Teabagging gets political

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Chill the fuck out

Yes we can

YES, WE DID!

That's all for now. I'm piss-drunk, ecstatic, and moving onto an army base tomorrow.

Not even three-fifths!

"Mr Rising, you're actually ineligible to cast a vote for Barack Obama."
...
"No, it's not a curtailment of your rights, Mr. Rising."
...
"Yes, but that doesn't extend to Canadians."
...
"Mr Rising, you don't get three-fifths of a vote."
...
"Mr. Rising, it's not because you're black."
...
"Because you're not black"
...
"I seriously doubt that you're black 'from the waist down,' Mr Rising."
...
"Please put your pants back on, Mr Rising. We're all very impressed."


My point is, the Man's keeping me down. You'd better cast votes for the two of us. And did you know that it's illegal to take off your pants at a voter registration kiosk?

Mr Smith Goes to Washington

I just watched, for the fourth time since the sixth grade, Mr Smith goes to Washington. I keep forgetting, in the years' intervals between each time I see it, how powerful it really is. To some fans of the cinema classic, it's the feeling a feeling of patriotism and pride that makes this film such a stirring one. As a Canadian who is usually not moved much by nationalistic jingo, let alone that of another nation, it's something else in Frank Capra's masterpiece that literally brings me to tears at the climactic scene.... That doesn't happen very often.

Mr Smith goes to Washington is the story of Jefferson Smith, an idealistic man - he barely looks thirty - who is selected as an honourary appointment to the U.S. Senate to replace the sitting senator who had died the previous day. The men pulling the strings behind his appointment are businessmen, congressman, and fellow senators in the pocket of a corrupt James Taylor (not the singing one), a ruthless businessman who controlls half the commercial interests in Smith's home state. Smith, the state head of the Boy Rangers is the image of naïve idealism personified; he quotes Jefferson from memory, talks nonstop about the beauty of the American midwest; and gets lost - literally lost - in awe of his first sight of Washington, DC.

He's selected because he's so young and idealistic that he seems the least likely candidate to derail a Senate Deficiency Bill that includes the construction of a dam for the personal profit of Taylor. He's mentored by senator Joe Paine, who is from the same state and was a close friend of his father's before the elder Smith was murdered for daring to challenge a mining company's right to force homesteaders off of their land.

Back then, Joe Paine and Smith's father were a lawyer and newspaper editor who championed lost causes. Yet after seeing his friend killed, and eventually entering politics, Paine allowed himself to be bought out, and became part of Taylor's machine.

The conflict comes to a head when Smith, eager to accomplish something during his short term in the senate, proposes a national boys' camp for inner-city youth - on the exact site where the dam was meant to be built. When his bill comes into conflict with the proposed dam in the deficiency bill, Smith starts to ask questions and discovers the graft scheme.

When Smith refuses to be bought out, Paine disgraces him on the senate floor and accuses Smith of proposing his boys' camp bill for his own personal profit. The Taylor machine forge documents to substantiate the charge, and the process to expel Smith from the senate is started.

In an act of desperation, Smith seizes the floor and fillibusters the entire senate; as long as Smith does not sit down or cease talking, he cannot be forced to yield the floor of the senate. With Taylor's newspapers convincing their home state of Smith's corruption, Smith refuses to budge from the senate floor until his legs give out.

"You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well, I'm not licked. And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if the room gets filled with lies like these, and the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place."




It really is as cheesy as it sounds. But this movie came out in 1939, before every storyline had become a trite cliche. It's not about patriotism, or idealism, or the sanctity of one nation's legislature; it's about the courage of the few men who face the impossible with no hope of success, who stand by their principles with every ounce of strength that they have. It's not just about politics or civil rights; it's about the things that matter to us most: freedom, love, and the chance to stand up for what matters to you most. It's about having something that you care so deeply and passionately about that no bribe, threat, or certainty of failure will stop you from doing everything you can to make things the way they should be.


...On a personal note, there's a quote that I keep with me in my wallet, right behind my driver's license. I printed out a card-sized version copy and had it laminated, and it's as close to a personal prayer as I imagine an atheist could come:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt said that in 1910, in a speech in Paris. He said this just two years before the start of the most devestating war that his nation had ever seen, about the charge of good men to stand up for what they believe in.

