FURTHER UPDATE ON BUSH RALLY

This is a verbatem copy of an article in the Portland Oregonian about the Bush rally in Southern Oregon.

CIVIL LIBERTIES T-SHIRTS TRIGGER 'ALARM'

A Bush rally volunteer reacts to three women’s attire and tosses them out

By JEFF MAPES
THE OREGONIAN

Janet Voohies said she was curious to see how Republicans would react when she and two other women showed up at President Bush’s Central Point rally wearing T-shirts stating “Protect Our Civil Liberties.”

She got her answer  before the president even spoke. The three women were ejected from the rally and escorted from the Jackson Country Fairgrounds by state police officers who warned them they would be arrested if they tried to return.

Republican officials said they weren’t exactly sure why a volunteer at the event demanded that the three women leave the rally, But a Bush campaign spokesman, Tracey Schmitt, said: “It is not the position of the campaign that wearing a T-shirt that says protect civil liberties is enough to conclude someone is disruptive.”

Thursday night’s action was the latest in a series of incidents in which people have been removed from Bush campaign events for expressing opposition to the president. Officials say the events are open to supporters and people who are considering voting for Bush, but they are quick to act when they think there is a possibility of disruption.

Voorhees, 48, a student teacher who lives in Ashland, said she and two other teachers obtained tickets to the event after saying they were undecided voters. She said she does not expect to vote for Bush however.

She said the three decided to wear T-shirts that weren’t critical of the president but expressed an issue “important to us…We were testing the limits of the Republican Party, of who is allowed to be at a rally for the president.”

Voorhees said the three made it through all three checkpoints and assured volunteers who questioned them that they would not disrupt the event. But when Voorhies was on her way to the bathroom, she was stopped by a volunteer who told her she wasn’t welcome.

She said this volunteer pointed to her shirt and said it was “Obscene.”

Jackson County Republican Chairman Bryan Platt said he didn’t see the incident, but stood behind the volunteer who was trying to make a judgment about whether someone would be disruptive.

“I wish (the women) would have just dresses in a way that was without that kindof intent to incite any kind of incident,” Platt said.

Lisa Sohn, a spokeswoman for Democrat John Kerry, said their rallies have been open to anyone and charged that the Bush administration has the attitude “that if you don’t agree with them, it is not okay.”

Jeff Mapes 503-221-8209
jeffmapes@news.oregonian.com

It's time to remember some basic facts.

WE are the government. The foks in beauracracy, the House, the Seante, the judges, the President are the hired help. If MY boss wants to see me I see him.

This situation has been years in the making, it didn't start with Bush. It'll take a few years to fix it.

If someone wats to copy the news story into their journal, feel free. I only ask it be a complete copy including the reporter's name and the paper it came from.

My personal reaction to the county chairman and his statement on "incidents:" Just how do you think we acheived our independece? The American Revolution went far beyond harsh language