Got an anti-Bush bumper sticker? Prepare to be arrested

[conjur]

http://www.rockymountainnews.c...RMN_15_3495709,00.html

Denver police sergeant is under investigation for allegedly threatening to arrest a woman Monday for displaying on her truck a derogatory bumper sticker about President Bush.

"He told her that this was a warning and that the next time he saw her truck, she was going to be arrested if she didn't remove the sticker," said Alinna Figueroa, 25, assistant manager of The UPS Store where the confrontation took place. "I couldn't believe it."


Advertisement



Denver police have initiated an investigation into the alleged incident, said Police Chief Gerry Whitman. He declined to comment further.

About 11 a.m., Shasta Bates, 26, was standing in the shopping center store in the 800 block of South Monaco Parkway when a man walked in and started arguing with her about a bumper sticker on the back of her truck that had "F--- Bush" in white letters on a black background.

"He was saying it was very sick and wrong and you shouldn't be doing that," Bates said. "He was very offended by it. I said, 'You didn't have to take it so personally.' "

The two argued for a few minutes, and then the man walked out of the store and stood behind Bates' truck. A few minutes later, the man flagged down police Sgt. Michael Karasek, who was patrolling the area.

Rocky Mountain News reporter Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, who happened to be at the store at the time, walked up to the two and asked what was going on.

The man pointed the bumper sticker out to McCrimmon, and then Karasek told her that it was illegal because it was profane, McCrimmon said.

Reached late Monday, City Attorney Cole Finnegan said he didn't believe there were any city ordinances against displaying a profane bumper sticker.

Karasek then walked into the store and confronted Bates.

"He said, 'You need to take off those stickers because it's profanity and it's against the law to have profanity on your truck,' " Bates said. "Then he said, 'If you ever show up here again, I'm going to make you take those stickers off and arrest you. Never come back into that area.' "

McCrimmon, who had followed the officer into the store, said Karasek wrote down the woman's license-plate number and then told her: "You take those bumper stickers off or I will come and find you and I will arrest you."

Bates said she hasn't had many complaints about her sticker, which has shared the space on the back of her truck with many other stickers since August.

She said she put the sticker on her truck because she disagrees with Bush's stance on homosexuality and "other issues."

"I get some older men who pull up at the side of me and start yelling and cussing," she said, "but it's not a crime unless they take some action."

Colorado ACLU Legal Director Mark Silverstein said that the alleged threat of arrest clearly violates First Amendment protection.

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

Ted Halaby, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, said that while he finds the bumper sticker's message distasteful, he also realizes that it's probably protected under the First Amendment.

"There are all sorts of derogatory bumper stickers that seem to be covered under the First Amendment," he said, "whether or not you find them personally distasteful."

I guess it's time I ordered one that says "Go F*ck Yourself, Bush"

 

[Hecubus2000]

That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

 

[Spencer278]

I guess it's time I ordered one that says "Go F*ck Yourself, Bush"

You should put that right next to the sticker that say people don't F--- with my car.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

Uhh...what part of this bolded part did you miss?

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

 

[Hecubus2000]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

Uhh...what part of this bolded part did you miss?

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

Uhhhh....... In the state of Colorado it is against the law to display profanity in public. Look it up.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

Uhh...what part of this bolded part did you miss?

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

Uhhhh....... In the state of Colorado it is against the law to profanity in public. Look it up.

Uhh...US Constitution 1st Amendment decision trumps state law.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

I guess it's time I ordered one that says "Go F*ck Yourself, Bush"

You should put that right next to the sticker that say people don't F--- with my car.

Conjur -

It is your right to put whatever you'd like to on your car. Having said that...

You do realize that it makes you look like white trash, and it actually hinders your cause.

 

[raildogg]

This is a very very rare case. Get a hold of yourself, Mr. Free Speech.

 

[MonkeyK]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: Spencer278

I guess it's time I ordered one that says "Go F*ck Yourself, Bush"

You should put that right next to the sticker that say people don't F--- with my car.

Conjur -

It is your right to put whatever you'd like to on your car. Having said that...

You do realize that it makes you look like white trash, and it actually hinders your cause.

What's his cause?

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: MonkeyK

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: Spencer278

I guess it's time I ordered one that says "Go F*ck Yourself, Bush"

You should put that right next to the sticker that say people don't F--- with my car.

Conjur -

It is your right to put whatever you'd like to on your car. Having said that...

You do realize that it makes you look like white trash, and it actually hinders your cause.

What's his cause?

Conjur's anti-Bush cause.

 

[irwincur]

People need to understand that police are not lawyers, judges, or politicians. They simply make snap judgements on what they consider to be either legal or illegal. If we require our police to actually know all of the nuances of the law before they arrest anyone, no one would ever be arrested.

