# George "Yellowcake" Bush Uses Palace Guard to Crush Dissent **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 19, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583 "2003-07-19T15:10:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/1 "2003-07-19T15:10:21Z")
In yet another attack on the Bill of Rights designed to quell growing dissent, Dubya has decreed that it is illegal to mount a protest against his administration in his presence: [Bush Protester Faces Charges in S.C.](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=19&u=/ap/protester_arrested) > [@](#): > > \*\*A lawyer for a local activist charged with refusing to leave a restricted area during a visit by President Bush last fall says the Bush administration is trying to make criticizing the president a crime. > > In a motion filed Friday, Brett Bursey’s attorney included testimony from a Michigan case to boost his argument that the U.S. Secret Service unfairly pushes protesters hundreds of yards away from the president while allowing supporters to line Bush’s route. > > [snip] > > The issue isn’t security, said Bursey, pointing out that the Michigan arrest happened before the 2001 terrorist attacks. “They want no photo opportunity that would show the president in a bad light,” he said. > > Bursey, who held a sign that said “No War for Oil,” contends other people with signs favoring Bush were allowed to stay in the area. > > “The Secret Service is being used as a palace guard … to make sure there are no protesters against him near him,” Bursey said.\*\* Should the President be allowed to use security as a fig leaf to suppress dissent and corral peaceful demonstrators hundreds of yard aways from his appearances, while allowing only supporters to surround him? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/2 "2003-07-19T15:19:38Z")
Here’s another thread about Mr Bursey’s prosecution: [Is Someone Being an Ass Or Is This Legitimate Prosecution?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=192950&highlight=prosecution) Here’s the link to the story from that thread, which is a Pit thread. > **[In defence of elderly hippies](https://www.economist.com/united-states/2003/06/19/in-defence-of-elderly-hippies)** > > The Justice Department doesn't seem to know when to stop Unless there’re some unreported extenuating circumstances this guy was just standing in a crowd of people, many who were also holding signs. But if there are extenuating circumstances of some sort, why not charge him with whatever charges are relevant to those? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/3 "2003-07-19T15:21:11Z")
Whoever made the decision, (it may have been a Bush-handler and not Bush), is unAmerican. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/4 "2003-07-19T15:28:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Should the President be allowed to use security as a fig leaf to suppress dissent and corral peaceful demonstrators hundreds of yard aways from his appearances, while allowing only supporters to surround him? Yes. Sorry, just kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/5 "2003-07-19T18:33:54Z")
I’d devote a heck of a lot more consideration to your OP if it’s title hadn’t included the incredibly gratutitous and irrelevant “yellowcake”. Your OP also makes the unsupported assertion that Bush was directly responsible for deciding to prosecute Bursey. The best you can really say is that someone in the Bush administration is (admittedly) being an asshole and wasting taxpayer’s money on a prosecution that has no intrinisc merit. Given the bad publicity that’s going to result, and the potential mileage that political foes of the Bush Administration could get out if it (if they had any brains), I’m actually sort of surprised that person or persons responsible hasn’t gotten his ass kicked. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/6 "2003-07-19T18:50:02Z")
I don’t know who initiated it, but Ashcroft has refused to stop it despite the involvment of various Congressmen. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/7 "2003-07-19T18:50:52Z")
Well, howzabout “Landslide George”? Or “Commander Bunnypants”? Or my own personal favorite, “Fearless Misleader”? The difficulty is in coming up with an appellation that carries the exactly nuanced degree of respect to which he is entitled. Perhaps you have a suggestion? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/8 "2003-07-19T18:57:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Perhaps you have a suggestion? Yeah. Just write “Bush” and trust us to mentally compose any sarcastic appellation his name may elicit. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/9 "2003-07-19T19:35:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > \*\*Well, howzabout “Landslide George”? Or “Commander Bunnypants”? Or my own personal favorite, “Fearless Misleader”? The difficulty is in coming up with an appellation that carries the exactly nuanced degree of respect to which he is entitled. Perhaps you have a suggestion? \*\* ``` If you start out a debate with an epithet, it is the equivalent of writing "this is an * ad hominem * argument". Most people will decide that the poster is immature or biased and discount what they have to say. This is not to say that the immature and biased don't occasionally have a point (even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes) but that's not the way to bet. ``` If your argument has merit, you don’t need the “not nearly as clever as you think” appellations. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/10 "2003-07-19T19:54:30Z")
