The cop tells him, that because he’s on school grounds, if he puts the sign back up after he’s been told to keep it down, he’ll be charged with trespassing, or “anything I want to charge you with”:
I don’t know if the law that’s being unevenly applied here, is against “incitement”, or something else. The helpful Obot suggested that the first amendment is applied differently on school grounds, than anywhere else.
My husband said the guy should have let himself get arrested, and had the case thrown out of court. I don’t know if that would have been worth the trouble.
This seems to me like an infringement on free speech.
Hat tip: Gateway Pundit
UPDATE:
“Country lawyer”, BlackisWhite Imperial Consigliere has weighed in at his blog, Taxes, Stupidity and Death.
As to Officer Cheeks: If you’re going to allow political signs that are just writing, and not ones with pictures and text, prepare to get sued. The only possible reason to single this sign out for disparate treatment would be if it was obscene or pornographic, and even then, if you were dealing with someone who knows more about the law then you obviously do, Officer You-Can’t-Bring-That-Sign-Or-I’ll-Arrest-You-For-Trespassing, they might just let you arrest them and then sue you for violating their civil liberties.
UPDATE II:
Video: “This used to be America!” “It ain’t no more, okay?”
Allahpundit makes the good point that Claire McCaskill got away with imposing a no sign rule at her town hall because it was on public property, but questions why the officer was able to distinguish between signs with images on them and signs that were text-only, the same point addressed by BlackisWhite.
Read comments for more legal analysis.
August, 29, 2009 at 11:01 am
I gave this country lawyer’s analysis at my place yesterday, Deb.
August, 29, 2009 at 11:07 am
Thanks, BiW, I was hoping you would weigh in.
August, 29, 2009 at 11:54 am
“This ain’t America no mo” Yes, this is an isolated incident, but is this the things to come? This officer and his agency should be sued. Although the stroy would be reported only through blogs like this one. Seriously, are Dems so stupid as not to see what kind of precedence this crap is setting? Oh well, soon the U.S. Constitution will be suspended and that will be that.
August, 29, 2009 at 11:59 am
Oh well, soon the U.S. Constitution will be suspended and that will be that.
ONLY.OVER.MY.DEAD.BODY.
August, 29, 2009 at 2:38 pm
When any pol’s personal pride overrides constituents’ concerns, they’re courting dissent. Fundamentally, national soveriegnty is linked to the sense of personal independence Americans felt was worth fighting for. Need we need to bring back the motto: Nemo me impune lacesset,” i.e. “No one will provoke me with impunity.” AKA: “Don’t Tread On Me”?
August, 29, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I guess they are fully admitting they want to destory America. Thank God for cameras and the internet.
August, 29, 2009 at 11:04 pm
I couldn’t believe that guy. He actually said he could arrest the guy for anything he wanted. And the smug look on the other tool saying you don’t have free speech on school grounds? Well, underage students don’t have free speech, but adults do.
He also said it was for the picture, of Obama. I saw this at 8:30 this morning and I’m still all wound up over it.
I’ve been bothering everybody I could think of. I heard back from Fairfax County, they claim they’re looking into it.I sent an email to the school/cops outreach director for that school. He probably won’t see it until Monday.
I’m hitting Moran tomorrow when it’s less drunk out. I’m in his district (pray for me) and the event was his. I want a statement out of him.
August, 30, 2009 at 8:48 am
This is Obama facisim at it’s finest, Free speech for all, except those who oppose him. And Jim Moran, you will not get a response from him, this is the guy that says “people with money think they should be able to keep it” The guy would be laughable if he wasn’t jerrymandered in so he can’t be defeated.
August, 30, 2009 at 11:05 am
I meant to say,
As for Allah,
No.
They were being selective about signs.
Those two think they can decide what rights you get and what rights you lose based on their opinion.
You can’t use the threat of force to shut people up over political differences.
This is still America.
I think Allah did that on purpose, he’s become the Andy Kaufman of the blogosphere except instead of going for laughs, he’s going for links and long comment threads.
August, 30, 2009 at 7:49 pm
I really wish people would read more before making uninformed comments. This clown Cheeks is NOT a police officer – he is in fact nothing more than a school security guard. To refer to him as an “officer” is an insult to sworn officers everywhere.
“arrest you for anything I want”, indeed. He doesn’t have the authority to “arrest” anyone. His authority is limited to making a “civilian arrest” like anyone else is under the law. He cannot process an arrest – he cannot book anyone – he cannot file an affidavit before the prosecutors office. All he can do is call a real officer and be a civilian complainant.