Dancing Hippies at the Jefferson Memorial... what could go wrong w/ that?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

i don't disagree. but, the man needs to accept the consequences of his actions. lobby to change the law & you might get somewhere. be an idiot & go to jail.

You know - there was a Flash mob in London yesterday. Bunch of people turned up and started singing at Trafalgar Square. It made the news, noone got arrested.

Sometimes it pays to let people have their harmless fun, rather than behave like a power-crazed jerk.

[Vi-Jay 218]

And before you go off on some silly tangent about other laws that have no bearing on this incident

Hey Mr. Assumption. Please don't steer my argument for me. Thank you Sunshine.

You asked me "how so?"

RP stood up to racist oppression and demanded the equality promised her by Mr. Lincoln.

These young adults are standing up for their right to group dance in a restricted area.

If you looked out your window and saw a man taking a ####### on your yard, would you repress his freedom to sh!t?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I'll disagree with you. As stupid as the law is, if the penalty involves arrest, then the police may have been within their duty to arrest these dancers. However stupid the cops come out looking. This means the cops are justified in arresting them.

As long as its law with a clear and established legal foundation for an arrest.

With all the other crime going on in the DC area, I find it hilarious people would spend so much time focusing on the 'Constitutional' aspect of this as its most likely been happening since this country's foundation itself. Yet now that the antichrist himself is President, it all gets pretty pungent.

I tend to follow these stories pretty carefully. Does anyone remember the Lehigh story where police arrested a couple for not tipping?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'll disagree with you. As stupid as the law is, if the penalty involves arrest, then the police may have been within their duty to arrest these dancers. However stupid the cops come out looking. This means the cops are justified in arresting them.

As long as its law with a clear and established legal foundation for an arrest.

With all the other crime going on in the DC area, I find it hilarious people would spend so much time focusing on the 'Constitutional' aspect of this as its most likely been happening since this country's foundation itself. Yet now that the antichrist himself is President, it all gets pretty pungent.

I doubt it - the police do have discretion, they're not obliged to arrest people for breaking some weird by-law.

It's not that the "no dancing" thing would be immediately obvious to anyone visiting the monument - that if they move feet and arms in a certain way that they might end up in the cells. Presumably there are large, clear signs that explicitly state what actions can and can't take place around that monument - presumably dancing is somewhere in the small print, beneath litter throwing, public sex and urination.

Hey Mr. Assumption. Please don't steer my argument for me. Thank you Sunshine.

You asked me "how so?"

RP stood up to racist oppression and demanded the equality promised her by Mr. Lincoln.

These young adults are standing up for their right to group dance in a restricted area.

If you looked out your window and saw a man taking a ####### on your yard, would you repress his freedom to sh!t?

Where you're going wrong is that you've mistaken a general point of principle for an explicit comparison.

[Vi-Jay 218]

Possibly - but there are plenty of examples out there about dubious laws that make no sense.

Connecticut

Town records may not be kept where liquor is sold.

Michigan

It is illegal to kill a dog using a decompression chamber.

No man may seduce and corrupt an unmarried girl, or else he risks five years in prison.

New Hampshire

It is illegal to pick seaweed up off of the beach.

Arizona

A class 2 misdemeanor occurs if one places a mark upon a flag which is “likely to provoke physical retaliation”.

New Jersey

It is illegal to wear a bullet-proof vest while committing a murder.

Washington

X-rays may not be used to fit shoes.

And before you go off on some silly tangent about other laws that have no bearing on this incident

#######??

[Zero Sum 305]

I tend to follow these stories pretty carefully. Does anyone remember the Lehigh story where police arrested a couple for not tipping?

Can't say I know of this story. Just plenty of times that some police officers have overstepped authority and laws that are designed to be abused. And they've been with us for ever. Its not some apocalyptic, totalitarian regime that is forming in Washington as we speak.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Examples of stupid laws - a sidenote to the main conversation. Apparently to everyone but you.

[Vi-Jay 218]

I doubt it - the police do have discretion, they're not obliged to arrest people for breaking some weird by-law.

It's not that the "no dancing" thing would be immediately obvious to anyone visiting the monument - that if they move feet and arms in a certain way that they might end up in the cells. Presumably there are large, clear signs that explicitly state what actions can and can't take place around that monument - presumably dancing is somewhere in the small print, beneath litter throwing, public sex and urination.

Where you're going wrong is that you've mistaken a general point of principle for an explicit comparison.

Let's romanticize it a bit.

Can a homeless man sh!t on your lawn?

[Zero Sum 305]

Presumably there are large, clear signs that explicitly state what actions can and can't take place around that monument - presumably dancing is somewhere in the small print, beneath litter throwing, public sex and urination.

That would clarify many things here.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Its not some apocalyptic, totalitarian regime that is forming in Washington as we speak.

It isn't. It's about some petty, low-level bureaucrats using their peanut of power for the sake of it. You get people like that everywhere - in banks, supermarkets, post-offices. This time - it's the police.

Edited May 31, 2011 by fishdude

[Zero Sum 305]

It isn't. It's about aome petty, low-level bureaucrats using their peanut of power. You get people like that everywhere - in banks, supermarkets, post-offices. This time - it's the police.

And for each instance we need an apocalyptic vision to guide the hysterical along their self-imposed silliness.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Let's romanticize it a bit.

Can a homeless man sh!t on your lawn?

[Vi-Jay 218]

[SMOKE 1,426]

Yes, clearly they were arrested for breaking a stupid law. But that doesn't justify the police arresting people for it.

Consider this - the fact that there is news coverage and articles about it (even this thread), the folks involved in this have gotten all the publicity they wanted. And the police come out of it looking pretty damn stupid.

i guess it a POV thing. i see the douche bag dancers looking stupid.

I wonder how many murders or how many rapes or how many cars were jacked during the time they were busting those terrorist dancers.

and the dancers should be ashamed of themselves if anyone was harmed while they played dumbass games

You know - there was a Flash mob in London yesterday. Bunch of people turned up and started singing at Trafalgar Square. It made the news, noone got arrested.

Sometimes it pays to let people have their harmless fun, rather than behave like a power-crazed jerk.

some people like to enjoy an outting with there family at a memorial & have no desire to be involved in or witness an act of idiocy by some morons...using the uk as an example for how to respond to anything dealing with enforcement of the law.

Edited May 31, 2011 by SMOKE

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Looking or behaving "stupid" isn't a crime.