# Is Ashcroft going to far? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193 "2003-09-22T22:37:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/1 "2003-09-22T22:37:20Z")
> [@](#): > > BRETT BURSEY will be back in court again, fighting the forces of reaction, on June 24th. The veteran protester was arrested last October for trespassing at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport as he held a sign (“No War for Oil”) while waiting for George Bush to arrive. > **[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 Bussey refused to be moved to a “free speech zone” well away from where Bush was spealing. As is said in the article I thought all of America was a free speech zone. What good is protesting when the person you are protesting can’t see it? Why is Ashcroft pursueing this? Is he trying to stifle the growing protests against him and the Bush admin? Is he trying to make Bush think there are no protesters? He is definately out of line here. The man was no threat. Other than to ideas. Should the DOJ continue to prosecute this man or lrt the charges drop as the state has done? ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/2 "2003-09-22T22:54:13Z")
The idea of “Free Speech Zones” makes me laugh, then cry. As for the OP, I think that if the Feds pursues this, it will go the SCoUS, then those loving conservative constitutionalist will over turn in the favor of Bussey. Right? I mean, we still have the right to peacefully assembly right? It is in the constitution, ya know, the one Bush swore to uphold. Right? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/3 "2003-09-22T23:11:22Z")
Not materially further than the [last time we discussed this guy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=198791) ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/4 "2003-09-22T23:18:17Z")
My apo;ogies…I guess I didn’t see through the threads title to get the gist. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/5 "2003-09-22T23:22:32Z")
Heh. Apology accepted, as long as you promise to work a little on your own thread titles. “Is Ashcroft going too far” is a little broad, no? 🙂 And the to/too thing grates a bit. A little typographic carelessness in the body of a thread is to be expected in a forum as fast-moving as this one, but one can take the time to get the title right. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/6 "2003-09-23T20:46:08Z")
> [@](#): > > [Anti-Bush protesters sue Secret Service](http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/09/23/protest.lawsuit.ap/index.html) > > The American Civil Liberties Union asked the federal courts Tuesday to prevent the U.S. Secret Service from keeping anti-Bush protesters far away from presidential appearances while allowing supporters to display their messages up close. > > The civil liberties group filed the lawsuit in federal court in Pennsylvania on behalf of four advocacy organizations that claimed that the Secret Service forced them into protest zones or other areas where they could not be seen by President Bush or Vice President Dick Cheney or be noticed by the media covering their visits. > . . . > The ACLU complaint lists several incidents where protesters were forced to assemble blocks away from where the president or vice president was speaking, while supporters of the administration’s policy could hold their signs up in front of the building. They cited examples across the country, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Columbia, South Carolina; Phoenix, Arizona; Stockton, California; and St. Louis, Missouri. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/7 "2003-09-23T22:48:39Z")
In the USA, we have the right to exercise freedom of speech by marching down the street. We also have to get a parade permit to do so without being charged for obstructing traffic. There is some justification for “zones”, but only if that justification is that they are necessary to keep exercise of free speech from becoming a free-for-all brawl. If it is merely to keep Prezziepoo from being heckled on camera, then there is no justification. Anyway, any US president worth a damn since after WWII was heckled on camera plenty of times. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/8 "2003-09-24T12:04:17Z")
**Reeder,** At the risk of being nit picky I think you’re missing a letter in your current thread title, possibly a “t”. On the security thing, you should be aware that the President of the US is the elected God King for the duration of his term and no one who could possibly injure him with any implement of destruction or harsh language can be permitted within earshot of him. I would be inclined to blame the super cautious Secret (although amazingly visible) Service for this peculiar response to elements who wish to exhibit their displeasure with the current Prez. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/9 "2003-09-24T12:51:26Z")
Injure him with harsh language? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/10 "2003-09-24T12:57:15Z")
**sailor,** Yes, harsh language. has no one ever made vaseline jokes in your presence, or cast aspersions at your nautical hat? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/11 "2003-09-24T13:38:29Z")
Is Ashcroft going too far? Does a bear shit in the Pope’s hat? Of course he’s going too far. He’s a dangerous zealot that must be stopped. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/12 "2003-09-24T19:24:04Z")
“Bested by a dead man, he takes his revenge on the living!”:eek: ---
**Author:** ![terd\_ferguson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@terd\_ferguson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terd_ferguson)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ashcroft-going-to-far/203193/13 "2003-09-25T07:38:14Z")
You know, it is late and all, and I have been caught in the clutches of a neat book so I have been reading a lot today you see. So the eyes are a bit blurry right now. I thought the question mark was a ‘t’. I am not bright.