Thread: Heckler's veto tactic apparently being used to thwart 1st am

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"Heckler's veto" tactic apparently being used to thwart First Amendment rights in Moorpark

August 16, 2005


This letter was sent out by Andy Ramirez:

Dear Friends,

Our right to assemble and discuss the security of our nation is being abridged by the City of Moorpark, California.

I was invited by the Simi Valley/Moorpark Republican Assembly to speak in Moorpark this Saturday, August 20, 2005 from 1-3pm. The SVMRA has reserved facilities at City Hall in order to provide me an opportunity to come and speak before my fellow concerned citizens.

Their President, Mr. Darin Henry contacted me earlier today with the following problem. He was informed by the City of Moorpark that they required an unreasonable amount for a security deposit, that being in the amount of $5,000. He asked me to contact "Mary" to discuss this further. I did so and informed her that we have not had any incidents at any of my speaking engagements anywhere in SD County and I was not personally requesting additional security. I had contacted Captain Richard Diaz of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department's Moorpark Station as a courtesy call to alert him to my speaking engagement. He indicated that they would have a couple of deputies keep an eye on the event, but that was it. We'd not have any additional security inside the building. If there was a problem, he gave me a telephone number and of course suggested 911. Again, I did not request any additional security for the event.

However, Mary at Moorpark City Hall stated to both Mr. Henry and myself that they needed a $5k deposit for security for additional manpower. She further stated that they only had three deputies on duty and that if any were detailed to keep watch on the SVMRA event, she'd have to request additional deputies and that would increase city costs for their security. I informed her as I had Captain Diaz that I'd not requested any additional security. However, she was rather adament and informed me that we'd be on our own as a result.

What this says is that if an unruly mob such as we have seen in San Diego County led by Enrique Morones would suddenly show up, anything could happen. How is it that our rights to assemble and hold a community meeting can be abridged by a lawless mob seeking to intimidate and use terror tactics on our fellow citizens? This is wrong and we cannot allow this to take place anywhere. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

Has our government abandoned this fight and let the lawless take over our nation? Are our soldiers giving up their lives overseas in the name of freedom elsewhere, while here at home our rights are abridged by domestic terrorism? We cannot ever lose this battle, and I call upon each of you to ask for your help and assistance so that this great citizens organization not be abridged of their right to hold a meeting and address an issue of great concern, this being U.S. Border Security by terror tactics and intimidation.

Since April 19, 2005 when it was first reported that Friends of the Border Patrol was first going to launch an operation to secure the Southern California border, we have not have any incidents whatsoever at any location. This is a fact that can be verified by the San Diego Police Department and San Diego Sheriff's Office. Again, zero incidents at any of my speaking events.

I ask that you step forward to assist this great organization that is simply exercising their right to free speech and hold a community meeting. We cannot let the Enrique Morones' of this world take away our basic constitutional rights domestic terror tactics and intimidation. When you look at that $5,000 amount, it is outrageous and tantamount to extortion. If those protestors knew how to protest peacefully, and without incident, you'd find that such monetary demands would not be possible. However, this is all the opposition knows how to do, and that is to abridge our rights and freedoms by terror tactics.

I will be in Sacramento Tuesday and Wednesday addressing this issue. Please contact Darin Henry, President of the SVMRA at 805-657-3895 and help support our fellow Americans that are simply trying to discuss these important issues via a community meeting in an American city.

Respectfully,
Andy Ramirez, Chairman
Friends of the Border Patrol

Originally Posted by Brian503a

www.americanpatrol.com

"Heckler's veto" tactic apparently being used to thwart First Amendment rights in Moorpark

August 16, 2005


This letter was sent out by Andy Ramirez:

Dear Friends,

Our right to assemble and discuss the security of our nation is being abridged by the City of Moorpark, California.

I was invited by the Simi Valley/Moorpark Republican Assembly to speak in Moorpark this Saturday, August 20, 2005 from 1-3pm. The SVMRA has reserved facilities at City Hall in order to provide me an opportunity to come and speak before my fellow concerned citizens.

Their President, Mr. Darin Henry contacted me earlier today with the following problem. He was informed by the City of Moorpark that they required an unreasonable amount for a security deposit, that being in the amount of $5,000. He asked me to contact "Mary" to discuss this further. I did so and informed her that we have not had any incidents at any of my speaking engagements anywhere in SD County and I was not personally requesting additional security. I had contacted Captain Richard Diaz of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department's Moorpark Station as a courtesy call to alert him to my speaking engagement. He indicated that they would have a couple of deputies keep an eye on the event, but that was it. We'd not have any additional security inside the building. If there was a problem, he gave me a telephone number and of course suggested 911. Again, I did not request any additional security for the event.

However, Mary at Moorpark City Hall stated to both Mr. Henry and myself that they needed a $5k deposit for security for additional manpower. She further stated that they only had three deputies on duty and that if any were detailed to keep watch on the SVMRA event, she'd have to request additional deputies and that would increase city costs for their security. I informed her as I had Captain Diaz that I'd not requested any additional security. However, she was rather adament and informed me that we'd be on our own as a result.

What this says is that if an unruly mob such as we have seen in San Diego County led by Enrique Morones would suddenly show up, anything could happen. How is it that our rights to assemble and hold a community meeting can be abridged by a lawless mob seeking to intimidate and use terror tactics on our fellow citizens? This is wrong and we cannot allow this to take place anywhere. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

Has our government abandoned this fight and let the lawless take over our nation? Are our soldiers giving up their lives overseas in the name of freedom elsewhere, while here at home our rights are abridged by domestic terrorism? We cannot ever lose this battle, and I call upon each of you to ask for your help and assistance so that this great citizens organization not be abridged of their right to hold a meeting and address an issue of great concern, this being U.S. Border Security by terror tactics and intimidation.

