JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer — BRATTLEBORO, Vt. – A town petition making President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney subject to arrest for crimes against the Constitution has triggered a barrage of criticism from people who say residents are “wackjobs” and “nuts.”
In e-mail messages, voicemail messages and telephone calls, outraged people are calling the measure the equivalent of treason and vowing never to visit Vermont.
“Has everyone up there been out in the cold too long?” said one.
“I would like to know how I could get some water from your town,” said another. “It’s obvious that there is something special in it.”
The petition — with more than 436 signatures, or at least the 5 percent of voters necessary to be considered — was submitted Thursday and the town Select Board voted 3-2 Friday to put it on the ballot. It goes to a town-wide vote March 4.
It reads: “Shall the Selectboard instruct the Town Attorney to draft indictments against President Bush and Vice President Cheney for crimes against our Constitution, and publish said indictments for consideration by other authorities and shall it be the law of the Town of Brattleboro that the Brattleboro Police, pursuant to the above-mentioned indictments, arrest and detain George Bush and Richard Cheney in Brattleboro if they are not duly impeached, and prosecute or extradite them to other authorities that may reasonably contend to prosecute them?”
News of the measure made the rounds on the Internet, and soon people started calling and writing. The Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce got about 60 e-mails Monday, all of them negative, said Executive Director Jerry Goldberg.
A day later, he said, “we had three or four calls in a row that were very positive. One even volunteered to help.”
The petition has no legal standing, since the town attorney has no authority to write an indictment and the police have no authority to arrest Bush or Cheney if either visits Brattleboro.
Bush has not visited Vermont during his presidency; Cheney visited Burlington in 2002, but has not been to Brattleboro.
Anger at the Bush administration is hardly new in Vermont. The state Senate voted last year to support impeaching the president. Anti-war rallies are regular occurrences, and “Impeach Bush” bumper stickers are common.
The petition prompted Brent Caflisch to go to his computer in Rosemount, Minn. “Maybe the terrorists will do us all a favor and attack your town next, our country would be much safer with several thousand dead wackjobs in Vermont,” he wrote.
It went on to say terrorists could kidnap the three Select Board members who voted in favor, “cut their heads off, video tape it and put it on the internet.”
Caflisch, who confirmed sending the e-mail, said Tuesday he did it out of disgust after reading about the measure on The Drudge Report.
A few messages were positive (“Arrest Bush and Cheney? You go, Brattleboro!” wrote one man) but most were critical.
“Be American, not a sniffeling liberal town that sleeps under the shield of safety provided to you by your President,” said another e-mail. “Vacation to VT CANCELLED!”
The reaction caught town officials off guard, and left some workers on edge.
“We have some concerns about safety,” said Town Clerk Annette Cappy. “After reading some of these e-mails, you can’t help it.”
Acting Police Chief Eugene Wrinn said any threats would be taken seriously and possibly prosecuted. So far, no threats have been made, he said.
“If someone is concerned for their safety, if there’s a threat of harm, we will look at that seriously,” he said.
Resident Kurt Daims, who submitted the petition, said late Tuesday he was chagrined that the town and its employees were subject to ridicule.
“I feel bad for people who are loyal to Bush who have lost a son or had one in the service and it’s hard for them to admit the utter waste of it, and that it was caused by this man in the White House,” he said.
Jodin, Hi I met you at the (gig) last monday nite,,,a fellow activist and mental health worker,,Im Tim,,,,hey I really applaud all of your efforts with your comrades,,,great, great effort to obtain some sort of morality for our country. We all can hold back evil hands to prevent the forward mindset of these in power that commit these atrocitys at home and abroad. Can I mention your name and website to thsoe at the Antiwar-committee?,,they I really beleive would like your input and energy. Again Jodin a pleasure to meet you last monday eve,,and a fellow activist for world justice and world peace,,,In all solidarity..Tim,,antiwar-committee alumist and aspiring actor,,,,my e address,,,[email protected]
I agree,someone to stand up.This is clear cut.Bush is the worst president in history. This country was built on the constitution. He has underhandedly manipulated the constitutional right of all of us. He had the patriot act changed in secret hours befor the vote, outright changed it with the intent of having it agreed upon based on prior draft. That’s a scumbag. He’s been in bed with his great osama family for decades.His father at the drawing table with the osama family at the time the world trade buildings were falling. His brother was head of security at the WTC. The Florida votes were fucked under a bush family member. He has violated laws, and the constitution. In any other country he would be a dead man. he knew about the WTC and when it happened said “look, look there they go, that’s them follow me and we’ll get them” and we fell for it. If you agree with the bush tactics in government and his war against the ALCIADA. Then you too must be a Terrorist.
Most Respectfully
Wm Burne
Finally, someone with enough courage to stand up to this flagrant trampling of our rights as American citizens. It certainly isn’t going to come from those politicians that we voted into office—you know, those guys that make their living theoretically protecting our rights. What terrifies me is that there are so many people who believe that it is un-American to resist tyrannical maneuvering by our present government. Once again, The Green Mountain Boys taking a stand.
