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Wednesday, Mar. 5, 2003 - 12:47 p.m.

What's it called again? Freedom of speech?

A man was arrested for wearing a certain t-shirt in a mall. I don't care what your views on the war are, there's still something called "freedom of speech" which appears in a publication called "the Bill of Rights" that's a part of an important document called "the Constitution."

Of course, the mall has an argument that it's private property and can ask patrons to leave if they desire to do so. But when you take into account that the shirt was bought at the mall, it's even more ridiculous. This man � a lawyer, no less ��is arrested because he wouldn't take off a "Give Peace A Chance" t-shirt that he bought at the mall, yet the shop (or kiosk) that made money off his purchase is not affected. Well, the article doesn't say it was.

The police aren't at fault, either, since they were summoned to the scene by mall security, who requested the man be arrested. The cops, apparently, must honor the request, and I don't really have a problem with that.

What it probably comes down to is a right-wing security guard who took his plastic badge a little too seriously. Maybe the mall isn't even happy with it, though they wouldn't comment and didn't come to the man's defense during the discussion. Technically, how do they even know the man was refering to the potential war on Iraq? Maybe he was commenting on local politics, referring to a overall peace around the world, or pinpointing the disagreements between the Israelites and Palestinians.

In any case, I don't live near Albany. But if I did, I'd make an effort not to visit the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, and I hope anyone who lives there at least considers it.

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