"Ron Paul supporter banned from NCMC campus"
Posted December 3rd, 2007 by PoliticalPatriot
Anyone ever hear of Amy Lorentzen, of AP fame (famous for her catchy headline about another party crasher - "Republican Ron Paul to Crash Iowa Forum")?
I'm a peaceful person. I've never, in my life of 47 years, been in a physical fight. I have no desire to cause a stir or be disruptive. I've been at local festivals, the county fair, the Mackinac Bridge Walk, GOP Conference, Santa Parade, and with no problems.
The day on the campus in question I wasn't disruptive or unprofessional at all as the article suggests. In fact, quite frankly the opposite. Myself and members of our Meetup group (3 others over the age of 50) were on campus just two days prior trying to work things out diplomatically with the college administration and to convey our case so we could be on campus to pass out info. Mind you, we weren't asking to vote, or even be in the same building as their "project". The campus is huge. All we wanted to do was to canvass other buildings and peacefully hand out slim jims and tell people to get involved and do their research.
I'm sensitive to how people are and don't even tell people I approach to vote for Dr. Paul. I simply ask them to get informed and let them draw their own conclusions. I've been campaigning now for Dr. Paul 5 months and I've always been careful to represent him in a positive light. This report falls ad tad bit short in representing who we are (she didn't mention the others in our group) and what we're really trying to do here in our community (raise awareness of the issues and encourage involvement).
Thankfully, the college's counsel recommended to the college administration, in short order (48 hours later, and yet to be reported), that the college should allow us to go on campus anytime we want. This is a good thing that will come out.
As far as the so-called 'negative press' goes, my prayer is this. Lord, allow those who know me in this community to look past the negative headline and see Ron Paul, the intellectual silver lining in the dark cloud of misconception" I've been in business for myself locally here now for eight years and know lots of people. Those people trust my judgment when dealing with their business. I'm hoping that this will cause them to look behind the headline and skim the truth off the top.
"Who's Ron Paul?" they say, as they hold the local paper in their hands. A local paper, I may add, that elected to do a huge front page article on Newt Gingrich during the Michigan GOP Leadership Conference (held in September on Mackinac Island), and not ever, to my knowledge, included Dr. Paul's name in any article they've ever run.
I know that some will more firmly entrench in their position towards Dr. Paul that they've picked up from Faux News, or other hit-pieces in the past five months against this American hero. They'd likely never take the time anyways to do their due diligence. And they probably won't find time to vote either. They'll let the Rush's, the Sean's, the Ed's of the world pick their candidate for them.
I appreciate all your comments (even the negative ones - they've helped me to see some things on the direction that should be taken at this time). My plan now is to invite peaceful public discussion on this whole issue and to try and work with the college to have a public forum (and especially work on inviting the older, non-internet folks) that will serve to educate the public about the issues, the candidate, the tools available this year to the general public to research the candidate (i.e. like the internet and the NCMC Learning Lab and Library where there are rows and rows of computers). My idea is to use this to raise the awareness here in Northern Michigan about the January 15th. primary, and how it's so critically important to get out and vote this time.
And my apologies to any and all of you if I've come across in a way that offended you. That is never my goal.
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"A local paper, I may add, that elected to do a huge front page article on Newt Gingrich during the Michigan GOP Leadership Conference (held in September on Mackinac Island), and not ever, to my knowledge, included Dr. Paul's name in any article they've ever run."
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Hey, it is their property
This about their stuff and their rules. I got kids going to college. This is not about Dr. Paul. this is about watching the campus for people who are not part for the campus community right?
The college has a responsibility to the families to be fussy about this stuff.
Public campus access
I contend that this is the problem with these so-called 'enlightened institutes of higher learning'. They have become bastions of political correctness, where the most extreme of socialist, anarchist, every other kind of -ist are allowed to vent and spread their poison. Yet when someone attempts to show these young people a concept that promotes basic American ideals, they are excluded. This is the definition of authoritarianism.
