After reading today’s great story about the arrest at the Jefferson Memorial, I am outraged beyond belief. I think the officer involved should be suspended. I think he is a jackbooted thug. I think Congress ought to investigate.
I am aware of a similar incident outside of the White House last week, I think on Thursday night. Apparently a well-behaved college group, maybe a fraternity, was attempting to sing its alma mater on the street in front of the White House. I am told there was no drunkenness, no disorderliness, merely a sober and respectful attempt to sing what sounded like an alma mater. But the cops came and broke up the group, again not just with a gentle request, but rudely, overbearingly, threateningly.
What is wrong with these officers? I am as big a supporter of law enforcement officials as you will ever find, but when they act like thugs against perfectly harmless citizens, they themselves are guilty of diminishing respect for the law. I would berate them to their face and wish them sent to the deepest realms of Hades — but only if they are not in uniform, because if these thugs were in uniform, they would probably shackle me at the first mention of Hades.
This is serious. It is bad enough that cars can no longer drive in front of the White House, or that the parking lot by the Jefferson Memorial is closed. For these officious windbags to deny basic liberties to people at these civilly sacred sites is an abomination.
