AIDS Activists Shut Down Capitol Rotunda Over Obama Reversal

AMERICA blog:

A group of 26 AIDS activists chained themselves to each other in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday morning, startling visitors, shutting down the landmark area and prompting their arrest by Capitol Police.

Read the whole story: AMERICA blog

Comments

[isolow]

what a shi//he's turned out to be - we've been had by a conman and a lair...

[jdw1981]

Exactly. His dropping poll numbers are going to turn into a freefall.

[dillydawg]

It is what you pray for each and everyday.

[dillydawg]

Stop bashing Bush. He is no longer Pres.

[Philip Combs]

We could 'bash Bush...' for the next thousand years and it would not be enough. Go chew on your mangy, flea infested butt, dog.

[viper234]

These protesters carried out a very brave act of civil disobedience, something that's becoming extinct in this country. What's interesting is that they are arrested for chaining themselves to a building that belongs to The People of the United States yet Bush and Cheney are still walking around free as birds after running the country into the ground, waging a war of aggression against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and tillions of US taxpayer dollars. Additionally, they authorized the use a torture in violation of international law, The Geneva Conventions, The UN Convention Against Torture and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and US law. And it's US protesters who have to see the inside of a jail cell. That is just plain wrong!

[PlaceboStudman]

Good to see a few people standing up for what's right. This is at least the second protest I've found out about after the fact that, had I known it was going to take place, I would have been there. The other being the protest several months ago protesting the president's excluding the Community Choice Act from health care reform. 91 people, some quadriplegics in wheelchairs were arrested at that protest.

It's nice to finally see some active citizenship in this country. Now let's get the LGBT community to have similar protests/sit ins to protest against DOMA and DADT!

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

How important in the needle exchange in comparison to the Economy?

[PlaceboStudman]

The economy saves jobs. Needle exchange saves lives. Who cares about having a job or not when you're worrying about dying?

[bluestaterepub]

How about don't routinely commit felonies by doing heroin and this needle exchange wont be needed? Im more concerned about the economy than junkies' lives.

[nordstrom]

Thank you. This "economy comes first" argument is beyond idiotic.

[dibabe]

don't shoot up drugs also saves lives.

[dillydawg]

Some people forget. It's the economy stupid.

[Balzac]

Don't be stupid. It's disease control and has absolutely nothing to do with the economy.

[kappa08]

and what is he doing about the economy?..­.since he's soooooo busy with it. keep apologizing, it's so Democrat.

[complice]

I'm not going to blame Obama for this or assume that he's reneged on a campaign promise, as I can only take the things John Aravosis says with a grain of salt, but the false choice you present is fundamentally flawed.

I see no reason why someone couldn't come up with a viable needle exhange program to reduce the incidence of HIV infection, while focusing on the economy. It doesn't have to be either or, as you appear to suggest.

[Teutonicus]

wow, another campaign promise disappeared into thin air (and from the WH website). What an incompetent President did we elect! He is not a leader but merely a follower, namely somebody who wants to take action after Congress and the American public have signaled their support. What a loser! He better had stayed in Chicago and worked as a Community Organizer, a level he might be qualified for.

[dillydawg]

Never gets old for Ya, does it.

[jdw1981]

Hey, "dillydawg": go fetch my slippers and stop whining.

[luvangelHussein330]

Given that the President is not a dictator that is what he took the oath of office to do. DAH!! It's congresses job to take care of these things. The president still supports it. Learn how government works first

[Ohioan730]

I admire those 26 people who protested although nobody should be intimidated by protesting our president after what we've seen happening in Iran and China lately.

The needles are very important. They stem a lot of infection from spreading. The mentality of drug addicted people is potentially dangerous now that we have the HIV virus looming over everyone. I hope they dont give up on this protest. Obama could use that to sway whoever's trying to block it or put it off for a later date.

I cant wait to see the day the LGBT community comes together in huge nonstop protests all around the country for their marriage and military rights. I'm guessing that they are getting about as fed up as women in the early 20th century and blacks in the 60s. That's one way to make the administration "get around to it". I would be there, too. Just give me the location and the time. I'd drive 2 hours away to Columbus for that.

[kburlz]

Hello people, we have a budget crisis. You're not going to get much support in having the government subsidize your ability to do heroin safely. There were a lot of promises made before September 15th, but reality bites hard.

[Conservativeslayer]

This is starting to become Obama's MO. Act like he has no power and say it's up to Congress to do it. First it was DADT, now it's needle-exchange programs. What a weasal. Can anyone tell me how McCain would have been any worse then Obama has been? Atleast with McCain, we knew we weren't going to get anything we wanted. I'd almost prefer it, then having our hopes raised only to be dashed time and time again by Obama. Obama is going to be a one-term president, I gaurantee it.

[jbrantow]

Don't forget John McCain's theme song...."b­omb bomb bomb ....Iran" NO THANKS!

[Conservativeslayer]

Well Biden said Israel can bomb Iran whenever they want. Maybe the US won't do it, but we'll get our proxy Israel to do it for us. Obama has picked up right where Bush left off on every military policy. From Iraq, AfPak, missile shield in Eastern Europe etc etc The military industrial complex is firmly in charge, no matter who the president is.

[huffingt]

you want to bet?

[Conservativeslayer]

Sure do. You can't alienate your base like Obama has and expect them to work for your re-election. We are the ones that busted our hump to get him elected. I knocked on doors for months for Obama. I won't be doing that again. Neither will a lot of his former supporters. Couple that with his complete mishandling of the economy. His stimulus package had too many tax cuts and not enough job creation funding in it. His refusal to stand up to the banks. The economy is still going to be in the tank when he runs for re-election and he will rightly get the blame for it. He's a one termer, I gaurantee it.