"Their stuff and their rules". Yeah, but we as taxpayers have to pay for it? I don't think so.
Actually, it's our property.
This event took place at a public college. The supporter was a local taxpayer and had every right to be there.
hmmm..
We've got some crazt people who come onto campus all the time to yell at us about how we are all "going to hell" because we are in college and we like to drink and smoke pot. No university official ever bothers them, even though there is usually a guy with a bull horn going crazy and yelling at all of us. I can't imagine handing slimjims could be disruptive......unless of course you are disrupting peoples attempts to quell information about liberty and about Dr. Paul.
MIchigan better pay real close attention to this election
Of all the states that are really getting hit hard these last few years its Michigan. With the housing bust, and outsourcing that state has no real future.
They get what they deserve, if they dont want to do the research and want to play party politics then I dont care. Let them, and let them sink into oblivion.
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent" -- Thomas Jefferson -
MSM finds excuse to dismiss Ron Paul in his supporters...
I just would like to comment that the article is a negative contribution to the campaign, and for all the people you may have converted, you also may have turned off just as many. People do not want to hear about Ron Paul through a person they find annoying. I'm not saying your annoying, I don't know you. But, when all is said and done, this may have caused more negativity than anything else and that is something we have to avoid! This concept of the general population rejecting Ron Paul based solely on the conduct of his supporters frightens me. This is too important to get over-excited about. We have to be calm and collective and think logically about how best we can spread this message. Defending yourself will not make this article disappear. Please think, come up with something creative. Don't do things to upset people.
Thanks for your comment...
"The sum total of our collective minds always seems to add up to more than just one!"
Bingo - I've learned my lesson...
Don't go alone - this is worse than swimming. Always have a 'buddy' so that you can scream 'HELP' if necessary.
I do not understand
why someone has to be criticized because of the way they do things. You have been allowed back on campus so they were obviously wrong for banning you.
To everyone who is out on the streets and at events campaigning; Great Job.
Mmm... Maybe
...it was a gray area, but if anyone is going to go and single-handedly attend an event like this, it might be good to have a videographer tag along just for proper defense purposes. These days, a YouTube video speaks a thousand words.
So true.
Preach on.
Don't ban me, bro!
I dunno, sounds like he was being an a-hole and he's not even a student. If a guy was yelling at me while I was voting, I'd be really annoyed. In fact, this guy gives me the creepy vibe and the fact he's messing with what sounds more like a class project makes it even worse. Back away from the students.
I'm that guy...and I didn't yell at anyone...
You're response is exactly the kind of response the mainstream media is hoping they'll evoke when they invoke a hit piece against the media. I yelled at no one. I spoke with one student who was looking a Ron Paul slim jim and mentioned Ron Paul raised $4.38 mil in one day in November. The student replied back and said, "Is that they Republican who's bucking all the other Republicans?" And I simply said yes.
Sorry if I give you a 'creepy vibe' bro - maybe my family picture with Dr. Paul when I met him at the airport in Pellston, Michigan will call you down a bit.
http://www.michigan4ronpa...
Or how about one of my three patriotic boys with Ron Paul on the ferrry boat over to Mackinac Island.
http://www.michigan4ronpa...
Do they give you the willies too bud? Oh, and by the way, there little class project as you call it will affect REAL LIFE VOTERS. So, yeah, forgive me for wanting to be on campus to influence these students to take a close look at Dr. Paul.
Frankly sir...you give me the willies!
You sound OK to me. Carry
You sound OK to me.
Carry on...
im behind you thankyou for
im behind you thankyou for your support....
As I said, creepy vibe. And now pushy.
Now I know the part of the article about you being pushy was true.
Second, if you weren't supposed to be on campus for the event and you came anyway, does not work in your favor. Awefully creepy to barge in on a campus event like that. Do you crash the frat parties pushing RP too? After all, they are old enough to vote as well.
Third, most polling places have rules as to how far away you have to be while the voting was going on. If you were anywhere near them while they were voting, it's probably negatively influenced what the students were trying to do.