It's the sentiment of what Teddy said that motivated the fictional Mr. Smith, and the standard to which I seek to hold myself. Nobody did anything - righted any great wrongs, made a name for themselves, found whatever it was in life that they were searching for - by sitting in the bleachers and making commentary. The kind of people that I would seek to emulate - the kind of man I want to be - are the ones who launch themselves headfirst into the arena, and fight for what you want until you've got nothing left. And if you get tossed back into the stands, you jump right back in with every ounce of tenacity you've got.



...I haven't always made the best choices in my life so far; a colossal understatement. But when I find myself at a real crossroads in my life, and I don't know what path to take, I take that little laminated quote out of my wallet and read it. I try to stay, above all, true to myself. No matter what happens.

So I got fucking arrested last night...

I'd type up the full story, but I'm feeling far too lazy to do all that writing this afternoon. I'll just copy and paste from the MSN conversation where I tell a friend:

Rachel	-	what did you do to [PR]?
PR	-	lol
PR	-	long story
Rachel	-	i hear there are handcuffs involved
PR	-	there were
PR	-	hold on, I'll grab a beer first
Rachel	-	lol
Rachel	-	drinking alone...oh no
PR	-	hey, I've earned this one
Rachel	-	okay dish
Rachel	-	I cant wait any longer lol
PR	-	lol I've heard that one before
PR	-	I'm doing this at my pace
Rachel	-	thats what she said
PR	-	lol
Rachel	-	fine but i get all the details
PR	-	okay, so one of the AEPi alums had his birthday today at the Heart and Crown on Preston
PR	-	I'm too broke to go drinking, but I figured I'd come over and give him my regards
Rachel	-	and I take it this is where it starts to get interesting
PR	-	you have no idea
Rachel	-	:)
Rachel	-	go on
PR	-	so since I'm not drinking, I saddle up the loser cruiser and head to the Heart and Crown
Rachel	-	...
PR	-	if I were to be drinking, I wouldn't take the car
PR	-	but that's not relevant, so I'll keep going
Rachel	-	lol and you mean boat
O	-	boat
Rachel	-	and do go on
PR	-	so I find a parking space a few blocks away, and walk over
PR	-	the place is packed
PR	-	I find my friends, and there aren't even enough chairs for everyone at the table
PR	-	we're outside, and half of us are just off the property across the little metal rail
PR	-	so eventually I go over the rail to greet another friend who just got in from toronto
PR	-	about a minute later, a bouncer comes up to me and says "Are you planning to come back inside?"
PR	-	and I say "Yeah"
PR	-	"Don't bother. You're kicked out."
Rachel	-	wtf
PR	-	I know
PR	-	my friends were pretty stunned that I just got kicked out of the heart and crown for hopping onto the sidewalk over the rail, and they suggest I ask nicely to come back in
PR	-	so I go to the bouncer, and I say "Look, I didn't realize what a dick move that was back there. Is there any way you can let me back in?"
PR	-	"no."
Rachel	-	ouch
PR	-	yeah, but that's his right
Rachel	-	Im gunna grab a banana...brb...keep talking though
PR	-	np
Rachel	-	lol and Im going to eat it...nothing dirty so dont even say it
PR	-	so I go back to where my friends are, and just lean against the rail from the sidewalk side
PR	-	about 5 minutes later, the bouncer tells me to go home
PR	-	I say "Are you telling me that I can't be on public property?"
PR	-	he says "get off this sidewalk"
Rachel	-	wow he really had it out for you
PR	-	so I ask if he can legally ask me to get off of a public bench and sidewalk if I'm not causing a disturbance?
PR	-	and I was right
PR	-	so he says to my friends, "alright, I can't kick this guy off the bench, but if any part of his body crosses over that rail, you're all kicked out"
PR	-	"fine."
PR	-	and that was the last time any part of me was within their property
PR	-	so I stay on the bench and tlak with my friends
PR	-	and when the waitress comes by, I ask to speak to the manager
PR	-	she says that they're really busy, and that it oculd be a while
PR	-	*couldc
PR	-	*could
PR	-	I tell her "don't worry, I'm not in any rush"
PR	-	so after about 10 minutes or so, the manager comes up to me with the bouncer
PR	-	I told her I was sorry about hopping the rail onto the sidewalk, and would if be possible to rejoin my friends on the other side?
