Protesters Paying Piper, Part II

Protesters Paying Piper, Part II - I got an email from a lawyer in California:

Love Governor Pawlenty's idea. Probably too much to hope my wonderful Governor (Gray Davis) would propose something like that. In the past I have advocated ignoring protestors as much as possible. Direct traffic around them. Pick them up and move them aside, etc. Anything BUT arresting them. Like I am sure you may have handled your kids' throwing a temper tantrum. They want the reward of the arrest, so deny it to them. But the anti-American protestors now are too extreme, and ignoring them would only escalate to violence. ("Peace" protestors)

In general, I agree - as long as they're not blatantly breaking laws against tresspass, disorderly conduct and vandalism. Many of these people think they're above the law in this regard; the "penalties" they currently receive wouldn't make any rational person think differently. Go out to Alliant and trespass on your own, with no political motive? There will be consequences. Do it under the aegis of a politically-correct "cause"? Token plastic handcuffs, ride downtown, a brief spell in the holding tank, mob booking, group hearing, mass release on own recognizance. We effctively subsidize protest with all that police time to no rational purpose.

And if Governor Pawlenty needs a lawyer to collect these protestor costs, I'd be glad to relocate to Minnesota. I'd even submit to a 7 hour 45 minute interview.

I'll pass it along to the powers that be.

Posted by Mitch at March 29, 2003 06:46 PM