"Freedom walk"

[gsh]

Orwell would be so proud. Quoting from the Wash Post story on the Freedom walk on 9/11:

"The U.S. Park Police will have its entire Washington force of several hundred on duty and along the route, on foot, horseback and motorcycles and monitoring from above by helicopter. Officers are prepared to arrest anyone who joins the march or concert without a credential and refuses to leave, said Park Police Chief Dwight E. Pettiford."

"It's a permitted event. That means [organizers] are allowed to say who is in and who's out," said Sgt. Scott Fear, a Park Police spokesman.

"One restricted group will be the media, whose members will not be allowed to walk along the march route."

Yea, I've always wanted to be arrested for being on the Mall without a credential.

Comments

[badmagic.livejournal.com]

Those boys 'pear to be a little deficient in the irony department.

Hmm...

[free-of-whip.livejournal.com]

I wonder how they will prevent the media from walking, given that registration is free and open to all?

Re: Hmm...

[gsh]

Obviously by arresting anyone trying to take a picture or take notes.

Right!

[free-of-whip.livejournal.com]

<sarcasm>Because no one other than media would ever want to take a picture or take notes. Or if they do, they are obviously a security risk anyway.

Why don't we just limit the walk to people wearing "I am a Republican" t-shirts--it would so simplify things!</sarcasm>

Re: Hmm...

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

Crikey, then I'd be in trouble. Then again I got roundly yelled at for taking notes in a boutique back in Chicago...,

Re: Hmm...

[gsh]

Well, you are obviously undermining the whole western hemisphere, by distracting all men and half the women by the mini-skirts you wear.

The Post got it wrong (gee, what a shock)

[reedrover]

GSH -- I stole your post almost directly and sent it to WTOP newsroom. They deny that the police will be arresting anyone, and claim that the media will be covering the event.

Here's the e-mail trail, oldest to youngest, cutting out my theft of your post to send off...

From: "Jim Farley" Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2005 16:19:35 -0400

Look for the correction in The Post Saturday or Sunday.

From [ReedRover] 09/09/05 5:00 PM >>>

Dear Mr. Farley,

Thank you for reading my note, but unfortunately your response does not
illuminate the error. What part of the Post's story has to be corrected?

Thank you.
[ReedRover]

>From: "Jim Farley" Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2005 17:33:25 -0400

Sorry for the brevity. Park Police have corrected the part about arresting people, and reporters WILL be able to cover the march. Please don't mistake the brevity for flipness...I am answering a lot of e-mails on a lot of subjects today with some of my staff out on vacation or honeymoons.
Best,
Jim

From [ReedRover] 09/09/05 5:00 PM >>>

Dear Mr. Farley,

Thank you for taking the time to write not once but twice, on a busy Friday afternoon. I appreciate the WTOP policy of actually responding in a timely manner, and appreciate your reminder not to interpret brevity for flip - you are a busy man and have probably answered many similar notes today.

Please don't worry about responding to *this* message. I will pass along your information to some of my similarly-outraged friends, and let them know that WTOP, as a sponsor of the event, has a better grasp than the Post on what is going on.

Sincerely,
[ReedRover]