Fourth, since you aren't a student, why would you be going through their stuff? It sounds like it's class project material. Sure you might have the right to show up on campus even uninvited, even to campaign for our guy, but what business have you going through their class material? If I were organizing the event, I'd feel my project to be violated and all the fun sapped away from it too.
Fifth, nice picture of you and your family. They look like nice people. But that doesn't convince me you're not pushy or creepy.
I admire your enthusiasm and I'm glad you're supporting RP. I even hope it is a hit piece and that you're not pushy and creepy. All I am trying to say is to be mindfull of the missions you personally undertake and the tone in which you execute them. Last thing we need is more bad press.
Passionate...
I'll try and remember your comment as I go out and about campaigning for Ron and work diligently to polish the edges and not 'offend' anyone.
I appreciate your dedication
I appreciate your dedication to the cause.
From the article...
It sounds like he was disruptive.
Because as we all know, MSM
Because as we all know, MSM is always fair to us. ;)
Sounds like...
I was not disruptive and as someone else stated. What you don't know is that our meetup group had a meeting with the college a week ago. We were told by the administrator that they would NOT release the results to the media (and we have that on tape). They have not been straight forward with us.
It was never my intention to get bad PR for Dr. Paul. I've worked very hard in our area for the past five months to get his name out there. Careful about carelessly passing judgment on me based on this article if you expect others to realistically look past the bias the MSM's shown towards Dr. Paul. And when some of the people who you talk to don't listen to you and say Dr. Paul's a fringe lunatic - remember your own words.
loose canon
I don't like this. This is what we need to avoid.
He has a right to face his accusers IF he is charged with a crime. As of yet he has not been.
I think the mock election is more of an educational event rather than an official balloting.
Lets not run around looking for people to butt heads with.
Peace.
Go Ron Paul!
Butt Heads...
If you're out there in the trenches campaigning for Dr. Paul, you'll eventually meet some heads that are anti what you're doing without even looking. We were NOT looking for butt heads, nor were we looking to butt heads.
Loose and Lose
You Lose a race.
A screw is loose.
You can have nothing to lose.
that girl is loose.
Loose and Lose: 2 COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORDS
That girl is loose.
Sentences start with a capital letter.
Number Agreement
Sentences start with capital letters.
Well played
Well played
We appreciate all you do ...Patriot!
Mike
Ron Paul is my HERO!!!
"Fire Team for Freedom" on RonPaulRadio.com
Mondays and Wednesdays 10pm EST
or visit mikeandjake.com
The MSM
doesn't need yet another excuse to make RP and his supporters out to be kooks....
Run, Ron, Run!
I'm a fervent Ron Paul
I'm a fervent Ron Paul supporter.
However, you're on private property and can be barred from it at any time.
This is no civil rights violation.
Public campus...
This is a public campus. And yes, even I recognize their right to limit visitors from off campus. Anyone from our community can go on-campus anytime they want and use the facilities - I am no different. I was not there that day to 'exercise' my first amendment rights. I went to observe what was going on. That is not a crime, nor is it anything that then can selectively prohibit.
is the federal tax dollars
is the federal tax dollars they receive private property. dont want to have these issues dont take federal money.
Not necessarily true
Any schools that are federally funded are public property. Historically universities have always been free speech zones as long as you don't interupt or interfere with their operation.
Agreed
There are some restrictions, especially on non-students, but they aren't draconian. Disrupting a classroom or preventing people from entering or exiting a building (the general rule is 6 feet from the door) are about the only concrete rules. The public areas of a college are public access areas as well as the grounds and have always been an area where political activists can reach a large number of students.
That being said, I don't know where the "voting" was taking place and so cannot speak to this particular incident but it speaks volumes that the college backed down so quickly.
I would say this is a big
I would say this is a big gray area of uncertainty if it is public or private. Higher education recieves lots of funding from government. How much funding is required before it gets into the public realm?
About $0.01 :)
About $0.01 :)