"About My Arrest for Telling Senator Feinstein to Be Ashamed"

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/28744

About My Arrest for Telling Senator Feinstein to Be Ashamed
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2007-11-15 15:44. Nonviolent Resistance

By Jes Richardson

I LOVE CALIFORNIA! When I was fourteen, Billy Williams moved to the west coast with his family. He came back two years later with the longest hair I had ever seen on a guy. "If they let you do that in California, I want to live there," I thought to myself ... and now I do. I appreciate everything California stands for ... freedom, acceptance, compassion, and love. On Tuesday Dianne Feinstein trashed all of that.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve the nomination of Michael B. Mukasey as our next Attorney General. The vote was 11 to 8 ... Feinstein and Schumer joined the Republicans on the committee to send him to the floor of the Senate for a "probable" confirmation next week. As part of his testimony to Congress last week, Mukasey refused to define waterboarding as torture. You be the judge ... this is waterboarding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaQ1Eryjq9I

I held up a sign in the hearing room that read Shame as Senator Feinstein explained her position ... Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It was the, "I really believe that this man is going to be an independent breath of fresh air," that pushed me over the edge. When she finished, I yelled,"Shame on you Senator! Shame on you! I'm from California ..." Five policemen grabbed me roughly from behind and before I knew it I was straddling a table in the hall. Click here to see what happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBujJVKrzCY

I was booked and released from jail in a little over three hours. Feeling just a little incomplete, I went to Feinstein's office to talk with her. She wasn't in, so I left her this letter:

Dear Senator Feinstein,
I was the person arrested in the hearing room today. The police pulled me out so quickly, I didn't have a chance to finish what I wanted to say.
As you know, I was able to get out,"Shame on you Senator, Shame on you. I live in California ..."
I want to finish by saying how ANGRY your constituents are with your vote today. I'm sure you have an explanation for what you've done, but in the eyes of the world you condone waterboarding and torture.
Many of us feel you have betrayed the democrats on the Judiciary Committee, democrats in general, and Californians.
I never thought I'd say this, but I am ashamed to be a Californian.
Peace.
Jes Richardson

[monmouth]

1. I declare you my new hero. Good for you Jes.

[peacetalksforall]

2. Bravo. It's awful to 'know' that you have figured out the truth and that

the person you rely on has/must have cut a deal with the barons/corporations/war mongers.

Where is her conscience at?

To want what Cheney wants is a horrible legacy.

[roxnev]

15. Warmonger

Feinstein and her husband are, real war mongers. They have made millions off the war

[TahitiNut]

25. I think a LOT of folks, even DUers, don't recognize what "MONGER" means.

It's a word we see rarely, usually only in combination with another word like 'fear' or 'war.' Briefly ...

monger - someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold

So, it's quite literally about peddling - selling (and making a living by) something. War mongers and war profiteering are synonymous. We are awash with both warmongers and fearmongers in our government today ... those who'd benefit from war, fear, and all manner of human misery.

There is NO MORE CORRUPT an orientation, imho, than profiteering from human misery. It is the mose debased of human proclivities, imho. I regard such people as even more despicable than child molesters and rapists. Nothing could be worse than those whose appetites for human death and suffering are insatiable.

[peacetalksforall]

27. I absolutely agree with you about benefiting. She appears to be a monger. The truth hurts, really

hurts. Yes, worse than molesters and rapists - at least they didn't leave massacres and destroyed bridges, nor did they create exiles and poverty and fourth world living conditions. The truth really hurts.

Thanks for the background.

I'd like to repeat my standard add-on - stockholders are also to blame when there is 100% free choice in selection of investment.

[Spiffarino]

31. Agreed, though I would put them on par with rapists and molesters

They all cause serious harm that affects many people. The difference is that the crime of warmongering is completely impersonal. There is zero thought given to the victims; it's merely business. Rape and molestation are viciously personal. Both are equally disgusting.

[AuntPatsy]

3. Whats truly shameful is that those like Feinstien no longer care what the average

citizens thinks or feels, I have no doubt the letter will more than likely find itself in the trash can along with all those other letters that represent outrage.

He stood alone that day so was easily silenced, people should begin protecting such individuals, surround them with a wall of protection from those that wish to silence our outrage.

A sad day in America when the police that are sworn to protect American citizens have allowed themselves to become the enemy of the people.

[Cha]

4. feinstein..the dino gift that keeps

on giving. When is she going to be stopped? Obviously, she can't stop herself.

[donsu]

5. thank you

awarding gold star of courage

[Blaze Diem]

6. Run for her Senate seat. You may win the race or you may lose it to

someone else, my dear patriot. BUT you will have caused a ripple effect among Californians who do not know the full degree of what Feinsteins vote in favor of Mukasey truely means.

You can validate the betrayal of Sen. Feinstein and the unamerican events of your day, by grabbing every public forum handed your way to educate the people of your state as to what THEIR SENATOR HAS DONE. What she stands for. She supports the United States of America as a Nation of torture. It is on record.
You are a person of peace.
Thanks for your brave determination & in your belief of America's freedom to speak and think.

[MzNov]

7. Wow. Thanks for your courage.

I couldn't be there in person, but my letter to her called her a Traitor and told her she should be ashamed. Oh well, at least in Gitmo I'll get some free medical services.

I hope the censure resolution goes thru, just for the embarrassment since it's worthless otherwise.

