Stephen F. Kislock, III – 4/24/07

This page was last updated on April 24, 2007.

Preacher don’t preach; Stephen F. Kislock, III; Beaver County Times; April 24, 2007.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“Republican President George W. Bush had the unmitigated gall to criticize the Russian government’s handling of recent protests in Moscow and St. Petersburg.”

[RWC] As you read this, keep in mind some Russian protesters were beaten and clubbed by riot police. To compare beating with a person being arrested for disorderly conduct tells us much of what we need to know about Mr. Kislock and is consistent with his numerous anti-Bush/Republican rants going back to at least 2002.

“White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, ‘We are deeply disturbed by the heavy handed manner in which this weekend’s demonstration in Moscow and Saint Petersburg were broken up by the authorities and by an emerging pattern of use by excessive force by the authorities in reaction to similar events.’

“How dare Bush condemn any government when in 2004 in New York City, with his Republican Party’s and New York City Republican mayor’s blessings, gross violations of the Constitution and The Bill of Rights took place during the 2004 Republican National Convention? More than 1,800 Americans were imprisoned for the expression of rights under the Constitution and The Bill of Rights.”

[RWC] Not exactly. These people were arrested for disorderly conduct and assault on police officers. Despite the arrests, even the New York Civil Liberties Union acknowledged, “hundreds of thousands of people were able to make their voices heard.”

In one case, the protesters knocked a policeman to the ground and beat him severely. Are these the guys Mr. Kislock worries about?

These people were not “imprisoned.” They were detained in non-prison facilities only as long as it took a judge to hear their plea, a few days at most.

Finally, Mr. Kislock seems to forget – or hopes we forget – that, despite having a liberal Republican mayor, New York City is overwhelmingly liberal. Does Mr. Kislock want us to believe that in an overwhelmingly Democrat city, the police are Republicans? If this were true, would it not confirm the stereotype that Democrats are weak on law enforcement?

“‘We underscore that allowing peaceful expression of protest is an element of democracy and a universally recognized human right,’ said Perino.

“Let’s look no further than the First Amendment: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.’”

[RWC] Mr. Kislock apparently believes the “peaceably” part is optional.

“Locking up 1,800-plus Americans for trying to exercise these rights during the Republican convention was criminal and violated the Constitution and The Bill of Rights.

[RWC] Mr. Kislock, the Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 – 10) is part of the Constitution. They are not separate entities.

“Let us address our lack of respect for our laws in the United States first, and then preach to the rest of the world.”

[RWC] Let’s compare how protesters were treated at the Democrat and Republican conventions. At the 2004 convention in Boston, the Democrats had the Boston Police limit demonstrators to a caged in “protest zone” (consisting of “Cement barriers, 8-foot-tall chain-link fencing, and heavy black netting.”) away from delegates and the press.

Republicans made no such effort to stifle demonstrators in New York. In some cases, protesters were allowed to march without a permit. So much for Republican lack of tolerance of disagreement or opposition.