Bush’s SS Campaign Disses Young American

[FORD]

Bush’s SS Campaign Disses Young American

For Immediate Release
Contact: Tony Cani, Young Democrats of Arizona President
(602) 298-4200 ext 36 tonycani@ydaz.org

Tucson, AZ – President Bush’s taxpayer funded Social Security “Forum” in Tucson today did not welcome young American Steven Gerner, who was quietly standing in line waiting to hear the President deliver a speech that he felt he needed to pay close attention to. Gerner, 19, was one of 1400 Tucsonans who properly obtained a ticket to the tightly screened forum, but he would not get the chance to actually make it inside the event. The reason: Steven was wearing a University of Arizona Young Democrats t-shirt.

Twenty minutes before the doors opened for the Tucson Civic Center forum, an event staffer approached Steven, asked for a better view of his t-shirt, then demanded his ticket.

“When the staffer took my ticket, he literally crumpled it up in his hand and then walked away. I was too shocked and frankly too disappointed to even do or say anything.” said Steven Gerner, a University of Arizona student.

The staffer returned twenty minutes later, told Gerner that his name had been “reported” and warned that there was no way he could gain entry into the event.

“I really wanted a chance to hear the Bush side of the Social Security debate. Plus, I have never seen a President speak and even though I am a dedicated Democrat – I was excited to see the leader of my country.” Gerner said. “Regardless of which party wins the Presidency, the person who sits in that office should take personal responsibility to fairly represent all Americans and provide equal access for us to hear him speak.”

“The debate over whether to privatize Social Security is really important to people my age,” added Gerner. “This Social Security debate should be about open communication and ideas rather than overt snubs of people who just want to hear both sides of the issue.”

In the latest Newsweek poll the numbers show President Bush’s approval among 18-29 years olds has had the most significant decline to 43 percent from 56 percent last month.

Presidential visits are funded by taxpayer dollars and are not supposed to discriminate on the basis of party affiliation.

The Young Democrats of Arizona is the official youth outreach arm of the Arizona Democratic Party. Members range in age from 13 to 35 and represent every county in the state. For more information visit www.ydaz.org



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[BigBadBrian]

Gotta agree with you FORD....that's fucked up.

[steve]

Hellooooooooo Despotism!!

[Big Train]

It's fucked up but to me understandable. How do you know this guy wasn't a glory hound looking to throw a pie or be disruptive with some diatribe or antic?

I can see both sides here. I can see why security would err on the side of not allowing something potentially disruptive to go on. I can see his being a taxpayer and such.

The smart play for him would have been to dress appropriately, like I am sure everyone else was and then ask and hear what he needed.

[FORD]

Originally posted by Big Train
It's fucked up but to me understandable. How do you know this guy wasn't a glory hound looking to throw a pie or be disruptive with some diatribe or antic?

I can see both sides here. I can see why security would err on the side of not allowing something potentially disruptive to go on. I can see his being a taxpayer and such.

The smart play for him would have been to dress appropriately, like I am sure everyone else was and then ask and hear what he needed.

Problem is that this isn't the first time the BCE has pulled this kind of crap. They have excluded other American citizens from their rallies, some based on their clothing, some based on their appearance, some based on nothing at all.

I can tell you for a fact that when Bill Clinton & Al Gore did a bus tour of this state in 1996, they stopped in several small towns in rural counties, where the population was definitely NOT guaranteed to be all Liberal Democrats. Not a single person was turned away from the event for being, or appearing to be a Republican.

The BCE's attempt to ban all dissenters from any of Junior's speeches only enforces my theory that the PNAC'ers deliberately insulate him from the fact that at least half the country hates the son of a bitch, and all he ever sees are welcoming crowds, which feeds his illusion that the country supports him.

As far as "throwing a pie" or anything of that sort, he would have been dressed in such a way that would have attracted Secret Service attention, had that been the case. For example, anybody wearing a loose heavy coat at t this event (in Tucson) would merit some suspicion.

There's reasonable measures that can be taken, but clearly that's not what took place here.

[Big Train]

Ford,

You make a little sense. He is doing what makes him look good..yea probably. I'm sure Clinton and Gore had much more of the youth vote, in a positive way. THink about it..how many older Republicans are gonna throw pies etc.? Not many. No to mention, why give free advertising to the Dems (Not sure if this was televised)? Wearing the shirt could be considered a distraction.

The kid not being dressed appropriately obviously wasn't something they want.

[FORD]

So you're saying their should be a "dress code" for a public speech?

