Free speech on trial
The Capitol's new free speech rules weathered their first test Friday, despite some opening-night jitters.
Gena Edvalson, director of Utah Progressive Network, and two teens were picketing outside the committee room where Rep. Glenn Donnelson was pushing a bill to strip undocumented residents of Utah's in-state tuition reduction.
Sergeants-at-arms and a State Trooper asked the protestors to move out of the hallway into the foyer. (It is permissible to hand out leaflets in hallways, but not carry signs or hold a demonstration of two or more people).
Edvalson said they seemed unsure exactly what the rules were. "They seemed pretty nervous about the laws," she said.
Finally, a Trooper took them to the Capitol Preservation Board office, where board spokeswoman Allyson Gamble went over the rules with everyone. The protesters returned to the foyer free to continue their protest.
"The rules are new and people are wanting to make sure they are doing a good job," Gamble said of security's jitters. "I'm really pleased with how it went. We've spent a lot of time doing the right thing by the public."
The protest rules were rewritten after protesters took the state to court last year when they were barred from handling out leaflets. Lawmakers complained that some of the protest material being handed out -- including photos of uninsured poor people with rotted teeth -- was offensive.
Donnelson might say the same thing about the Progressive Network's placards, which read: "Racists should not get in-state tuition, be child-care providers, have driving privileges -- and racists should not be legislators."
-- Glen Warchol
Gena Edvalson, director of Utah Progressive Network, and two teens were picketing outside the committee room where Rep. Glenn Donnelson was pushing a bill to strip undocumented residents of Utah's in-state tuition reduction.
Sergeants-at-arms and a State Trooper asked the protestors to move out of the hallway into the foyer. (It is permissible to hand out leaflets in hallways, but not carry signs or hold a demonstration of two or more people).
Edvalson said they seemed unsure exactly what the rules were. "They seemed pretty nervous about the laws," she said.
Finally, a Trooper took them to the Capitol Preservation Board office, where board spokeswoman Allyson Gamble went over the rules with everyone. The protesters returned to the foyer free to continue their protest.
"The rules are new and people are wanting to make sure they are doing a good job," Gamble said of security's jitters. "I'm really pleased with how it went. We've spent a lot of time doing the right thing by the public."
The protest rules were rewritten after protesters took the state to court last year when they were barred from handling out leaflets. Lawmakers complained that some of the protest material being handed out -- including photos of uninsured poor people with rotted teeth -- was offensive.
Donnelson might say the same thing about the Progressive Network's placards, which read: "Racists should not get in-state tuition, be child-care providers, have driving privileges -- and racists should not be legislators."
-- Glen Warchol
12:42 PM
| 
3 Comments:
Why do we have to resort to name calling. the kids working with the Progressive Network learned two lessons: first, it's okay to slur someone you disagree with; second, if you do so the news media will portray it as "free" speech, when it's really irresponsible speech.
Like an 'inconvenient truth',
"irresponsible" depends on if your ox is being gored. I think it hit the nail on the head, square on.... inconvenient, but TRUE!
It was really interesting for those of us in the lobby watching the goings-on to note that the 2 teens misspelled racist as "rasist" and then had to cross out the first "s" and make it a "c". Maybe they should have been in school learning to spell instead of skipping school to protest.
Post a Comment
<< Home