THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE
National anthem students get legal help
Conference participants warned 'Star Spangled Banner' not allowed in rotunda

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Posted: July 14, 2008
10:25 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

The Pacific Justice Institute has sent a letter to state officials in California advising them that further attempts to tell students singing the "Star Spangled Banner" in the state Capitol rotunda to shut up would be viewed as a violation of their expressive rights under the state and federal constitutions.

WND reported over the weekend when state highway patrol troopers and members of the state sergeant-at-arms staff in the statehouse warned school children attending a civics camp they could not sing the national anthem in the rotunda without a special permit.

The students did, in fact, obtain a permit, and the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung by the students on Saturday, along with "God Bless America."

According to Capitol Resource Institute, which sponsored the City on the Hill summer study session for nearly four dozen students ages 14-18, students attended a mock legislative session Saturday morning, then had lunch, and then walked into the capitol rotunda and gathered in one corner.

According to the report, "They prayed for 10 minutes until 1:15 p.m., the time designated by the government permit. The students [then] delivered a stirring performance of the Star Spangled Banner that brought a tear to the eye of everyone in the rotunda. Many friends and family members of the students were in attendance.

"At the end of their performance, the students received a loud round of applause from the audience, including tourists walking through the capitol," CRI said. "There was no visible presence of capitol police or staff."

A similar patriotic expression from conference students just two years ago was captured and posted on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GWjGbA8 ... geId=69614

The problem had arisen two days earlier, when the students, in an impromptu practice for Saturday, started singing in the rotunda.

PJI said it sent a letter to Ronald Pane, the state's chief sergeant at arms, "informing him that these students were exercising their expressive rights under the state and federal constitutions.

"Further attempts at censorship will be met with appropriate legal action," the letter warned.

"We intend to stand by and defend these patriotic students to ensure their rights are protected," said Brad Dacus, president of PJI.

When officers had rushed into the rotunda to warn students against singing, Karen England, CRI executive director, called in a "ghastly overreaction."

"These young leaders have sacrificed a week of their summer to come learn about our government system and this is the 'welcome' they receive from the government," she said.

CRI officials said, however, it was a good lesson in liberty for those students, especially the two young participants whose father was held in a Communist prison in Romania and another student who is a Russian immigrant.

"These future leaders have seen first-hand how we are losing our liberties – including simply expressing our patriotism in public," said Meredith Turney, the legislative liaison for CRI Impact and a graduate of City on the Hill.

"I am deeply saddened by the treatment these young patriots received at our state capitol," she said.

In comments published on FlashReport, she elaborated: "A few years ago the students started the tradition of singing our national anthem in the rotunda at the end of the mock legislative session. While they were at the capitol today, the students wanted a practice run before their legislative session on the Assembly and Senate floors this Saturday. One student suggested singing God Bless America as well as the national anthem, and the other students enthusiastically agreed.

"Just moments after the students finished their impromptu patriotic expression, no less than four CHP officers descended upon the rotunda, along with two sergeant-at-arms. They confronted our staff and demanded to know why our students were singing in the rotunda without a permit from the rules committee. Apparently in the five minutes it took to sing the two patriotic songs, someone had called security and complained," she wrote.

"The City on the Hill students were absolutely shocked … Why would their elected officials send armed guards to stop them from expressing such love for their country? And why do citizens need a permit to sing patriotic songs in their public buildings?" she said.



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