I mean it would be one thing if the guy's shirt said "GEORGE BUSH JR. IS A GODDAMNED LYING WAR CRIMINAL". I could see where that might be a distraction, though still legally protected free speech. But that's not what it said at all. It was simply a shirt mentioning a legitimate political organization. As the kid said, he wanted to hear the pResident make his case.

Junior does need to sell his plan to the other half of the country, doesn't he?

Or have we now given up all pretense that anything we believe matters at all?

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Big Train
Ford,

You make a little sense. He is doing what makes him look good..yea probably. I'm sure Clinton and Gore had much more of the youth vote, in a positive way. THink about it..how many older Republicans are gonna throw pies etc.? Not many. No to mention, why give free advertising to the Dems (Not sure if this was televised)? Wearing the shirt could be considered a distraction.

The kid not being dressed appropriately obviously wasn't something they want.

That's the inherent problem with Bush, he's surrounded himself with yes-men (and women) and flatterers and never thinks of the other side of the coin. His tour stop audiences are reflective of this bullshit.

[Dr. Love]

Originally posted by Big Train
It's fucked up but to me understandable. How do you know this guy wasn't a glory hound looking to throw a pie or be disruptive with some diatribe or antic?

I can see both sides here. I can see why security would err on the side of not allowing something potentially disruptive to go on. I can see his being a taxpayer and such.

The smart play for him would have been to dress appropriately, like I am sure everyone else was and then ask and hear what he needed.

From what the article said (and I'm sure it's not the entire story), why would they feel threatened by his presence? So what if he's going to be disruptive? You can throw him out when he does it, not just because he 'might' do it.

That's not how our society works. Or at least, that's not how it's supposed to.

You can't just throw someone out of a public event because they are wearing a T-Shirt that implies that the wearer is affiliated with a different political party. That's fucked up.

[Dr. Love]

Having said that...

“I really wanted a chance to hear the Bush side of the Social Security debate. Plus, I have never seen a President speak and even though I am a dedicated Democrat – I was excited to see the leader of my country.” Gerner said. “Regardless of which party wins the Presidency, the person who sits in that office should take personal responsibility to fairly represent all Americans and provide equal access for us to hear him speak.”

This sounds like BS to me.

[Big Train]

Well, my brain went right to "smells like bullshit" as well..I figured I spare you all the other stuff you already knew.

The bottom line is there was a greater chance of this guy being disruptive than the rest. You can give me all your high minded bullshit guys, but that is what it was. While I can see both sides here, I can see why security did what it did.

No Ford, there isn't a dress code officially...but you oughta know better.

[FORD]

Originally posted by Big Train


No Ford, there isn't a dress code officially...but you oughta know better.

When I was the chair of the local chapter of Young Democrats in 1996, we had a group of YD's that went on a bus tour of the congressional district with our candidate Brian Baird (who has since been elected).

We got to Vancouver and decided to visit the office of the then-incumbent Linda Smith, one of the most extreme right wingers to ever be elected to office in this state. A couple of our group were wearing "Baird" T-shirts. Others were wearing various Young Democrats clothing. Myself, I was probably wearing a concert t-shirt of some kind. It was the weekend, right?

Anyway, Linda Bitch's receptionist proceeds to tell us that we "have no right" to be in the office. I don't know if her problem was with the t-shirts or what, exactly, but that's not the point.

The point is that the office is paid for by the people of the 3rd congressional district of the state of Washington, and that we DID, in fact, have every right to be there. And while the secretary was stonewalling us, I happenned to see Linda ducking out the back stairway. What a coward :p

So this isn't exactly new territory for the neocons, but it definitely underscores their hypocrisy.

[UGS]

You guys should move to Canada, we're pretty laid back about things like this.

[Big Train]

Ford,

So twelve people walk in from the same organization simultaneously to express "Individual" thoughts and they are to expect a civil discussion? C,mon..you know that's bullshit.

Canada may be more relaxed, but there is nothing to talk about...

[FORD]

Originally posted by Big Train
Ford,

So twelve people walk in from the same organization simultaneously to express "Individual" thoughts and they are to expect a civil discussion? C,mon..you know that's bullshit.

Canada may be more relaxed, but there is nothing to talk about...

Elected officials are supposed to be accountable to their constituents. They work for us. So why shouldn't I be able to ask a Congresswoman a question about her votes on education (she was against it) or why shouldn't this kid in Tucson get to hear Junior give his sales pitch on destroying Social Security. Actually, I wouldn't have the patience to make it through one of that Chimp's speeches, so the kid deserves some credit on that reason alone.