Nurse sues over ticket for anti-Bush bumper sticker

[LTR]

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A woman who was ticketed for having an obscene anti-Bush bumper sticker filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday against a county in the state of Georgia and its officials.

Denise Grier, 47, of Athens, Georgia, got a $100 ticket in March after a DeKalb County police officer spotted the bumper sticker, which read "I'm Tired Of All The BUSH**."

A DeKalb judge threw out the ticket in April because the state's lewd decal law that formed the basis for the ticket was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.

Grier is seeking damages from the county for "emotional distress," according to the lawsuit.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/10/16/sticker.suit.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories

[SlipperySlope]

1. Did the sticker have the asterisks?

Or did it actually have letters? I'm so confused!

[bunkerbuster1]

2. Pretty sure it was sans asterisks.

As several DUers pointed out, since the word "Shit" is contained within another word, busting her for obscenity would be like busting grocery stores for selling shittake mushrooms.

[midnight]

3. They must be after nurses with bumper stickers they don't like.

My husband is an R.N. and was on his way home at 1:00 in the morning. He had a Bryan Kennedy sticker on it. He is running against Sennsenbrenner. Cops gave him three breath test, and had a drug specialist test him. You will think this is crazy but the specialist for drug testing told my husband that his tongue looked green and it was a sign that he smoked pot. Then they took blood work from him because they couldn't determine what drug they could claim he was OWI with. They booked him for over three hours. I asked the chief what his rights were. The chief said he had none. I they searched his car after they arrested him, and seized his prescription drugs. I couldn't find him, and went outside,and saw his car at the end of a very long drive way. I thought the worst,and called the police to report a missing person. That is when the dispatcher gave me to her sergent who told me they had arrested my husband. I asked for what and he said he couldn't tell me. I had a friend who is an attorney call the dept. and that is when the police came out and talked to me in the lobby. Very distressing.

[LTR]

6. Welcome to Waukesha County

Driving through there with liberal bumper stickers is like driving in Ozaukee County with dark skin.

For some reason, I feel safe living in Milwaukee.

[midnight]

7. I'm not familiar with the nonsense in Waukesha. We moved here

right before 9-11. Can't say we have a clue as to what is going on here in Waukesha. Lots of drinking and drugs from what I have gathered from the adult parties. My sister visted me and attended a school conference, and looked at me and said that I was in a Bedroom community. Can't say I really understand that phrase. She used another crude expression I will spare you from having to listen to.

[leftchick]

4. Photo of Ms. Grier and her Outstanding Sticker!

and why in the hell are there asterisks in the story????

[Brian Stevens]

5. Emotional Distress????

That's frivolous. The judge threw it out, and that is that.

[midnight]

8. Apparently you have not been on the receiving end of this

harassment. First off some of these cops are not stable. Second off some are not stable and carry a lethal weapon.

[Brian Stevens]

9. BUT IT WAS SETTLED!

All she got was a $100 ticket, which the judge dismissed, and she WANTS to SUE???? That is frivolous. How can there be violence by a cop over a ticket? Maybe I will sue the meter maid over a $5 parking ticket for emotional stress.

[VOX]

10. You fly the Anarchy avatar, but you're okay with this being "settled?"

Just wondering. :shrug:

[Brian Stevens]

12. I never hide behind lawyers, thanks for the concern

:)

[Frazzled Educator]

80. Yes. . .police action over a bumper sticker is always justified.

I'd sue the shit out of everyone I could just on principle.

[Brian Stevens]

81. Well, if I get a nice $5 parking ticket,...

I will sue in federal court for emotional distress. And when I win, I will get YOUR money. Thats who pays for these frivolous suits.

[Name removed]

85. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Brian Stevens]

76. Here is one case that pretty much equates this....

"Pottygate

A man at a Billy Joel concert allegedly became emotionally distressed when he discovered women were using the men’s bathroom. He sued the city of San Diego, as well as the beer vendor, claiming they contributed to his discomfort. (The Recorder, 12/14/1999)"

[Demit]

11. Did you read the story for her reasons?

It sounds like she wants to make sure this doesn't happen over and over again. Would you like to drive around knowing there are cops out there who might give you a frivolous ticket at any time? Cops that don't know or care that the law was declared unconstitutional 16 years ago? Would having to go to court to fight these tickets over and over not be a little distressing to you?
Or would that be no big deal for you?

[Brian Stevens]

13. I read the story

She only got ticketed once and that was thrown out. Therefore it was settled. But that is not good enough for her sooooo, she thought up a get rich quick scheme and made a legal issue out of it, even though the issue was already ruled in her favor. You may disagree with me on this, but come on. This is no reason to waste tax dollars over.

[Demit]

15. The reason is to make sure it never happens again, to her or other people

I doubt she will get rich from it. You come on.

[Brian Stevens]

16. Gotta question for you, Demitall

How can you get emotional distress over a ticket?

And I take back the she thought up the scheme, it was the ACLU that put a thought in her head for this get rich quick scheme. It is all about the money. No it will not benefit other people. She has no evidence to back up her claim of emotional distress because she has to prove that this, :rofl: $100 ticket :rofl: put enough stress that it affected her life and job as a nurse. Even if it is filed, it will be thrown out. There is just way way way way too many of those frivolous type suits in the country.

