Arch Arthur: Re: Portland Iraq War Demonstration
Contributed by Bill Faith
In response to the piece of crap below the fold Arch wrote: Mister Mayor:
At Gathering of Eagles in Washington DC, we had 30,000 pro-victory veterans and 10,000 anti-war demonstrators exercising their first amendment rights and no one saw fit to defecate on the American Flag or burn a US Soldier or in effigy. The act of burning an effigy is symbolic. It is meant to diminish the target's value and make it easier for followers to move from symbolic to actual harm. If someone burned an effigy of a drag queen or a black police officer, would you call it hate speech? Would you permit the KKK to burn a cross in front of city hall? Where does your administration draw the line?
If the young man pictured defiling the flag was arrested, his identity should be made available to the public. This "tiny band of anarchists" has succeeded in attracting attention. Are they associated with the Black Bloc, WWP, ANSWER, Code Pink, or some other identifiable group?
I assure you that the country is indeed focused on the real issues facing our country. The question is, "Is Portland?"
Arch Arthur
Office of Mayor Tom Potter
City of Portland
On Sunday, March 18th, as many as 20,000 people gathered in Portland to protest the continuing war in Iraq. Almost all were both peaceful and respectful of our young men and women in service, and concerned about the future of our country. I spoke to the crowd, as did a number of elected officials, and expressed our gratitude for the troops.
Unfortunately, a few media personalities have focused on the activity of a small handful whose actions at the end of the afternoon are protected as free speech under Oregon's Constitution, in much the same way that burning the flag is protected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Portland police have monitored the protests closely, and made arrests when appropriate.
It is also important to recognize that the intent of this tiny band of anarchists is to provoke a strong response and generate attention. I would hope most people will continue to focus on the real issues facing our country, and not the actions of a minority or the media circus that feeds off them. Though I do not support our military's presence in Iraq, I do support our troops and wish them all a safe return home.
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