Police arrest US presidential candidate Jill Stein at debate site

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Published time: October 16, 2012 22:22
Edited time: October 17, 2012 13:18

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Police arrested Green Party Presidential candidate Jill Stein and her running mate, Cheri Honkala, after they tried to enter the site of tonight’s presidential debate at Hofstra University.

The two were protesting against the exclusion of all but the two major political parties from taking part in the debate.

“Jill Stein, Cheri Honkala arrested, call tonight's #debate a "mockumentary",” said a tweet posted on her account.

The presidential candidate and her vice-presidential nominee were arrested by local police when they tried to enter the grounds of Hofstra University, in Hempstead, New York, Stein's campaign website says. The women were later released from police custody.

A video posted on YouTube shows police officers ushering Stein and Honkala away after they apparently tried to stage a sit-in.

The arrest comes after an announcement by the Green Party that the candidates will take “Occupy the Commission on Presidential Debates” action on the night of the debate.

“Stein and Honkala will walk from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 2 PM to the debate perimeter at Hofstra, where they will then attempt to walk through security checkpoints and reach the debate hall,” read the release.

“This is a great day for democracy,” Stein told The Philadelphia Weekly by phone as she headed to the debate site. “It’s a great day for the politics of courage.”

The candidates claim that the Commission on Presidential Debates is an unfair entity formed by Democratic and Republican leaders designed to exclude any opposition.

Jill Stein is the Green Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election. A Harvard-educated physician, she also stood for election for Governor of Massachusetts in both 2002 and 2010. A staple of her campaign is the "Green New Deal," a plan to recharge the US by giving "every American willing and able to work" a job on renewable energy projects in the country. She is backed by American leftist icon Noam Chomsky and acclaimed journalist and harsh critic of unregulated capitalism Chris Hedges.

Screenshot from YouTube user LongIslandReport

Comments (92)

Mario Melhem (unregistered) 19.10.2012 10:54

As I already commented, Mrs. Jill Stein is the crème de la crème of America. Although, I personally have some points of discordance with the Green Party she proved many times that she is a Woman of Noble Character and Strength and this is what America Urgently needs. Ho wever, I think as well that the small parties in US and even Republicans and Democrats that are imprisoned by the two main parties should join forces and place apart their differences – it is the only way to break this abysmal political monotony. I have just read a detrimental comment against Mr. Chomsky. I think you have to ponder that Mrs. Chomsky by being outside the Ark is bringing many inside. This is his job. If he goes inside the Ark now, many that are still outside and haven’t reflected yet will find a bit more complicated to embark. Don’t worry he will be in. Please note as well that this Ark is a different one - the more people we have in, lesser is the chance of sinking.

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teddyformusic 18.10.2012 22:07

there NEVER has been a democracy in america.........it is and always has been a "plutocracy" -- which is currently accelerating towards full-blown Fascism.

"democracy" in america has more to do with the PRETENSE - which enables americans to BELIEVE in the Illusion of having "choice, freedom, rights" -- in a tightly managed system of exploitation (including the sense of "patriotism") -- in order to ensure the CLASS divisions and the class war waged by the powerful and rich and capitalists is maintained.

the "elections" are nothing more than bi-yearly, or quarter-yearly hugely expensive, corporate owned, business-owned "choices" that are simply THEATRICAL shows -- like "reality shows" -- designed to keep the people believing in the American PEOPLE's OWN prefered DELUSIONS that they are "free"...

and the people of course, the majority that actually "vote" -- ALSO are part of the entire charade, because in this way, they can cling to their OWN cultural illusions about "american superiority".....

=============== ==

article below by Glenn Greenwald on how american "elections" really work.

http://www.c ommondreams.org/view /2012/10/16-10

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SociallyUncensored.eu 18.10.2012 21:54

Our democracy has failed.

It doesn't matter what party you belong to as long as you're on the "approved list".

The message changes.
Who is speaking changes.
How we get there changes.
Sometime s even the "why" changes.

But we still get there (here) and here is where we do not want or need to be. We all knows this. That is why we always want change in every election. Because no matter who's been elected, it's all been the same.

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