PR	-	she says no. their liquor license requires that they kick out someone who does that
PR	-	which isn't unreasonable for her
Rachel	-	yah but you were sober
PR	-	not a fucking sip
PR	-	but she was right on that point
PR	-	her hands were tied, and I didn't have a problem with that
PR	-	I wasn't going to argue
PR	-	then she says, "if you're going to cause a problem, we can call the police"
PR	-	I say "I'm not going to cause anything. If I can't come back in, then what I will do is stay on this public bench. I hope you don't call the police, but I'm not doing anything wrong. If you want to, that's your perrogative."
Rachel	-	lol
PR	-	so they leave, and I go back to talking to my friends
PR	-	who are pretty amazed at what just happened
PR	-	then Jeremy says "they're coming back with police"
Rachel	-	LOL are you fuckig serious
PR	-	I'm facing away from the cops, and I don't turn around.
PR	-	I just ask how far away they are
PR	-	"about 20 seconds"
Rachel	-	omfg
PR	-	so I keep talking to jeremy for about 20 seconds
PR	-	from a public bench, on a public sidewalk
Rachel	-	sober too
PR	-	keep in mind, at no point in this evening have I had a drink, lost my temper, or even raised my voice
PR	-	well, I had 5 drinks as soon as I got to sunnyside
PR	-	but again, not relevant
Rachel	-	lol
PR	-	so I keep talking to jeremy until I feel the cop grab me my the arm from behind
PR	-	he tells me to leave
PR	-	I ask on what grounds
PR	-	he says "tresspassing"
Rachel	-	wtf
Rachel	-	that is SUCH bullshit
PR	-	I tell him that I'm on a public bench
Rachel	-	leave it to the cops to take the side of the buisness
PR	-	and that I have no plans to trespass on their property
PR	-	and he says - and I'm not making this up - "you're in my city"
Rachel	-	bastard
PR	-	"you've got two choices: you can go home, or you can go to jail"
Rachel	-	wtf
Rachel	-	you CANNOT be arrested for that shit
PR	-	I ask him if he's going to arrest me for sitting on a public bench
Rachel	-	what an arrogant pig
PR	-	so he says again, "you can go home, or you can go to jail"
PR	-	I say "I'd like that in writing"
Rachel	-	lol
Rachel	-	o0o
Rachel	-	you badass
PR	-	so he says "hands on the railing. you're under arrest."
PR	-	"here's your writing"
Rachel	-	OMG
Rachel	-	no wayy
PR	-	way.
PR	-	so he puts the handcuffs on, and my friends are just in shock
Rachel	-	thats kind of hot though...Id like to be arrested lol
PR	-	lol
PR	-	my friend called me after to ask why I was grinning while getting cuffed
PR	-	I didn't realise I was grinning
Rachel	-	lool
Rachel	-	omg I WISH i could have seen that
PR	-	so he calls a squad car, (code 93 or something), and leads me to it
Rachel	-	lol tell me more
PR	-	sorry, back
Rachel	-	but really that is pretty hot...you got arrested
PR	-	so once we're out of earshot, he says "I'm going to tell you one more time. You can go home, or you can go to jail."
PR	-	sorry, my bad
PR	-	"You can go home, or you can go to jail and do this by the book"
PR	-	I tell him "I haven't done anything wrong tonight, officer. I think I'd like to do this by the book."
PR	-	so he puts me in the squad car and turns me over to the officer driving it
Rachel	-	LOL
Rachel	-	man I really wish i could have seen this go down
PR	-	lol
PR	-	I'm so pissed off at my friends
PR	-	when he said "hands on the railing"
PR	-	I gestured at them to get a fucking camera out
PR	-	and they just stood there like idiots
Rachel	-	LOL
Rachel	-	fuck
Rachel	-	that sucks
PR	-	I wanted a picture of that
Rachel	-	a picture would have been epic
PR	-	a) because it would have come in handy in court
O	-	and b) because it looks badass
Rachel	-	omg yes
Rachel	-	that would be a hot picture
Rachel	-	i dont know what it is but anything related to jailtime= hot
PR	-	sorry to disappoint you, rachel, but I never went to jail
Rachel	-	lol you coudnt handle it
PR	-	the second cop wasn't as big a dick. He drove me around the corner and said that I wasn't being held
PR	-	I told him I'd like to get everything on the record anyway
Rachel	-	I once found out a guy i found attractive did about 3 years in jail..and it turned me on
Rachel	-	lol
Rachel	-	i take it he just toko you home then?
Rachel	-	*took
PR	-	no
PR	-	after I told him. I said I wanted to be given the breathalyzer test
Rachel	-	good.
PR	-	I hadn't had anyhting to drink
PR	-	but that car didn't have a test machine
PR	-	I asked if any nearby squad cars did
