Where is the Apology?
3/3/11 – President Obama – On February 18 I wrote to you about the the double standard of arresting peaceful protester Ray McGovern simply because he turned his back on Hillary Clinton as she gave a speech. Government thugs wrestled him to the ground and dragged him from the room. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. That illegal charge was dropped om March 2, but where is the public apology?
Following the dropping of the charge, Ray McGovern made the following statement, “The Constitution lives. I am hugely grateful for the widespread condemnation of the brutal treatment I encountered two weeks ago for exercising my First Amendment rights. It strikes me as an empowering example of what we can do together in standing for Justice and against the violence of war. If Defense Secretary Robert Gates is spared arrest when he acknowledges the folly of committing U.S. troops to a land war in Asia, we too should be spared arrest and brutality at the hands of those for whom the Constitution is merely a piece of paper.”
On Democracy Now Mr. McGovern had this to say, "I was standing up in silent witness to the fact that Hillary Clinton is responsible, partly responsible, for countless thousands of Iraqis, Americans, Afghans and, God help us, Iranians—I hope not—and that she should not get the idea that everybody is going to sit down and applaud politely when there are so many of us that are usually excluded from these sessions who are feeling very, very, very sad and very angry at the foreign policy of our government."
Shame on you Mr. President for not speaking out in support of Mr. McGovern's right to free speech. Shame on Secretary Clinton for not speaking up when his Constitutional Rights were violated in front of her own eyes. Shame on the American Government for continuing to maintain a double standard when it comes to free speech.
Thomas Daly
Retired California Newspaper Publisher
www.tomasdaly.com