And boy am I glad that we escaped Colorado. In yet another example of the old heave ho to freedom, we have 'disturbing the peace' charges in Castle Rock Colorado against a member of a band who, gasp and surprise, thinks that Police control of expression is a bad thing.

"Officers said they heard some of the band members using obscenities during a break and warned them not to. According to police reports, when Lewis took the microphone, he dedicated a song to Castle Rock police, saying "I hate you all. [Expletive] the pigs."

"Officers cut power to the stage and escorted Lewis and several other band members off. Lewis was arrested on one count of disturbing the peace.

A town statute prohibits maliciously or willfully disturbing the peace by "loud or unusual noises, or by tumultuous or offensive language," among other things.

"We're not concentrating so much on the language he used ... as the general disturbance it created," Lane said.

Read the whole Freedom Forum Story

The disturbance created appears to be that audience members heckled the police after they cut off the power. So revisionism 101 is alive and well in Castle Rock.

Does anyone else find disturbing parallels with Lenny Bruce? I think it is in Salon's premium section, but read this article, Lenny Bruce Died for our Sins and see if you can find the parallels.

The Police Chief, Tony Lane in an email told me that I don't have all of the facts in the case, and that they are not trying to punish anyone for their freedom of speech.

Right Tony.

Using 'disturbing the peace' statutes to silence others is a classic technique. When you question a police officer, you will be told to move on or your will be arrested for 'disturbing the peace.'

When your music is too loud, or your expression too raw, it is the nebulous 'disturbing the peace' that they will use as their enforcement 'tool.' (side note: when they start talking about 'tools' you need to put your hand on your wallet and start walking away slowly, saying 'good doggie').

And, by the way, as 'officer' in nearby Denver once told me, 'What they wrote 200 years ago don't mean jack shit today.'

Of course, the fine people of Castle Rock seem to support the Chief. He has received "many emails and phone calls" supporting his repression. (yeah, 'repression' is the right word to use when describing the actions of armed thugs who cut the power and arrest people for expressing themselves).

And that is where we are in America 2003.