Some Congratulations to DUer KarenDC! Protest at Senate Hearing today

[TayTay]

DUer KarenDC and other passionate people who actually care aobut the US Constitution and the rule of law in the US, attended the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing dressed in orange jump suits and each had a letter of the phrase, "No Torture" on their backs. (Our KarenDC was the middle 'T'!) They stood up and were very visible to Chairman Specter, Sen. Leahy and Sen. Cornyn. (Well, Sen. Leahy smiled at them. Cornyn apparently was rattled that anyone would dare question the government on what it wants to do.)

This rattled Chairman Arlen Specter who in the words of this DKos posts whined:

Specter on the protestors (7+ / 0-)

There are persons here who have been rude and disrespectful, have made every effort to goad the chair into tossing them... for you to come here and stand up, you had your photo ops and tried very hard to be ousted when you spoke disrespectfully to Sen Cornyn, do not consider your conduct the precedent for what we will do in these hearings. As chairman, I will do what I can to minimize your intrusion, and that is to ignore you.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/25/94243/4687

Way to go KarenDC. Tell everyone there I send my profound thanks for standing up for the right of Habeas Corpus and the rights of prisoners to a fair trial.

You rock and you speak for me!

This was KarenDC's response on her live-blog to Specter:

We are out of there (7+ / 0-)
Recommended by: pb, RunawayRose, rabel, javelina, lilnubber, annefrank, danmanvan
No one was arrested. I chose the silent protest, although there was much to say.

PLEASE everyone who was here today. We must support the democracy and the truth. Make those calls and send those letters.

It truly matters.

Do not be blase.

Be strong and purposeful.

The least I can do is call my Senators. Thanks for taking this brave stand today.

[fedupinBushcountry]

1. K&R

This will be on C-pan 2 at 1 p.m. Way to go Karen, excellent job.

:kick:

[Jack Rabbit]

2. You go, girl!!

!!

[TayTay]

3. KarenDC said she is trying to get a podcast interview

with Attorney Sullivan. I'll post directions when it goes up.

This action was just wonderful today. Cornyn, at one point, was even thrown off his RW talking points because of a protester. (Geez, I thought nothing got through the Repub programming. What a moment!)

[rodeodance]

4. yah HO>

[BootinUp]

5. Thanks for standing up KarenDC!

ITs so important.

[kentuck]

6. Bravo!

Way to go!

[rodeodance]

7. Specter"---and that is to ignore you.-----yup, ignore the citizens!

[TayTay]

8. Picture from AP:

Demonstrators wearing orange shirts spelling out 'No Torture' stand in protest during witness testimony at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Sept. 25, 2006 titled 'Examining Proposals to Limit Guantanamo Detainees' Access to Habeas Corpus Review'. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Available at www.yahoo.com

Gawd you folks are beautiful.

[mcscajun]

9. Great photos! Thanks for posting these.

:)

[Pithy Cherub]

18. Grace and Just plain BEAUTIFUL!

:bounce: I love this! Thank you so much for posting those!

[TayTay]

20. I agree.

Wasn't it Murrow who said, "We are not descended from timid men," in his speech about McCarthyism back in the 50's. Hmmmm, I see a bunch of kick-ass women there. I don't think we are descended from timid women either.

This was just wonderful! Congratulations to all!

[blm]

10. WAY TO GO, Karen!!!!! You speak for me, too!

.

[donsu]

11. awarding gold stars and much appreciation

nt

[TayTay]

12. KarenDC has a website up with info on how to help contact Senators

From the DKos diary:

Karen,

I added links for action/contact/phone numbers to your post at the Democracy Cell Project.

It should be downright EASY for people to take action. NOW.Democracy Cell Project. http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/archives/2006/09/torture_cameras.html

Hope that helps. Also, please note: The Dem Policy Committee doesn't have their livestream link working yet.

[KoKo]

13. Thanks for the "Heads Up!" n/t

[karynnj]

14. fantastic!

[Synnical]

15. That so rocks!

K&R

:kick:

[riona]

16. Excuse me Mr. Chairman -

That "INTRUSION" was DEMOCRACY!!

:patriot:

[Pithy Cherub]

17. You GO Girl!

:yourock: No torture!

