ONTD Political

Signed. A viable candidate can't be intimidated from participating in the political process.

Perhaps 'viable' was the wrong word, since it can imply 'likely' or 'good enough'. What I mean is that the Green Party is a recognized political party and their candidates are indeed candidates in terms of being eligible to be elected and to participate in the political process as candidates, regardless of how few think such a thing is likely. From their site: "The Federal Elections Commission recognizes the Green Party of the United States as the official Green Party National Committee." So yes, they are a 'real' party. Just a small one. Plus, she had a ticket and every right to be there.

Signed. I'm rooting for her!

Re: signing....You dont have to be a resident of the U.S., either, right? lol

A great video of Laura in action before getting arrested:

Signed.

Also, I wasn't able to attend the debate where Laura got arrested but the Green Party folk whom I get info from passed along their experiences and they talked about how the video cameras from the major local media would focus on the screaming back and forth between the Dem and Rep protesters and pan over/skip the Greens and other third-parties asking for an open debate. The shutout in the media goes all the way down to the local level.

The systematic exclusion of Third Party candidates in the U.S. really pisses me off. I feel forced to consider myself a Democrat when they're just the lesser of the evils. Alas, I can't load the page at work, but I'm signing right when I get home.

Woah. Her arrest makes *no sense* at all. If they were worried that she was going to heckle or otherwise breach the peace, they should've kept an eye on her, but they should've let her in as a spectator. This is a prime example of what's wrong with American first-past-the-post politics. Here's a third-party candidate who's thinking a little differently, and nobody wants to know because she's not Red or Blue.

I'm finally eighteen and registered to vote. I think I'd prefer her over the Dem candidate, but I'm afraid of getting Whitman as governer. And yet I don't want to be scared into choosing the lesser of two evils. :(

Um, no. She had no "right" to attend the debate. The debate was a private function, on private property, open to the public by invitation only (hence the need for a ticket). The organizers have every right to exclude fringe candidates they recognize have no chance of winning. If the Greens don't like that, they are perfectly free to organize their own debates.

On the other point, Ms. Wells was not arrested for trying to attend the debate. She was arrested for refusing to leave when the organizers told her they did not want her there. If you can't recognize the difference, then you certainly must agree that the Westborough Baptist Church should have the right to participate in any gay rights event held on public property.