PR	-	he said "it doesn't matter, you're not driving home, are you?"
PR	-	and I said that yes, I was.
PR	-	so he asks what kind of car I own, and where it's parked
PR	-	when we get to it, he lets me out of the squad car, and smells my breath
PR	-	which pissed me off, because I wanted an actual readout for the record
Rachel	-	yah
Rachel	-	that is SUCH bullshit!
PR	-	then he unlocks the handcuffs and hands me a charge citation for trespassing
Rachel	-	but a bunch of guys from your frat saw it happen...your a legend lol
Rachel	-	whatttt
PR	-	yeah
PR	-	I ask him how I go about disputing that in court
PR	-	he says that the info's all on the citation, and that if I challenged it, he would testify against me.
Rachel	-	jackass
PR	-	once I got into my car, he drove off
Rachel	-	he wasnt even there
PR	-	I checked the 20 messages I'd gotten in the 10 minutes since I got arrested, then came back here
Rachel	-	omfg that is bullshit
Rachel	-	definately fight that
PR	-	I will.
Rachel	-	lol but [PR]...you got arrested
Rachel	-	how hot
Rachel	-	is that
PR	-	hey, when I was asked to leave the bar, I left. When they told me not to touch their railing, I didn't. But when a bouncer tells me to get off a public sidewalk, he can go fuck himself.
Rachel	-	oh definately
PR	-	and when a cop does the same, I made him arrest me
Rachel	-	that is such bullshit
Rachel	-	lol
Rachel	-	oh you badass
PR	-	lol fuck off
Rachel	-	lol
PR	-	I'm way too irritated right now to deal with sarcasm
Rachel	-	you may not find it great now but im sure its a story you will love telling
PR	-	oh, you have no idea
Rachel	-	and im serious that shit is hot
Rachel	-	you got arrested
Rachel	-	hott
PR	-	lol
PR	-	seirously though, apparently I was grinning the entire time
Rachel	-	you would
PR	-	I did.
PR	-	so what did you do tonight?
Rachel	-	I talked to Hani about how I got ditched for the black BBQ and then I tried to help him come up with a name for his team for guild wars
PR	-	lol
Rachel	-	they ended up with the same lame name they started with
Rachel	-	and you know i had one of those days where i take forever getting ready only to get fucking ditched
Rachel	-	im so pissed
PR	-	I think the funniest part was when I was in the squad car
PR	-	and I was crushing the cigarettes in my back pocket
PR	-	now, you obviously don't reach into a pocket to grab an unknown object while in police custody
Rachel	-	lol
PR	-	so I ask, "Officer, I'm just going to reach into my pocket to move my cigarettes to somewhere that they won't get crushed"
PR	-	so he says okay
PR	-	then he asks "What's a guy like you doing smoking anyway?"
PR	-	and I say....
PR	-	I know you've read my blog, so you probably know the answer
PR	-	"shiny packaging and peer pressure"
PR	-	sarcasm: not always the ebst approach
PR	-	*best
Rachel	-	lol
Rachel	-	not with cops
Rachel	-	its best to let them dominate
Rachel	-	lol
PR	-	whatever, I got their names.
Rachel	-	good
PR	-	I'm not going to go home because a cop threatens to arrest me. not if I haven't broken a law
Rachel	-	fuck that is so messed up
Rachel	-	but still..hott
Rachel	-	lol
PR	-	lol thanks
Rachel	-	how were their cuffs?
PR	-	left some bruises, but otherwise not bad
Rachel	-	damn
Rachel	-	I want some of those
PR	-	they feel the same as the ones I have, but they ratcheted them tighter than I do
...

I still can't believe it. I was never aggressive or belligerent. I never lost my temper or even raised my voice. When they asked me to leave their property, I left. When they asked me not to even touch the railing, I complied. But when a bouncer tries to order me off of a public bench on a public sidewalk, he has every right to go fuck himself; when an officer of the law does the same, I wanted that order on paper.

This isn't some third-world junta. This is Ottawa! I realize how melodramatic this kind of thing is going to sound, but our society is based on the rule of law. A police officer is granted - rightly - certain authorities over other citizens for the good and welfare of society; but a badge is not carte-blanche to give orders arbitrarily under the guise of legal authority. I got arrested for sitting on a public bench, breaking no laws, and I fully intend to make a scene over this.

I'm not a petty criminal. I'm not a menace to society. I don't have a criminal record; christ, I've never been arrested before. And even if these things were not the case, I would still be in the right.