[TayTay]

19. Transcript of what Sen. Specter said to the protestors

SPECTER: Well, thank you very much, gentlemen, for coming in today. Thank you, Senator Leahy and Senator Cornyn.

We will note the presence of people in this room who have been disrespectful and rude, and have made every effort to goad the chair into ousting them.

And I have restrained from doing that because it would cause more attention than simply by ignoring them.

But you are rude, you are disrespectful. This hearing has been held very much to promote the interests which you are articulating. And for you to come here and to stand up and you had your photo-op and then you turned around and you had your photo-op and you turned around again and had your photo-op, and tried very hard to be ousted when you spoke up, disrespectfully, to Senator Cornyn -- do not consider that your conduct is a precedent for what we will do in these hearings.

As the chairman, I will do what I can to minimize your intrusion, and that is by ignoring you.

************

Priceless. You rude people you. Why can't you sit meekly and quietly while we pull Habeas Corpus away. Honestly, it's only a right that has existed in English/American law for centuries. Why the big fuss? Honestly, that's hardly Senatorial conduct.

Bwaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

[ProSense]

21. What a tool! n/t

[KansDem]

23. "...and that is by ignoring you"

That's why they're there, Arlen! That's why they're there!

And by telling them you will ignore them, you acknowledged them! :rofl:

[bigbrother05]

32. I was listening at the time

spector seemed shaken, you could hear it in his voice.
I loved it.
You go ladies

[grizmaster]

22. congrats and thanks for your speaking for us all

[karendc]

24. you are all beautiful too!

Seriously, I do not know what we could do without all of you!

TayTay, thanks for picking up the thread and sharing it here.

Everyone, this is the moment and we are the ones we have been waiting for. CALL. Call every damn Senate and House office. Tell them NO to torture!

I cannot even find words to express how much Mr. Sullivan, Admiral Hutson, and Mr. Fein touched me. These are the patriots.

As some of you know, I just finished a play in NYC, "Fear Up: Stories from Baghdad and Guantanamo." The testimony today reflected the truth of this horror of an administration. FIVE years!! These innocent people are being held for over FIVE YEARS!

Mr. Sullivan gave me a copy of his background materials which we read out loud at lunch. It includes the transcripts of Tribunals at GITMO. You will not BELIEVE the absurdity and incompetence that permeates these transcripts. The detainees themselves express their incredulity. It explains how absurd the entire war has been.

We absolutely must get going this week. WE have to stop this, and NOW.

[MsKandice01]

25. THANK YOU!!

I only wish I could have been there to join you.

[cadmium]

30. Thanks for sure

Great work!

[blm]

29. Karen, we are behind this 100% - unfortunately the issue's getting buried

by other trumped up news stories. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[calimary]

26. They've already done more than enough to put these brave souls

AND ALL THE REST OF US, TOO, FOR THAT MATTER, on ignore.

The least I can do, too, is call my senators. Which I just did.

Point One: They work for ME.

Point Two: They're spending MY tax dollars (which also pay their salaries).

Point Three: As their employer, I DO NOT want MY tax dollars going toward funding torture, the torturers who use such tactics in my name, OR providing legal "cover" for the war criminals they serve.

[POAS]

27. It must have been torturous for Arlen to see Democracy

up close and personal.

[southern_belle]

28. Congrats KarenDC

Great job. :patriot:

I would recommend, but I keep getting a message saying I don't have enough posts... :eyes:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

31. Yay!

:yourock:

[flyarm]

33. THANK YOU KARENDC!! YOU SPEAK FOR ME..AND I HAVE CALLED

EVERY SENATOR ON THE COMMITTEE AND MINE AS WELL!!

thank you dear!!

fly

[Stockholm]

34. People powered politics!

I am proud to K&R.

Good job KarenDC

[pecwae]

35. KarenDC's actions and words

speak for me! She's awesome and stands up when others of us cannot or will not. She took the time to ensure that I was reaquainted with a much revered officer I served in the Army with - COL Ann Wright. Karen, I owe you and am grateful for all you do.

[_dynamicdems]

36. This is absolutely awesome!

Thank you Karen and the rest of the brave patriots who are standing up for our democracy!

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

:yourock: :yourock:

[Vidar]

37. Good going, Karen.