Since April 19, 2005 when it was first reported that Friends of the Border Patrol was first going to launch an operation to secure the Southern California border, we have not have any incidents whatsoever at any location. This is a fact that can be verified by the San Diego Police Department and San Diego Sheriff's Office. Again, zero incidents at any of my speaking events.

I ask that you step forward to assist this great organization that is simply exercising their right to free speech and hold a community meeting. We cannot let the Enrique Morones' of this world take away our basic constitutional rights domestic terror tactics and intimidation. When you look at that $5,000 amount, it is outrageous and tantamount to extortion. If those protestors knew how to protest peacefully, and without incident, you'd find that such monetary demands would not be possible. However, this is all the opposition knows how to do, and that is to abridge our rights and freedoms by terror tactics.

I will be in Sacramento Tuesday and Wednesday addressing this issue. Please contact Darin Henry, President of the SVMRA at 805-657-3895 and help support our fellow Americans that are simply trying to discuss these important issues via a community meeting in an American city.

Respectfully,
Andy Ramirez, Chairman
Friends of the Border Patrol

Enrique Morones" isn't taking anything from you/us.......Look again to our elected,so called, leaders.
We have a hard road to travel....Just think of all the "Greedy Americans" we have,add them to the "Corupt Government" we have, and the total enemy is staggering is size.
If things get any worse,we may hire the "Mafia" to clean things up ,as they did in ww2,on the docks of NYC..They did a dam good job!!

I'm not sure what he wants us to do....??? The city is obviously extorting them and should be investigated...so what are their options?

They can have the meeting on private property...they can cancel the meeting...they can provide their own security a lot cheaper than $5000...

These goons out in Calif. are not 'peaceful protesters'. They're assaulting speakers and attendees. That's illegal and they should be arrested and charged. Of course, Calif. law doesn't do any of those things. They're only there to watch the state disintegrate to the level of Mexico.

RR

The Carlsbad School District tried to do the same thing to Tom Tancredo. His lawyer sued and the meeting went back on again. They can't do it, it's illegal. Andy needs to get the same attorney Tom had and their legal assembly will go on as planned.

www1.venturacountystar.com

Moorpark officials rescind deposit requested of group
By Adam Foxman, afoxman@VenturaCountyStar.com
August 19, 2005

Moorpark officials withdrew on Thursday a last-minute demand that a local political group pay an extra $5,000 security deposit for a controversial event after an attorney for the group threatened litigation.

Officials asked for the extra deposit Tuesday, when they discovered Andy Ramirez, an anti-illegal immigration activist who will speak at the Saturday event, was among several speakers who attracted about 400 protesters at a recent event in Carlsbad.

The president of the Simi Valley-Moorpark Republican Assembly, the grass-roots volunteer group that organized the event, called the decision a victory for freedom of expression, but at least one Ventura County organization wants the forum canceled.

The assembly organized the event to bring the issue of border security to the community, said Darin Henry, assembly president.

"I'm happy about the decision," Henry said.

Ramirez, whose Friends of the Border Patrol organization will start a long-term citizen project on the United States-Mexico border with about 1,000 volunteers in mid-September, said making event organizers responsible for the actions of protesters would have set a dangerous precedent.

"That is a great hurdle cleared," he said.

The event, which will be open to the public, will begin at 1 p.m. in Moorpark City Hall at 799 Moorpark Ave.

If the assembly had been forced to pay the deposit Moorpark requested, organizers said the group would have had to cancel the forum. Instead it hired a lawyer to argue that the deposit posed an unconstitutional limit on free speech.

When Moorpark officials received the threat of litigation, they rescinded their request.

"We decided we had given too short of notice," said Mary Lindley, director of community services.

Lindley said the refundable deposit would have paid for any unexpected costs for damage, more than expected attendance, or security.

Security might be needed if those who object to Ramirez's ideas decide to protest.

The League of United Latin American Citizens asked Leslie Cornejo, chairwoman of the Ventura County Republican Party, this week to cancel the event.

O'Leary said the League of United Latin American Citizens does not want the Friends of the Border Patrol to gain what it sees as undue legitimacy from an association with the Republican Party.

"The event itself is basically to incite volunteers to take what they consider the law in their own hands," said Denis O'Leary, deputy director for the league's Ventura County branch.

O'Leary said his organization may protest the event, but members would not confront the participants in any violent way.

Cornejo said she could not cancel the event because the assembly is a volunteer organization that is not a part of the Ventura County Republican Party. She defended the assembly's right to hold the forum.

"If the event is civilized, they are exercising their right of free speech," Cornejo said.

Henry responded to O'Leary's charge by saying he invited Ramirez to hear his point of view and learn about his organization.

"It's an important issue, and we wanted to hear about his side," Henry said.

The gathering could be expensive for Moorpark.

The assembly has paid a $100 security deposit, but if sheriff's deputies are called in for security the event could cost the city much more.

Moorpark contracts with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department for its police force, and an extra hour of a deputy's time costs $49.85, said Richard Diaz, Moorpark police captain.

Diaz said Ramirez's record of attracting crowds that both support and oppose him makes it likely that the Sheriff's Department will send deputies to the event.

guess they can sue under the 14th amendment . . . and violation of the 1st amendment