Comments on: Free Speech in Rhode Island? Gotta Register

By: SqueakyRat

SqueakyRat — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:22:44 +0000

This sounds awful. But Cicilline has done a lot to clean up city government in Providence after the Buddy Cianci era. Overall, he’s been a better Mayor than Providence has seen in a good while. If it matters, he’s also gay and out, and was so before he was elected. The fiscal problems he’s facing are excruciating. I think he should negotiate with the unions, but he has virtually no room to maneuver. Give him a break.

By: moistenedbink

moistenedbink — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:37:44 +0000

Oh, he’s definitely a democrat. His father is a rather well known defense (um, Mafia) lawyer. I really have never understood why he has taken such a hard line with the firefighters. Once he was Hilary Clinton’s RI campaign manager, but one of her fundraisers got screwed up because the firefighters were picketing it and she wouldn’t cross the line. He lost his position in her campaign after that. I think now, it might just be personal.

By: Teddy Partridge

Teddy Partridge — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:35:29 +0000

Yeah, who knows? I might find myself in Providence that day without having registered! Just imagine what the punishment might be for non-registrant demonstrators!

By: dick c

dick c — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:10:47 +0000

One thing is for sure. Police and firefighters won’t get the same treatment protesters at the major party conventions got last year.

By: DavidKaib

DavidKaib — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:08:39 +0000

Agreed, but that’s why everyone in the entire country should register now – it’s the only way to make sure you can go on the day of.

By: dick c

dick c — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:06:35 +0000

What if I don’t actually get into the mood to protest until the day of? I’m SOL? Registration is just a means to cut down on the numbers. It will intimidate some people — a person should be allowed to get out anonymously and protest whenever they feel like. Maybe they ought to consider everyone automatically registered and if someone wants to fill out a form they can do so and relinquish the right. How about out of towners?

“Premeditated attack questions!?” “Demonstrators with non-annoying opinions!?” “A one time thing!?” WTF? This is too funny.

By: aflcioblogger

aflcioblogger — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:45:36 +0000

I too was concerned when I first heard that Providence officials had asked the Fire Fighters and other demonstrators to register, but that was before I learned the facts. For one thing, registration is easy as pie–no intrusive financial statements, humiliating strip searches, or embarrassing polygraph tests. All you do is fill out a simple form. You may do this in the privacy of your own home, and it takes less time than buying a lottery ticket or flossing your molars on the bottom left side. Second, it’s free. Peter Gaynor, director of the city’s Emergency Management Agency, is quoted as saying that there is no cost for registration. At a time of widespread economic distress, that’s one less expense to worry about. Third, the mayor himself has made clear that this invitation is a one-time thing. In response to premeditated attack questions from the liberal media at yesterday’s press conference, he noted that future demonstrators in Providence with non-annoying opinions, including the Mobilization Against Malaria Promotion (MAMP), the Ferret Voluntary Sterilization League (FVSL), and Kids for Green Leafy Vegetable Consumption (KGLVC), will rarely if ever be implored to register. Clearly, there is no reason for worry.

By: SouthernDragon

SouthernDragon — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:43:46 +0000

And Mark Begich from Alaska.

By: SouthernDragon

SouthernDragon — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:38:07 +0000

I’m a Wobbly and I can get behind that.

By: NelsonAlgren

NelsonAlgren — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:26:03 +0000

One. Sounds like Mayor Cicilline isn’t a Democrat at all. Just someone(Ben Nelson, anyone?) who is a Democrat to further his political ambitions. Second, I hope the firefighters and the rest tell Mayor Cicilline to go Cheney himself.