Nice to see Americans doing what Americans should be doing, stopping power hungry dictators from destroying this country. We are so concerned about radical muslim extremeist that we are overlooking that our freedoms can be compromised from the inside just as easily and effectively as from the outside. Cheney views of Americans were put in front of us with his recent interview where his response to our concerns about the lives of our troops and fellow countrymen fighting in Iraq was ‘SO’? I honestly think Bush has bascially been mindwashed by Cheney and that the real villan in all this is Dick Cheney. The real mastermind had to be conniving, money hungry and power mad. Bush is just a lacky while puppetmaster Cheney pulls the strings.
To the citizens of this town, I am at peace knowing that there are still some true Americans still alive who dont buy into the Republican SpinMasters and use their own judgement and free thoughts to come to cystal clear conclusions.. BRAVO BRATTLEBORO!!
Mr. Tate,
You have ‘contributed’ nine posts without making a single counterclaim against the considerable evidence we have put forth for impeachment. Do you have anything to say at all? If so, I would recommend getting to your point, as otherwise it would appear you have less facts in your head than teeth in your mouth. We would hate for you to continue embarrassing yourself so.
Do you have a point to make?
Michael:
I have no plans on encouraging your sophomoric desires to bandy about empty insults.
I put you clowns on my favorites just so I can come back tommorrow and teach you guys some new stuff again.
See ya tommorrow! Put your thinking caps on, you are definitely going to need them.
Where are all of you? Jodin? anyone?
Maybe you guys ought to collaborate with Berkeley, Ca.
and find another country to live in. You know, where it’s better than here.
Most of you liberals are sleeping even when you’re awake.
Jodin,
Just what I expected. A whole lot of nothing. I run a construction business that does very well. Somehow I find the time to discuss serious issues. Lame excuse.
We all know who owns what media outlet. It’s public knowledge. Try answering one of the questions.
Kurt Daims. I would like to discuss this resolution with you anytime and anywhere. I think you are getting what you expected with this.
If you would like to discuss and defend your position, I will be online in this forum whenever you are ready.
Michael: Good Orwellian double-think. It might work on a few people who don’t actually know who owns the media.
And it doesn’t take anyone several days. First of all, it hasn’t. Second of all, even if we don’t IMMEDIATELY respond, it might just be that we have jobs, are sleeping, or have other things in our lives. 🙂
I’m waiting. I love these liberal websites. It takes you guys days to come up with your lame defenses.
I will answer you almost immediately if I’m online. I don’t NEED DAYS to formulate my response.
Come on! I want to hear some intelligent discussion with some facts to back it up!!
I couldn’t agree more with Franklin!! You people are out of your minds. Do you just blatantly believe evrything that this put out in mainstream media?
Please keep in mind WHO OWNS these media outlets. Mostly way left wing freaks, (just like there are way right wing freaks).
I think most of us are in the middle, give or take a couple of issues.
But don’t be sheep! Don’t get on some weird bandwagon! This is a serious waste of ALL OF OUR TIME AND MONEY!!!!
Bush Admin had no idea that this was going to happen. And if you think there was a US conspiracy to let this happen, you are just as insane as Rosie!!!
Yeah, you guys are real bright, voting on whether or not you’ll be putting out an arrest warrant on the President and Vice President of the United States. Don’t let it bother you that legally you can’t even do that. No, just go ahead and waste the taxpayers’ money of your little two-bit town and hold the vote. You guys may be heroes to people who can’t think for themselves–people like Michelle up above who can’t even spell–and if that’s all you aspire to, congratulations! You’ve achieved your goal. What a pitiable laughingstock you are.
Thanks to Brattleboro for bringing attention to the obvious misuse of almost absolute power by this administration.
I have felt every negative emotion known to our species at the unfolding of their(Bush/Cheney and the rest of those ignorant political appointees,too many to name) extremely bad judgement.From the deception if not bold faced lies leading to war in Iraq,to the Bremer mishandling of the rebuilding of Iraq, to the Valerie Plame outing,to rewriting/censoring of scientific information regarding global warming,to unauthorized wiretaps of American citizens,to Katrina.I’ll stop there for now as the list could get very long.But may I end with a plea to the President?
Will you please listen to intelligent, even minded people, to the lessons of history,to our Constitution and to the majority of the American people who believe that you have gone astray.You have gone much too far in the expansion of Presidential power.Think of yourself as a good and righteous man and consider the mistakes you have made.Now consider a later President who may not be as good and righteous as yourself and what that person could do with the powers you may have unleashed.
~thank you,concerned citizen,John B. Campbell~
You are to be congratulated for your courage at speaking the sad truth about the “crimes and misdemeanors” of this current Adminstration. Bravo for Brattleboro!
Thank you for taking this stance. I am so upset that our current administration-Bush and Cheney feel they can dictate who can kill and mame and who can not and what dictates self defense, etc. It is so hypocritical! Go Brattelboro!
Standing up for all of us.
Brattleboro should be Everytown USA. Every town which believes in upholding the truth should pillory the Bush cabal and the record they represent, four generations of war profiteers to my knowledge. Confront your fears, discover the truth behind these criminals. Way to go Brattleboro!