On The Front Lines
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann Names Attorney John W. Whitehead 'Worst Person in the World' for Defending Free Speech Rights of Political Protesters
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Keith Olbermann, host of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, has named John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, the "worst person in the world" for coming to the defense of political protesters whose access to the Charlottesville offices of Congressman Tom Perriello (D-VA) has been restricted by local police.
A clip of the Olbermann "Worst Person in the World" segment is available at www.rutherford.org.
"I accept with great humility Keith Olbermann's conferring me with the 'World's Worst Person' gold award," stated John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. "However, I'm surprised that Rep. Perriello hasn't come to my defense. Perriello, Olbermann and others should be reminded of what Voltaire once remarked, 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' That is precisely the issue of concern when it comes to Tom Perriello's failure to facilitate the free speech rights of his constituents."
In a December 10, 2009, letter to Tom Perriello, Whitehead voiced the concern that the location of Perriello's Charlottesville office is interfering with his constituents' First Amendment rights. Whitehead urged the congressman to relocate his headquarters, which is located in the Glass Building in downtown Charlottesville, Va., to a location where citizens' rights to petition and demonstrate will not be squelched by private property concerns. "The First Amendment clearly guarantees individuals the right to speak out publicly and address their government representatives on the important issues of the day--that is, the First Amendment guarantees citizens the right 'peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances,'" said Whitehead. "As an elected official who has taken an oath to 'support and defend the Constitution of the United States,' it is crucial that Congressman Perriello's actions serve to facilitate his constituents in exercising their rights to petition, speak and demonstrate."
The Rutherford Institute was contacted by a number of individuals concerned about restrictions imposed upon their ability to exercise their constitutional rights at Congressman Tom Perriello's office in the City of Charlottesville. Specifically, representatives of the Jefferson Area Tea Party and the University of Virginia College Republicans have been prohibited from engaging in peaceful petitioning activities at Perriello's office. They have also been informed that they would be deemed trespassers if they dared to demonstrate on political issues while in the parking lot to Perriello's office. The College Republicans were met by the police and informed that they could not have access to the parking lot. Yet as Whitehead points out in his letter to Perriello, "This has resulted in restricting and suppressing speech on issues of pressing importance, including the reform of the nation's health care system." The root of the problem, according to Whitehead, lies in Perriello's decision to locate his office in a place where public petitioning and demonstrations may be restricted by those protecting their private property interests. Thus, states Whitehead, "Relocation will not only further the salutary purposes of the First Amendment but will serve to alleviate any conflict between these activities and the rights of private property owners who may be inconvenienced by the presence of demonstrations."
A copy of The Rutherford Institute's letter to Perriello is available here.
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