Not to weigh in on the name debate going on here… IF the Shrub’s handlers ARE preventing him from seeing there are people in disagreement with what he’s done/is doing then both the handlers and the president are being very, very foolish. IF there is dissent you need to know about it, not suppress it. And if they refuse to look at it but continue on their current course they may be very very surprised come November of 2004 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/11 "2003-07-19T20:23:45Z")
I dont think its so much a matter of keeping the Occupant from unpleasant cognition so much as keeping such signs of dissent from the TV cameras. The image of approval and grateful solidarity is almost as important as the fact. All this talk of intelligence errors and so on has distracted the media from the real political threat: the growing discontent and frustration amongst our soldiers and most especially amongst thier homeside spouses and relatives. A sign saying “President Bush, you suck!” is one thing. A sign saying “Why isn’t my son home yet?” is quite another. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/12 "2003-07-19T23:31:42Z")
Can anyone supply the origin of the term “Bush League?” _Oops. Did I mispost that here?_ ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/13 "2003-07-19T23:59:05Z")
It’s curious why the public hasn’t risen up in anger. Why aren’t Bush’s approval numbers at an all-time low for a President, given the reckless idiocy the OP describes? Hmmm? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/14 "2003-07-20T01:16:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*It’s curious why the public hasn’t risen up in anger. Why aren’t Bush’s approval numbers at an all-time low for a President, given the reckless idiocy the OP describes? > > Hmmm? \*\* Whe have Bush’s approval ratings been lower? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/15 "2003-07-20T05:42:07Z")
While I think that these actions are shameful and possibly illegal, “crushing dissent” and similar descriptions are inaccurate. There’s a big difference between hunting down critcs and prosecuting them, and prosecuting a critic that sought **you** out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/16 "2003-07-20T05:58:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\*While I think that these actions are shameful and possibly illegal, “crushing dissent” and similar descriptions are inaccurate. There’s a big difference between hunting down critcs and prosecuting them, and prosecuting a critic that sought **you** out. \*\* Since dissenting speech is protected in both cases, I can’t imagine what difference you thinking of. Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/17 "2003-07-20T06:18:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*It’s curious why the public hasn’t risen up in anger. Why aren’t Bush’s approval numbers at an all-time low for a President, given the reckless idiocy the OP describes? > > Hmmm? \*\* Hmmm, seems to be [falling fast](http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=721). ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/18 "2003-07-20T06:45:42Z")
I guess it hasn’t occurred to anyone that the Secret Service might be keeping a secure zone around the president for a reason? I mean, Bush is probably the #1 terrorist target in the world. So some yahoo decides to bust through the secure perimeter in order to protest, and he gets busted. Is there no one here willing to say that maybe these wild claims of stifling of speech are just a little overblown? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/19 "2003-07-20T06:56:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I mean, Bush is probably the #1 terrorist target in the world. So some yahoo decides to bust through the secure perimeter in order to protest, and he gets busted. \*\* Read the OP again. Only those with dissenting views were kept away. Bush supporters were allowed within the perimeter. If the intent was to screen out terrorists, it was pretty stupid. All a terrorist had to do was wave a flag and say “God Bless George” and they would have a front row seat. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583/20 "2003-07-20T07:02:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*Is there no one here willing to say that maybe these wild claims of stifling of speech are just a little overblown? \*\* I guess you could do that yourself, **Sam**. All you’d need to do would be to refute the defence case that other protesters with signs favorable to Bush were allowed to stay, or else provide some other evidence that Bursey’s behaviour was in some way threatening to the president, beyond the mere presence of the “No War For Oil” sign. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-yellowcake-bush-uses-palace-guard-to-crush-dissent/189583.md?page=2)