The point is, many people daily are warned, arrested, etc... by the police for what turn out to be totally legal events. However, these things never stand up in court, as it is the judges (not the officers) job to know and interpret the law. For this reason, you are still considered innocent until proven guilty. Arrest, or warning aside, the law is on this womans side, and she would have prevailed had she a day in court over the matter.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: Spencer278

I guess it's time I ordered one that says "Go F*ck Yourself, Bush"

You should put that right next to the sticker that say people don't F--- with my car.

Conjur -

It is your right to put whatever you'd like to on your car. Having said that...

You do realize that it makes you look like white trash, and it actually hinders your cause.

White Trash is having a Calvin pissing sticker or a "W" sticker.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

Uhh...what part of this bolded part did you miss?

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

Uhhhh....... In the state of Colorado it is against the law to display profanity in public. Look it up.

Same thing in Florida.

 

[Fatdog]

Originally posted by: irwincur
People need to understand that police are not lawyers, judges, or politicians. They simply make snap judgements on what they consider to be either legal or illegal. If we require our police to actually know all of the nuances of the law before they arrest anyone, no one would ever be arrested.

The point is, many people daily are warned, arrested, etc... by the police for what turn out to be totally legal events. However, these things never stand up in court, as it is the judges (not the officers) job to know and interpret the law. For this reason, you are still considered innocent until proven guilty. Arrest, or warning aside, the law is on this womans side, and she would have prevailed had she a day in court over the matter.

But would you want to have a police record of arrest even though you were found innocent, because a cop doesn't know the law?

I sure wouldn't.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Fatdog

Originally posted by: irwincur
People need to understand that police are not lawyers, judges, or politicians. They simply make snap judgements on what they consider to be either legal or illegal. If we require our police to actually know all of the nuances of the law before they arrest anyone, no one would ever be arrested.

The point is, many people daily are warned, arrested, etc... by the police for what turn out to be totally legal events. However, these things never stand up in court, as it is the judges (not the officers) job to know and interpret the law. For this reason, you are still considered innocent until proven guilty. Arrest, or warning aside, the law is on this womans side, and she would have prevailed had she a day in court over the matter.

But would you want to have a police record of arrest even though you were found innocent, because a cop doesn't know the law?

I sure wouldn't.

If you're not booked (charged with a crime), there would be no record.

 

[Fatdog]

True, but it happens more than not and a lot of people end up with records that shouldn't. Just ask any of the people scooped up in the protester nets during the RNC that were later found to be illegal arrests.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

Uhh...what part of this bolded part did you miss?

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

Uhhhh....... In the state of Colorado it is against the law to profanity in public. Look it up.

Uhh...US Constitution 1st Amendment decision trumps state law.

Not exactly. It only trumps state law to the extent the the state law violates "protected speech." The decision acts to invalidate certain types of laws.

Not all speech is scared. The question is whether "Fvck ...." is protected speech. There is favorable precedent, but that precedent does not necessarily invalidate an entire statute.

 

[upsciLLion]

Who cares if it's legal. It's incredibly LAME.

 

[wallsfd949]

Originally posted by: upsciLLion
Who cares if it's legal. It's incredibly LAME.

 

[Dissipate]

I find it funny that instead of using this incident as an opportunity to bring up issues relating to government abuse in general, Conjur has just used it as a means to bash the Republicans. BTW Conjur, I went to your web site. In an nutshell: your politics suck.

 

[BBond]

Did they bring out the drug sniffing dogs too?

Your rights are being eroded, people. Wake up before it's too late.

 

[Dissipate]

Originally posted by: BBond
Did they bring out the drug sniffing dogs too?

Your rights are being eroded, people. Wake up before it's too late.

Well if we had just voted for the Democrats everything would be just fine. :roll:

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
That cop did the right thing. Last time I checked it was against the law to profanity in public. This has nothing to do with politics. The woman was breaking the law and got a warning. That cop would have done the same thing if the stupid woman's bumper sticker said F_ _ _ Kerry.

Uhh...what part of this bolded part did you miss?

"The Supreme Court considered a case about 30-some years ago where a person was prosecuted for wearing a jacket that said, 'F--- the draft,' on the back. The Supreme Court said states could not prohibit people from wearing such a jacket," he said. "They said, 'One man's profanity is another man's lyric.' "

Uhhhh....... In the state of Colorado it is against the law to display profanity in public. Look it up.

the constitution trumps any local law. Sorry

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: irwincur
People need to understand that police are not lawyers, judges, or politicians. They simply make snap judgements on what they consider to be either legal or illegal. If we require our police to actually know all of the nuances of the law before they arrest anyone, no one would ever be arrested.

The point is, many people daily are warned, arrested, etc... by the police for what turn out to be totally legal events. However, these things never stand up in court, as it is the judges (not the officers) job to know and interpret the law. For this reason, you are still considered innocent until proven guilty. Arrest, or warning aside, the law is on this womans side, and she would have prevailed had she a day in court over the matter.

typically you need a warrant issued by a judge to make an arrest.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Dissipate
In an nutshell: your politics suck.

speaking of sucky politics...