Debbie Schlussel: Your Tax Dollars @ Work: Speech Nazis' Zero Tolerance

By Debbie Schlussel

In this case, the arrests are over speech, but not over content. In any event, it's yet another absurd infringement on what you can and can't say and express in America:

Seven people were arrested for cheering at high school graduations over the weekend, according to police reports.

One man was arrested at the York Comprehensive High School commencement ceremony Friday morning at the Winthrop Coliseum, and six more arrests were made Saturday during Fort Mill High’s graduation, also at the Coliseum, according to Rock Hill Police reports.

School district officials in both cases asked Rock Hill Police to monitor the graduation ceremonies and arrest anyone disrupting the ceremonies, according to reports. Attendees were warned verbally and in writing that loud celebrations were strictly prohibited, the reports state.

In each instance, the suspects cheered for a specific graduate when his or her names was called. After their outburst, the suspects were taken into police custody and charged with public disorderly conduct. One man pulled away from an officer during the arrest and also was charged with resisting police.

"I just thought they were going to escort me out," said Jonathan Orr, 21, who cheered for his cousin Montel Orr at York's ceremony. "I had no idea they were going to put handcuffs on me and take me to jail."

Orr said he sat in a jail cell for almost two hours until his sister could come pay $255 to bail him out. Orr said he disagrees with the no cheering policy.

"For some people, it might be the only member of their family to graduate high school," he said, "and it was like a funeral in there."

America Home of the [insert word other than "Free" here--perhaps, "Phree," my word for phony freedom] and the Brave.

Posted by Debbie on June 11, 2008 04:39 PM to Debbie Schlussel