School students attending a youth leadership conference have been
scolded by armed security officers in the California Capitol in
Sacramento for singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless
America" in the rotunda, according to organizers of the conference."The patriotic expression was apparently so egregious that state
troopers were called in to the rotunda to rebuke the students," a
statement from The Capitol Resource Institute said today.
"This was a ghastly overreaction to some students expressing their
patriotism in the seat of government," said Karen England, executive
director of CRI, and director of the youth conference. "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."
Conference organizers said several armed troopers entered the rotunda,
accompanied by several capitol sergeants-at-arms, and they confronted
conference organizers and students for singing without a permit from
the legislature's rules committee.
The 45 students from all across California were in the statehouse as
part of their participation in the City on the Hill Youth Leadership
Conference. At the intensive study sessions they learn the legislative
and political processes.
"After spending the day meeting with lawmakers and their staff, the
youth aged 14-18, engaged in a spontaneous expression of passion for
their country by singing the national anthem and God Bless America,"
CRI reported. "Tourists walking through the capitol stopped to listen
to the singing and clapped enthusiastically."
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.
Comment: All I can offer is HUH?
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