[AndybHoboken]

I'm gonna take alot of flack for this, but we could always have had Hil. At laest you knew what you would be getting there...

[doug108]

Pretty much the same thing we're getting now, political calculation and no real change to speak of.

[OMG1109]

Just a cut and paste...

And now, another Fact of Congress

When you look at Congress, ever wonder…(announcer gets excited) what the heck goes on in there!? (Embarrassed for getting so animated, announcer clears his throat)…sorry…

#1: Congress passes laws.

From how fast you can drive on highways to whether basset hounds should have a national holiday.

#2: Congress decides how to spend our money.

Should we spend our money to go to outer space or to build more national parks?

#3. Congress shapes foreign policy.

The President may be the "Commander in Chief" of the military, but it's Congress that has the power to declare war.

Congress also deals with things like trade policy and foriegn aid.

Congress does a lot…so the next time you go by the US Capitol, you'll know what goes on in there.

And that's another Fact of Congress

[bluestaterepub]

One can only hope!!
Lets just remember that experience matters, not trite catch phrases.

[totaldisbelief]

The exchange program can't cost that much (in the scope of things) and must yield some good results in keeping some addicts safer from contracting AIDS/HIV .

[dillydawg]

Just like you guaranteed McCain.Pal­in 2008. Give it a rest.

[dillydawg]

Comment meant for Conservativeslayer.

[Coinyer101]

Good for them. Got to at least try to keep politicians honest.

[PaxEterna]

Next round: Health Care For All Americans

Be there!

Let's do it, let's shut down DC until the collective powers respond to the needs of the people.

[MIKEinNYC]

Wow. This bunch really knows how to endear itself to the American public.

Yelling and screaming and carrying on,,,, it's like dealing with your kids!

[DSOTM]

Sounds more like dealing with the current GOP.

[dillydawg]

Bingo!

[huffingt]

don't worry too much, sooner or later , they will be extinct

[MIKEinNYC]

Not really. In case you haven't heard the GOP is nearly powerless right now.

In fact, what it actually sounds like is dealing with the Democrat house, the democrat senate and with the Democrat president, that I'd guess close to 100% of of these people supported.

[PlaceboStudman]

Yep, Congress can be real petulant brats sometimes

[jbrantow]

The group who screams the loudest get's heard. Remember ACT UP....peop­le complained but they got early drug releases approved and their protests lead to many other positive changes. It seems to work better than standing at attention with mouths taped shut like many others do.

[Balzac]

MIKEinNYC, this is just very basic hygiene for disease control. It's not worthy of debate, it's just civilized countries do for their heroin addicts, just like brushing teeth, or wearing a condom when you have sex with a prostitute.

NYC has had heroin junkies for so many decades, it's fair to describe them as a subculture which is not going away. Might as well give them clean needles so they spread HIV. Civilized countries do this.

[Balzac]

*so they _don't_ spread HIV.

[OMG1109]

Folks we do have a Congress..­.Just as one from Congress ( Congressman Murphy, Iraq Vet Pushes DADT Repeal‎) He will push it to get a bill to Obama to sign, someone from Congress needs to step up and take this AIDS program now. President Obama cannot do it all !!

400 plus in Congress, let's get them involved. That would include the PARTY of "NO" as well. They make a nice salary for given interviews on MSM, but I think we sent them to DC for other reasons.

[naschkatze]

This is a ball the president and the Congress pass off back and forth to each other. Obama had the bully pulpit, but I think he's lost it already--on purpose. He's too concerned about being popular and has his eye on 2012, but ironically, he's losing ground because of it.

[OMG1109]

Your opinion but I 100% disagree! Congress plays a huge role here and I for one say they need to start now and earn their salaries!

[jdw1981]

I'm honestly beginning to believe that Obama does not have the maturity or experience level necessary to handle the job.

He seems to be blowing in the wind on everything, issuing statements one day and then enacting policy at odds with those statements the next.

He either needs to get his act together, or step down. Seriously.

[Diogenis]

Thank you for your comment. President Obama knows what he is doing.

[jdw1981]

I notice you DON'T try to refute my very factual statement that Obama issues statements one day and then enacts policy at odds with those statements the next.

In other word, he doesn't know what he's doing. Either that or he's a LlAR and a fraud.

I voted for Change and all I got was this lousy President.

[Antifascist-08]

Seriously?

really?

Your serious?

LOL

[huffingt]

jdw 1981 = JuDment Wrong since 1981

[jdw1981]

Blah blah blah. Full of insults but no real response.

[IntellectuallyHonest]

That was a nice, courageous demonstration. If there were 500,000 or a million people demonstrating on the Mall, we could have anything we wanted, whether it was universal health care or complete neutrality like Switzerland, the country that hasn't gone to war for several hundred years. All that is needed are capable organizers. That's one thing the Baby Boomers were good at.

[bluestaterepub]

Thats why Switzerland is insignificant. Look at the great role they played in ending tyranny and murder in WWII. Oh wait they helped hide money stolen from Jews. If only we could be more like that.

[Glenn1441]

How sad is your 'comprehensive' knowledge of Switzerland.

[Philip Combs]

Anyone can do the organization. The question is where is the citizenry on this issue and others?

We Boomers acted because the governments of Nixon and LBJ refused to respond to the people's will.

Looks like a repeat to me folks.

Get yer Twitter ready!