If you are in Colorado.. Don't "Flip Off" a trooper. UPDATE: Case Dismissed

[guyver01]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28039720/detail.html

Shane Boor was cited April 19 for misdemeanor harassment involving an obscene gesture after another trooper tracked him down at his workplace, according the American Civil Liberties Union and court records.

There are several actions that can be considered harassment under Colorado law. If you are accused of any of the following with the intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, you can be charged with harassment:

1. Striking, shoving, kicking or touching another person,
2. Directing obscene language or gestures to another person in a public place,
3. Following a person in a public place,
4. Calling someone or contacting them by phone, computer, or other system with intent to harass, or threaten, or makes obscene calls,
5. Calling another person repeatedly whether or not a conversation happens,
6. Repeatedly communicating at inconvenient hours, or
7. Repeatedly insulting, taunting, or challenging someone in a manner likely to provoke a fight.

 

[HAL9000]

Sounds like common sense...

 

[LTC8K6]

#2 would seem to be a free speech issue, unless the gestures and language are repeated, such as if I followed you around and kept cussing at you and giving you the finger. Just doing it once to express my feelings should be legal under free speech.

 

[HAL9000]

#2 would seem to be a free speech issue, unless the gestures and language are repeated, such as if I followed you around and kept cussing at you and giving you the finger. Just doing it once to express my feelings should be legal under free speech.

Even swearing at police officers...?!

 

[guyver01]

Even swearing at police officers...?!

just because they're police officers doesn't mean they get "special consideration" ...

in fact.. they should have thicker skin.

Yes.. i should be able to say "Fuck You Pig" to a cop without issue.

Note the caveat in the law..
If you are accused of any of the following with the intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person..

It should take alot more than one "bird flip" to annoy or harass or alarm a cop.

 

[LTC8K6]

Even swearing at police officers...?!

Sure. That's freedom of speech. Cursing is protected speech as far as I know. You don't lose your freedom of speech just because a cop is standing there or you've been arrested.

 

[HAL9000]

just because they're police officers doesn't mean they get "special consideration" ...

in fact.. they should have thicker skin.

Yes.. i should be able to say "Fuck You Pig" to a cop without issue.

Wow, I completely disagree, police officers deserve special consideration and respect. As they devote their lives to help others, they deserver special consideration.

 

[dmcowen674]

Sounds like common sense...

Good, hopefully it cost the OP a boat load of dinero :thumbsup:

 

[guyver01]

Good, hopefully it cost the OP a boat load of dinero :thumbsup:

wow... reading comprehension isn't your strong suite... is it?

i was not the one arrested...

so it's not gonna cost the op shit.

 

[HAL9000]

Good, hopefully it cost the OP a boat load of dinero :thumbsup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh9GEvMzA6I

 

[guyver01]

police officers deserve special consideration and respect.

Respect is earned. You don't get it automatically because of your job.

and NOONE gets special consideration. nobody is above anyone else.

 

[HAL9000]

Respect is earned. You don't get it automatically because of your job.

and NOONE gets special consideration. nobody is above anyone else.

I disagree, even when I was in america I saw some people get special respect because of their job, Military in uniform get free drinks in some places etc.

 

[Spoooon]

I think one warning is fair.

 

[guyver01]

Military in uniform get free drinks in some places etc.

One of my buddies is active duty Marines. He's seen combat. He will tell you tales that will make you not sleep at night. He has EARNED respect related to being in the Military.

Another buddy of mine is active duty Air Force. He's a mechanic. He's never once seen active duty. Never once seen a combat deployment. Never once been deployed into a combat zone. He has NOT earned any respect related to the Military.

 

[HAL9000]

One of my buddies is active duty Marines. He's seen combat. He will tell you tales that will make you not sleep at night. He has EARNED respect related to being in the Military.

Another buddy of mine is active duty Air Force. He's a mechanic. He's never once seen active duty. Never once seen a combat deployment. Never once been deployed into a combat zone. He has NOT earned any respect related to the Military.

I disagree, buy committing your life to serving others you deserve respect, doctors, EMT's, the Military, Police all deserve respect.

