy Ghost? (won't be nearly as beautiful as the 10am, but I have to be on a plane at that time) We could do dinner after, and then you boys could talk college stuff and whatnot.



End hijack.

[goldenchild17]

I'm up for anything anytime for the most part. I won't be around this weekend because I'm going home on Saturday for Labor Day weekend and won't be back till Monday sometime. But yeah, I'd like to hang out anytime.

[Nihil Obstat]

Sure, democrats have every right in the world to meet and have a convention.
Well so does everyone else.
The convention just happened to block their doors.
Seriously though, it wasn't about not letting people get in, that's obvious. People got in anyway, that wasn't the point.
The point is taking a stand and bringing awareness.

[mommas_boy]

Ok. I have to say that I agree with Kujo on this. I amend my previous statement. To be honest, I thought this at first, but was too cowardly to post this the first time.

The law states that one may not obstruct another's right to gather. This law is in place to protect everyones' First Amendment rights. This law was just. The action did not defy abortion; it defied the First Amendment.

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1641201' date='Aug 29 2008, 01:57 AM']Seriously though, it wasn't about not letting people get in, that's obvious. People got in anyway, that wasn't the point.[/quote]

That the action had little effect is immaterial; they still broke a just law.

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1641201' date='Aug 29 2008, 01:57 AM']The point is taking a stand and bringing awareness.[/quote]

Yes, however, one cannot do a bad in order to accomplish a good. The law that they broke had nothing to do with abortion, but everything to do with protesting the Democrats' right to assemble. To obstruct this right is breaking one of America's most sacrosanct freedoms, if not [b]the[/b] most.

The intended indirect effect, to protest abortion, is good. However, according to the principle of double effect, one cannot perform a bad action in order to cause a good to occur.

Blessings,
Kris

[fides quarens intellectum]

[quote name='Selah' post='1640015' date='Aug 27 2008, 09:21 PM']Is that you, Fides? In the brown shirt?[/quote]




[quote name='mommas_boy' post='1640110' date='Aug 27 2008, 10:23 PM']Fides ... I'm jealous. Good work, and congrats.

What was the punishment/fine if I may ask?[/quote]

six months unsupervised probation; five days jail, suspended as long as we're not arrested again in CO within the next year; one day jail in lieu of fine and court fees.


[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1640181' date='Aug 28 2008, 12:24 AM']So are you being charged with something?[/quote]

obstructing passageways and something about interference - for not listening to the officer's orders to move.

[fides quarens intellectum]

[quote name='kujo' post='1640308' date='Aug 28 2008, 09:03 AM']Why is him getting arrested for blocking an entrance cool? Don't the Democrats have a right to gather for their convention? I mean, we have the right to protest and yell and scream and stuff. But what ya'll did was [i]obviously[/i] breaking a law that is not unjust.

I admire your courage and conviction, but I question your motives.

God bless.[/quote]

i am a she. It was a move to get the word out via a pro-choice-dominated press.

Put it this way: on Monday night, there was a pro-life rally with Dr. Alveda King and Archbishop Chaput, followed by a prayer march around the PP. 1500+ people were there. One AP reporter was there (and only happened to be there because a caucus disrupter mentioned where he was going to be Monday evening). The next day, 13 are arrested, and it is covered by the likes of Fox News and over sixty press, many international.

Both events are part of the same movement, and while the prayers of the 1500 the night before were much more effective in the long run, the story of 13 anti-abortionists the next day being arrested sent a message out to people all over.

[fides quarens intellectum]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1640347' date='Aug 28 2008, 10:13 AM']It was a peaceful protest against Abortion. the whole idea is to get in their face and in their way to make a statement.[/quote]

thanks, DomSoul. You said it better than i did.


[quote name='kujo' post='1640351' date='Aug 28 2008, 10:18 AM']Were they protesting the law that prohibits them from blocking an entrance to the DNC (not an unjust law, to my knowledge) or protesting the horrors of abortion?[/quote]

Well, it was clear to all the reporters that we were protesting abortion - they called us "anti-abortion protesters" and "anti-abortion activists."

[fides quarens intellectum]

[quote name='KevinSymonds' post='1640901' date='Aug 28 2008, 07:32 PM']I read the link to the protest story. Randall Terry actually PHONED the police and told the lieutenant they were there.

Sorry, but unless there is a piece of this puzzle that is unhitherto unknown to me, I think that was just absurd. First of all, this was not an abortion clinic. Second, what the heck is the point of phoning the police to tell them the group is there?[/quote]

He cooperated with the police because, again, this was a move to get the message out.

The night before, many violent protesters had been arrested at the DNC. Randall called ahead to let the police know we didn't have weapons, we weren't violent, we wouldn't be resisting arrest... that this was peaceful civil disobedience. The arresting officers were really wonderful.