Don't Taze Me Bro

Kick A** Kevin & Andy!!!

While I applaud your enthusiasm, I'm not on board with everyone else on this thread who is applauding you for "standing your ground."

Based on your description, I think you handled the situation in a less-than-ideal fashion.

There's always a temptation to flex your rights. I've been in a similar situation. In my situation, I knew I was in the right (I even brought the written policy that applied with me. It specifically listed the type of noncommercial solicitation I was involved in as something I had a right to do on the property, so long as I wasn't accosting anyone.). But there's a time to flex your rights and I time to realize that doing so may harm the immediate cause (the Ron Paul campaign) you're fighting for.

It seems to me that you did very little to avoid this confrontation. While I'm sure you were polite in a sense, and I only have the information you've provided, there are numerous examples in your account where you are combative:

I arrived at the library at 5 PM. Just me, my handbills and a few Hope For America signs.

This is your first mistake. Why are you alone? You are putting yourself in a bad situation. I'm not suggesting that you get 10 Paulunteers out there (that would lead to an increase in congestion in and out of the library, which you'd like to show that you're avoiding. But you need at least 2, and preferably 3, people to do this effectively.

Having backup has numerous benefits, not the least of which is that you can handle a confrontation (like the one you described) more effectively without stopping your canvassing. One person can be prepared for such a situation, come with proper documentation (or knowledge), and discreetly resolve the matter. Plus, having another person decreases the "lone kook" loner image that some will have of you.

Also, bringing signs (plural) isn't a good idea. Perhaps one sign per person -- or ideally one person with a sign and the rest without (those people canvass) is effective. Bear in mind that signs may change the situation. Now you're not just handing out noncommercial literature -- you're visibly demonstrating.

Within minutes a librarian came out and asked if I had a permit. I told her I had a first amendment permit.

Wow. How pithy. And how confrontational. That's not the approach to take, at all. First of all, you should have documentation with you that affirms your right to be there. Whether it's the library's written policies, county codes, state law, or even (if need be) a court case. What you're suggesting here is that you don't have any precise evidence that what you're doing is protected speech, and so you're going to say something snarky like "first amendment permit."

She proceeded to tell me I was not allowed to pass out handbills in front of the entrance. I informed her that unless she could provide library policy in writing saying I was not permitted to be there, she had nothing more to say to me and she should have a nice day.

"she had nothing more to say to me" ?! Why are you escalating? I mean, if she had been extremely confrontational, rude, physical, or even profane, fine. End the conversation. But there's no need to send the message of "prove it or stop talking to me." You want to work with, not against, the folks "in charge" in these situations, whenever possible. If they're university administrators, librarians, local police -- it doesn't matter -- try to accomodate them. I'm not suggesting that you hightail it out of there, but you should try to persuade them that you have a right to be there. It's one thing to hold your ground, it's another to suggest that they shouldn't even talk to you unless they can prove their point. Hell, that's hypocritical. You're suggesting that you have the right to "talk" to passersby against the staff's wishes. But you're simultaneously telling them not to talk to you? Come on, man.

I could see the peeved and brainwashed library staff through the doors arguing with the Sheriffs when they returned inside.

I think this sums up the whole thing. You pissed them off. You didn't have to, but you did. They're not voting for Ron Paul. A lot of the people who got slim jims -- but saw you arguing with staff and police -- will also have a negative impression of the Paul campaign (and its supporters).

What did you accomplish, besides the feeling that you won a confrontation? Did you successfully persuade people to take a good look at Ron Paul, or did you leave a bad taste in their mouths?

If it wasn't for ol' Benjamin, they wouldn't have a job. It was Ben's brilliant and civil minded doings that brought us public libraries.

Thanks, Ben.

I loved your story! Great job! More folks should have the gonads to stand up to these intimidators. We had the cops called on us last weekend for campaigning on a public sidewalk. The cop of the day told the complaining individual that there was nothing she could do. We will be back there tomorrow, hope we get the same cop of the day.

Stand your ground folks. Learn your rights.

That's great info for the library.

Thnaks!

'I'am pretty sure there is a copie of the Constitution in that library ,if the staff wanted to research".

"Observe the masses,and do the opposite."

Am I the only one who think that this is a great slogan? Ron Paul campaign coordinator think that it is. video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSLSp_HIP6c

Thanks for supporting the Constitution and for educating everyone involved. Thank you for defending my first ammendment rights. Thank you for winning. Thank you again.

...like this great story about a small peace of the r3VOLution!

Wow. I'd probably have just walked away. My guess is that you're white.

"It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." Samuel Adams

Great story, another small Hero in the many battles to come.

Salutes to you.

bump, everyone needs to read this. made my day

a group of us were holding RP signs and passing out flyers at a large public event in a park. the park police tried multiple times to make us leave but we peacefully stated our first ammendment rights to free speech on public property. We gave the officers some ron paul material and they finally went away.

The whole sixties political movement started at Sproul Plaza at UC Berkely.

The issue? Students were handing out campaign materials on UC (public) property and were rousted by the cops.

That led to student protests led by the heroic Mario Savio, end eventually Joan Baez et al.

And that led to the "free speech movement" which rocked the globe for decades.

Oh, and the campaign workers who started it all? They were handing out brochures for Barry Goldwater!!!!

very inspirational, yay liberty

They play that clip of Andrew getting tazed on the radio here in Gainesville FL all the time. I read on a forum around here that he is or was a very big RP supporter.

Congrats on your victory for freedom.

PATRIOT!

Law enforcement doesn't like it when you have to educate them as to their role in protecting your rights, do they? Kudos for staying staying calm and helping to educate people about their rights.

Another fine example of why we need to restore our government to the control of the people, not the few.

YES!!!!! Now that's the True Spirit of the Ron Paul Revolution!!! We are in a real War my friends, but the good news is.......we're going to WIN!!!

I like those apples very much!

That was very brave. That had to take a lot of courage and patience. It really is sad that you had to inform the law-enforcement of the rights they are supposed to be there to protect!

I bet they were completely dumbfounded that someone knew their rights. Every person should be as cool-headed.

Thank you for all your efforts. I love the fact that you used knowledgable rational facts to support your decision. It's hard for the man to get you down on the truth. Hopefully those rights won't be taken away from us before this election. God Bless you and good luck!

Give em the truth RP!

You are a true Patriot, thank you for your efforts.

one of my all time favorite posts!!! Way to go, I only wish I could have seen it on video!!! I see more and more people doing this and its exactly what we need to do. I wish i could have seen the looks on thier faces.

Good to see that bueracrats and bullies can't scare everyone away. I love how you stuck it too that lying Snooty librarian!