:grr: :grr:

[mmonk]

8. Way to get your word in.

:thumbsup:

[Ignis]

9. Thanks for trying, at least.

DiFi insulates herself pretty well from any sort of protest or disagreement in SF. She smiles and nods and carries on doing whatever the hell she wants anyway.

[Golden Raisin]

10. Good for you --- but the tragic reality

is our Senators and Representatives no longer give a shit about their constituencies other than relying on us to go into the voting booths and dutifully elect or return them to office. Feinstein, in particular, is a total disgrace, hypocrite and sellout.

[MrMickeysMom]

11. Can we confidently predict any verbal protest at a public hearings is a crime?

I'm sorry, I didn't see this happen earlier.

What made it a crime now?

[Swamp Rat]

12. Feinstein is not human.

[AikidoSoul]

13. I wish I could have been there with you

I emailed her via her site and received an auto-reply reserved for people from out-of-state. I can't remember what I told her, but to me what you did was much more effective.

There should have been MILLIONS of us by your side.

Kick and Rec



:patriot:

[ideagarden]

14. nice job

A letter or sign a day might keep the fascists at bay

keep up the good fight!

[fascisthunter]

16. She Can Wield The Law That Which Effects Lives

yet she cannot and will not tolerate criticism to her face. Come down from you high horse.

[Disturbed]

19. What was the charge?

Is holding a sign at a Congressional Hearing a Crime?

[fascisthunter]

24. Maybe Impoliteness

sickening isn't it?

[FREEWILL56]

20. We may have to break the legs of the horse to make it so.

[Joe Chi Minh]

17. Did I read somewhere that she had shares in the Carlyle Group?

Perhaps I'm mistaken. I know it would be difficult to maximise his/her profits if an investor tried to invest ethically, but surely Lucifer would have thought twice before investing their money in that crew.

[FREEWILL56]

18. It seems lucifer has many people on the inside making it a sure thing.

[lonestarnot]

21. She's been making her husband a comfortable man for sure.

[tbyg52]

22. Thank god for California

and I'm an atheist... ;)

[robertpaulsen]

23. As a fellow Californian, I've got three words for you, Jes.

MY FEELINGS EXACTLY!

[leftist_not_liberal]

26. K, R, & a Big Thank You Howdy

from Tejas, Jes.

It is amazing how democracy really looks on those rare occasions when we actually see it in practice. Bravo.

[mmm413]

28. About my arrest

When are people in Congress going to start listening to their constituents again? Get the consultants out of the way. Unfortunately for me, I live in Texas. I've got Hutchison (older than dirt) and Cornyn (dumber than a post) to deal with. Whadday gonna do? Vote. Yell. Etc.

[NBachers]

29. Key Word: Constituents

For me, the key word in this post is "Constituents." In all my emails and faxes, I keep hammering the fact that Feinstein's "constituents" do not want Mukasey, they do not want waterboarding, they do not want torture, they do not want retroactive immunity for telcoms, or any other crooked Bush co-conspirators.

DiFi does not care what her constituents want. She does not represent them. She represents whoever's offering her the greatest personal advantage in spite of her constituents.

I live in San Francisco. I was walking so tall and proud for a short while there- Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein . . . now I feel bitterness, betrayal, sold out, and double-crossed.

I will follow Barbara Boxer to the end of my life, but Nancy and DiFi - I can't wait to campaign for their Democratic opponents in the next cycle.

It's too bad. I didn't have to be this way.

[Spiffarino]

32. I think DiFi is on her last term.

She's fallen into "Let them eat cake" mode, just like Baby Bush. Neither is running for anything any more and just want to feather their nests.

Feinstein: The new Joementum.

[Peggy Day]

45. No kidding-she will be like 80 in 2012 (at least)

I don't think she cares. She will be there for a long time. I have called her office,and they seem so smug in her position. It seems like "With friends like these....."

[defendandprotect]

30. Thank you for doing this --- for all of us . .. .

Feinstein should be ashamed and I hope that California succeeds in making this clear to her ---
I hope we all will!

[Canuckistanian]

33. Feinstein is the new Lieberman, it seems

I sincerely hope that Californians come to their senses and vote this quisling out.

[Triana]

34. Cheers for Jes

I think another poster had a GREAT idea! Run for her seat, Jes!

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sakabatou]

36. I'm voting her out

Even though my mother keeps insisting she'll not change her vote because "she'll protect Israel," or something like that :eyes:

[Maryland Liberal]

37. The Bigger question is ...

Do we keep DIFI cuz she a SENIOR Dem Senator - with all the privliges that entails - or do we run PROGRESSIVE against her - and have a clear conscience. I vote for the latter.

[Tresalisa]

38. I just want to say thank you

for speaking up! Puzzled as to why you were arrested, though?

[libodem]

39. Thanks for being a stand up guy, Jes

We should help with a legal fund. Is the ACLU busy or are they too busy defending, Larry Craig?

[WheelWalker]

40. They can't arrest us all, and even if they could, the time for

quiet self-reserve has long passed.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

42. The spirit is alive...

Nice move Jes, Thanks for expressing yourself. My feeling towards her action are the same.

[Vilis Veritas]

43. A big thank you to Jes...

Peace.

[Arugula Latte]

44. Too bad that traitorous piece of crap doesn't come up for re-election until 2012

I'm hoping this is her last term. She infuriates me.

[grasswire]

46. good on the videographer!

thanks for your service to democracy