February 1, 2006
Editor's Note:
Much has been made of the arrest of Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan
before last night's State of the Union address. Mainstream media
coverage has made it seem as if Sheehan was in the balcony of the House
of Representatives under false pretenses. In fact, she was invited.
Representative Lynn Woolsey, Democrat of California, personally
purchased a ticket to the speech for Sheehan. Below, please find Rep.
Woolsey's statement regarding the arrest of Cindy Sheehan. --wrp/TO
Woolsey Statement regarding Cindy Sheehan
By Representative Lynn Woolsey
t r u t h o u t | Statement
Wednesday 01 February 2006
Washington,
DC - US Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) today issued the
following statement regarding Cindy Sheehan's arrest in the gallery of
the House of Representatives before the State of the Union address.
Mrs. Sheehan was Rep. Lynn Woolsey's guest to the President's State of
the Union address.
"Since
when is free speech conditional on whether you agree with the
President? Cindy Sheehan, who gave her own flesh and blood for this
disastrous war, did not violate any rules of the House of
Representatives. She merely wore a shirt that highlighted the human
cost of the Iraq war and expressed a view different than that of the
President. Free speech and the First Amendment exist to protect
dissenting statements like Ms. Sheehan's last night."
"Stifling
the truth will not blind Americans to the immorality of sending young
Americans to die in an unnecessary war, against a nation that posed no
threat to our security. The President's speech last night was yet
another attempt to distort history, as he suggested - once again - that
the 9/11 terrorists came from Iraq. Everyone knows this is not true. We
must not be afraid to say that the emperor has no clothes. It's time to
bring our troops home."
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