Just like criminals, thieves etc deserve less respect than joe average.

 

[pcgeek11]

One of my buddies is active duty Marines. He's seen combat. He will tell you tales that will make you not sleep at night. He has EARNED respect related to being in the Military.

Another buddy of mine is active duty Air Force. He's a mechanic. He's never once seen active duty. Never once seen a combat deployment. Never once been deployed into a combat zone. He has NOT earned any respect related to the Military.

I'd also have to disagree with you on this point. He is combat support. If he does a shitty job people die.

 

[Chiropteran]

I disagree, buy committing your life to serving others you deserve respect,

"Would you like fries with that?"

(McDonald's employees serve others, so do they get the extra special respect too?)

I disagree, even when I was in america I saw some people get special respect because of their job, Military in uniform get free drinks in some places etc.

Difference between someone being respected willingly by some people and legally enforcing respect among everyone. While marines might be getting free drinks and high-fives from supporters, there are a few angry people who cuss them out and flick them the bird. Those people are not arrested, fined, or ticketed, despite the respect the majority has for the military.



case 1- Majority has respect for a given profession: fine and good.

case 2- Law says you get a ticket if you disrespect someone in a given profession: huge 1st amendment issue.

The two cases are not even remotely the same.

 

[SandEagle]

One of my buddies is active duty Marines. He's seen combat. He will tell you tales that will make you not sleep at night. He has EARNED respect related to being in the Military.

Another buddy of mine is active duty Air Force. He's a mechanic. He's never once seen active duty. Never once seen a combat deployment. Never once been deployed into a combat zone. He has NOT earned any respect related to the Military.

why haven't you served in the military?

 

[moshquerade]

Respect is earned. You don't get it automatically because of your job.

and NOONE gets special consideration. nobody is above anyone else.

I'm above you.

But seriously, they have my respect because they are in the line of fire, and if I need help I am going to call on them for it.

There are reasons to respect law enforcement. They have my utmost respect unless they do something to lose it.

My brother works for the USBP. He's a big guy in a uniform and if you flip him off for no reason he won't take it lightly, and rightly so.

sorry guyver, don't agree with you on this one.

 

[Numenorean]

I'm above you.

But seriously, they have my respect because they are in the line of fire, and if I need help I am going to call on them for it.

There are reasons to respect law enforcement. They have my utmost respect unless they do something to lose it.

My brother works for the USBP. He's a big guy in a uniform and if you flip him off for no reason he won't take it lightly, and rightly so.

sorry guyver, don't agree with you on this one.

I'm with you.

However, flipping someone off is not harassment. Cop or not.

 

[Chiropteran]

My brother works for the USBP. He's a big guy in a uniform and if you flip him off for no reason he won't take it lightly, and rightly so.

Hypothetical situation: I flick off your brother because he cuts me off in traffic. He doesn't take it lightly, and gets out and keys my car/slashes my tires/assaults me.

Who is legally in the right, and who has committed a crime?

 

[Lotheron]

Any military member and even law enforcement should deserve respect. They have a tough job without someone making it more difficult.

That being said, respect does not mean limiting the freedom speech.

 

[moshquerade]

Hypothetical situation: I flick off your brother because he cuts me off in traffic. He doesn't take it lightly, and gets out and keys my car/slashes my tires/assaults me.

Who is legally in the right, and who has committed a crime?

That's a different story than the one the OP posted. I was addressing that.

Your story is outlandish, and nothing my brother would do.

 

[guyver01]

why haven't you served in the military?

cuz... i was able to get a real job out of college?

half the people i know who went in, did so because they couldn't get a job.
the other half, because they "needed direction"

 

[moshquerade]

Any military member and even law enforcement should deserve respect. They have a tough job without someone making it more difficult.

That being said, respect does not mean limiting the freedom speech.

Silly how some people think you have the right to say anything you want wherever and whenever you want.

I always use this example, but it applies. You do not have the right to be disrespectful. You do not have the right to yell "FIRE!" in a crowded building when there is none.
Free speech doesn't apply to anything you want to blurt out of your mouth because you think you can. If you call a judge an asshole in an open court be prepared for consequences.