| Username |
Post |
| suva chintak |
Posted
on 05-Mar-03 09:39 PM
Interesting interpretation of the right to free expression in New York!
NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A lawyer was arrested late Monday and charged with trespassing at a public mall in the state of New York after refusing to take off a T-shirt advocating peace that he had just purchased at the mall.
According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, Stephen Downs was wearing a T-shirt bearing the words "Give Peace A Chance" that he had just purchased from a vendor inside the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, near Albany.
"I was in the food court with my son when I was confronted by two security guards and ordered to either take off the T-shirt or leave the mall," said Downs.
When Downs refused the security officers' orders, police from the town of Guilderland were called and he was arrested and taken away in handcuffs, charged with trespassing "in that he knowingly enter(ed) or remain(ed) unlawfully upon premises," the complaint read.
Downs said police tried to convince him he was wrong in his actions by refusing to remove the T-shirt because the mall "was like a private house and that I was acting poorly.
"I told them the analogy was not good and I was then hauled off to night court where I was arraigned after pleading not guilty and released on my own recognizance," Downs told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Downs is the director of the Albany Office of the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which investigates complaints of misconduct against judges and can admonish, censure or remove judges found to have engaged in misconduct.
Calls to the Guilderland police and district attorney, Anthony Cardona and to officials at the mall were not returned for comment.
Downs is due back in court for a hearing on March 17.
He could face up to a year in prison if convicted.
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| mickthesick |
Posted
on 05-Mar-03 10:06 PM
dude........everything moves on a circle as Lord Buddha said.........so this incident proves are we are returning to the monkey age again.....
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| SITARA |
Posted
on 05-Mar-03 10:51 PM
:( It's awful and awe-ful!; Land of the free and home of the brave! PEACE is the Dividing Line!
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| PremPujari |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 10:13 AM
dayummmm Suva-chintak,
Crossgates is the place where I hang out most of the time. I can't believe they did that. There must be something more to the story, coz I, myself, have seen people roaming around in the mall with those kinds of t-shirts on. But, if he was arrested for T-shirt with "Give peace a chance" slogan, then I have enough reason to be paranoid and petrified.
Do 'old navy', 'ae', 'a&f', 'gap' have something to do with peace?? If yes, then its about time I used my black marker!!!
(one thing I am still wondering, Monday was one of the coldest days in Albany. Crossgates mall is never that warm that you can roam around in your T's -- atleast not in the foodcourt. What the freak that dude was doing there on his t-shirt?? jyaaket bhitra tshirt laa hola.) khoi!!!
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| Poonte |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 10:23 AM
Ke re??????????????????????????? simply unbelievable!
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 10:39 AM
T-Shirt used to a political statement? Not a new phenomenon..
Now, I am wondering: What if the guy had "give peace a chance tattoed on his arm?
Would they make him cut his arm? Just wondering.
Too much of yela today..
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| PremPujari |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 10:52 AM
Iso, You are right haha!!
"Yela" ko guff garyo, euta "yela" ko kura bhanchu hai!!!
Isolated Freak got beaten up by Sauni, Sauni ko husband and Sauni ki chori, when he went to their Rakshi-Bhatti and asked for Rakshi.
Why?
Coz he said, "Sauni, aiila-byuu!!"
(bujhis??? get some help from your Newar Friends)
PremP!!
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 11:09 AM
PP, newar tole ma hurkya ho.. tyatti nabujhne ma hoina.. plus, i don't like it when people who don't know me address "ta". either tapai or YOU..bujhis? opppss bujhnu bhyo?
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| PremPujari |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 11:16 AM
LOL,
Actually, bujhibakshish bhanya ho, typo bhayera bujhis bhayecha.
Rishaani Maaf hazur!!! Mero duita syaano syaano bachcha haru chainnan!!
Aaaudo Dashai ma Pure Humlaa ko Shyaau ko Marbha Pesh garchu, hazur ko paau-posh ma!! Ahile, Piiik-dan lieee bakshiyos, ani thuki bakshiyos, Rish lai!!!
phew!!!
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| whine and chij |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 11:53 AM
so, how many iraqis were allowed to exercise their right to free expression recently in hyde park? typical double-standard of the how-dare-your-criticize-the-critics crowd.
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| whine and chij |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 11:55 AM
and exactly how much "jail time" did the protestor "get" before he was even sentenced, sc? "faces" is what you should've said.
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| suva chintak |
Posted
on 06-Mar-03 11:57 AM
Seeing how restrictive it can get here,
I think if our great human rights stalwarts like Padmaratna, Pahadi, Sushil Pyakurel, Chintan were to come here and set up shop, they would do a roaring business! Maybe these guys could even lobby the US govt to set up a National Human Rights Commission for the US!
The only problem is whether the US govt would still pay these guys if they were to come to do human right thing in the land of the free and the home of the brave!
What is good for the goose is not good for the gander?
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