Still Think America is the Land of the Free? Try Reciting the Gettysburg Address on the Steps of the Lincoln Memorial!
Yup, just more proof that America is no longer the America our forefathers had envisioned for us:
Intern learns the hard way that it’s illegal to recite the Gettysburg Address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial without a permit
Fast fact: It is illegal to deliver the Gettysburg Address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial without permission from the U.S. National Park Service.
On President’s Day — standing where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream Speech” — Phillip Howell, 25, recited Lincoln’s famous address and was quickly stopped by a Park Police officer. He told Howell that he could not give speeches on the steps of the memorial without a permit.
“He called me Abe, and then I turned around and he said, ‘Do you have a permit?’ I said ‘no’ and he said, ‘well you can’t do that here then,’” Howell told The Daily Caller. “Then I said, ‘I’m just giving the Gettysburg Address, come on, it’s President’s Day.’ And he said, ‘I don’t care what you’re giving, You’re not allowed to do that here. I don’t care what speech or what agenda you want to give.’”
Confused as to why it is actually illegal to read the words carved into the memorial’s wall in a loud voice, but not wanting to cause any trouble, the 6-foot-4 Howell, who sports a thick beard and looks just like Honest Abe in a top hat and suit, moved to the bottom of the steps and delivered the rest of the speech to a cheering crowd.
But his troubles didn’t end there.
Some friends suggested that Howell could make some money off his talent, so they passed around a basket and tourists dropped in a few dollars. That’s when the officer walked down the steps and asked the duo if they had a license for street vending.
“I could arrest you,” Howell recalled the officer saying.
They told the officer they didn’t know it was illegal and would be on their way. The officer refused, detained them at the base of the memorial, and wrote Howell and his friend holding the basket $100 in tickets.
“We tried to be real clear that we weren’t trying to cause any trouble,” Howell said. “He was pretty persistent that he was going to give us a fine.”
Under the legal code, the steps on the Lincoln Memorial are considered a “restricted” area to any kind of demonstrative activity. Demonstrators can, however, apply for a permit to use the platform area further down the stairs and a vending license to sell goods or entertainment.
A spokesman from the Park Police said that the Park Service retains the permit policy to ensure that groups have the facilities and space available to hold events. That includes demonstrations by one person, and the agency applies the code equally for everyone.
Oh,well. Since the code applies “equally for everyone,” then I guess it’s all valid and Constitution-like and what not. Yup, silly me for thinking otherwise…
“It’s not meant to be restrictive,” said Park Police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser. “This process is to allow the National Park Service to further its mission in protecting the natural and cultural resources it is charged with administering.”
What the hell? I call B.S.! It IS meant to be restrictive, dumb@ss. Else, there would be no “restricted” area designated at the Lincoln Memorial. What the hell? It’s like I’m actually listening to someone spewing Orwellian Ingsoc propaganda from the Ministry of Truth.
“Whatever your message is, if it’s there, it’s a restricted area and we’re going to let you know and ask you to move down to the bottom of the stairs.” he said. “Then you can yell away. Have at it.”
Howell said he understands the reason for the law, and that there are no hard feelings.
Really? Well then, perhaps he could explain it to me because I think this law is a clear violation of the 1st Amendment. You know, the part where it says that “Congress shall make no law […] abridging the freedom of speech.” Please, by all means Mr. Howell, explain to me how this is not an abridgment of your rights? I’ll be waiting right here for your response. So, go ahead. Explain away.
“It does seem a little ironic that the ‘Land of the Free’ cannot be so free at times,” he told TheDC. “But other than that, I have no issue with what the officers did.”
Howell is planning to sharpen his act, and in the future, he’ll get a permit.
[…]
That’s right, he’s been reprogrammed to be a good, subservient little prole. All hail Our fascist Dark Overlords—aka – Big Brother.
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Doctor Bulldog & Ronin 
26 February, 2011 at 12:16 pm
The sad thing is most Americans still believe that the Civil War ended slavery. I have been reflecting on that and have come to believe that going to war with each other was our original sin, its been all downhill from there. Oh sure, we have had Rainbow Divisions, the storming of desert islands, the crashing of fascist beaches and of course, the post WWII multi decade battle with a former so called Allie, but except for a few of those hi points, well its not much to speak of. Turns out that most slaves have returned to the plantation, what a bunch of suckers we are.
26 February, 2011 at 12:22 pm
My GGG grampa lost his brother and his left leg at Gettysburg. I now believe,
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
You see, there are still unresolved matters left over from the Civil War, it is our duty to make sure that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.
26 February, 2011 at 12:48 pm
And the Civil War was not about ending slavery. Slavery was the world of that time. Places where slavery did not exist were the tiny minority. Many Americans wanted to end slavery in America because they desired to be different from most of the rest of the world. Many Americans read the founding documents and realized that slavery was a direct contradiction to those proclamations, and they were right. I’m sure the founders put it that way on accident, so be not worried, they’re still ignorant know nothing bigots who were far behind the times, /s. However, the ending of slavery should have been done the American way, in court, through the free market, etc etc.
26 February, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Suddenly its ‘illegal’ to give Lincoln’s own speeches from his own memorial.
Makes me wonder what else is ‘illegal’ at our own Presidential memorials thanks to the facists in our own guv…
26 February, 2011 at 1:12 pm
I am of the opinion that we should have Free Speech in public spaces.
However according to the facists at the nation parks website they disagree…
“Permits”
“National Mall and Memorial Parks is a unique and bustling park that receives more than twenty-five million annual visitors and issues approximately 4000 permits each year. A permit is required for many activities to ensure that various events will not conflict with each other or with general visitor experiences. Specific areas within several of the memorials are considered restricted space. For more information about the types of activities requiring permits,”
http://www.nps.gov/linc/planyourvisit/permits.htm
Whatta load of s***!!
26 February, 2011 at 3:46 pm
THOSE PARKS BELONG TO “WE THE PEOPLE” AND IF A PERSON WANTS TO READ OUT LOUD, WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT ANYWAY??? IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY, OUR GOVERNMENT WON’T BE HAPPY TILL THEY GET ALL OUR MONEY!~!!~!!WTF!!!!
26 February, 2011 at 7:53 pm
So when did park police go from wearing hiking boots to wearing jackboots?
27 February, 2011 at 12:10 pm
As with all of these leftist dominated services, unions, etc, you have to think like they do or they won’t even allow you to join. Its a rigorous screening process, profiling is also involved. Thats why we see all of them marching around demanding this, outlawing that, making you ask permission for the other thing. The leftist mob is everywhere while taxpayers are slaving away at work to pay for failed teachers, cops who ignore criminals, mailmen who cannot read and such. It is generational theft on the largest scale that we have seen since the Spanish wiped out the Aztecs and stole their gold.
The National Parks Security Service…or the NPSS…(?)