Don't get me wrong, the ACLU has done great things, but this not one by a long shot. I can't believe they would get in the frivolous biz.

[Demit]

19. I think it is distressing to think a cop has the power to do what he wants

and doesn't bother to even know the law he's basing his authority over you on.

And neither you nor I know what transpired between the cop and the nurse as he was writing up the ticket. I can see it being an intimidating experience. Especially in the environment we have today, with people being arrested for criticizing the president or vice-president.

You keep harping on this being a frivolous action. My take is that it was a frivolous thing for the cop to do, abuse his authority by giving a ticket for a word that isn't lewd and, even if it were, didn't break any law. I doubt the nurse is counting on getting rich from this. She does, however, want to drive home a point. Cops will now think twice—and maybe look up the law while they're at it—before they give frivolous tickets.

[Brian Stevens]

68. What I am trying to say is...

2 frivolouses don't make a right.

[Demit]

71. LOL! You managed to say it just fine.

:P

[Brian Stevens]

72. Why thank ya. nt

[Kingshakabobo]

20. Does that "A" in your avatar stand for Authoritarian personality?

You are OK with police using their badge and authority to intimidate citizens exercising their rights to free speech?

Maybe you don't know any cops?

The cops I've come across, in my professional dealings with Chicago cops, brag about issuing tickets to people they don't like for offenses that didn't occur. They do it when someone back-talks or looks at them sideways. They do it TO CAUSE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS. They call it "PENCILING" or "PILING ON." They know that, even if the case gets dismissed, the person STILL has to take the day off work and/or hire an attorney. Also, they know MOST people won't bother to fight it. I had a Chicago cop tell me he wrote "some black guy" ten parking tickets (for non-existent violations) for back-talking him - he didn't even issue the tickets to the guy - he tossed them in the trash so the guy would find out about them when he received the notices by mail. How many other tickets do you think THAT pig in the article issued to people that "slighted" him or offended his love for the commander in chief ? Huh?

Not to mention the fact that you are ignorant to the level of emotional distress she has to prove AND you make up some non-existent hurdle she has to clear:

""""put enough stress that it affected her life and job as a nurse""""

Where did you get that idea?

[dogday]

31. When I see a Big A like that

I immediately think of something entirely different... but that's just me :shrug:

[Tesha]

56. Sucks to have free speech rights, doesn't it?

*THAT* is what this is about.

Tesha

[noiretextatique]

70. obviously, you haven't been stopped by the police

i can tell you plenty of stories about being emotionally distressed just from receiving a ticket.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

17. then why is she seeking 'unspecified'

monetary damages? Shouldn't is be enough that the 'code' is removed from Dekalb County list of offenses so it never happens again?

No...she is after money.

sP

[Demit]

18. The state's lewd decal law was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.

That was the basis for the ticket (the story doesn't say anything about a county code, so I don't know what you mean). To me, 1990 that says the cops weren't too up on the law. One dismissed ticket might not get their attention, so that it never happens again, but a lawsuit focuses the mind wonderfully—of police forces in ALL the counties in the state.

I'm not saying I "know" what's in the mind of the woman in the story. But then neither do you. I'm saying it sounds like a reasonable suit. The word "bushit" is not even in the dictionary, much less is it lewd. The cop had no reason to stop her or give her a ticket, but he did anyway. Why don't you speculate on his motives for doing that?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

23. apparently the law is still on the books

as there have been 6 challenges to it since 1990 (all of them deem the law unconstitutional). The law still has a code (as all traffic citations do) and it is still available for use to Dekalb County policemen.

The only reason I say it is about the money is the fact that on one of the talking-head shows yesterday I saw a little interview with the person that is her lawyer...he clearly indicated they were seeking money, hoping to take it to a jury for their 'unspecified damages.'

The ticket was thrown out. The law should be off the books, but it's not. The cop probably isn't up to speed on every constitutional challenge...especially ones from 16 years ago. The code was there; he wrote the ticket. He did what he thought was right (I don't know that, but most cops I have met are not going to just make up tickets..there has to be some provable violation).

sP

[Kingshakabobo]

26. What SHOULD they ask for in civil court? Beads? nt

[ProdigalJunkMail]

27. they should be suing to have the law removed

not line their own pockets...

sP

[Kingshakabobo]

32. How about sending a message to police department(s)......

...... :

A) Know what f--king laws are and AREN'T on the books.....I know police werk is hard werk....like being the president.....but too f--king bad.....deal with it.

B) Think twice before you f--k with someone due to their political beliefs.

Sorry, but money talks and "bushit" walks when it comes to governments and corporations.

Put systems in place to insure shit like this doesn't happen again. I hope the municipality pays....I hope the ACLU gets a cut... and yes, I hope she gets to "line her pockets" because she deserves it.......republican talking points aside, I doubt she'll "get rich." Most likely, she'll LITERALLY get to "line her pockets."

[ProdigalJunkMail]

36. the LAW is ON THE BOOKS

get that please. The GA legislature has to REMOVE it and that has not happened. Why haven't you read that in all the other posts here...dayum...to stop this from happening again is that the law needs to be removed from the books. And, nice of you to want to stick it to the people of Dekalb County because of what essentially relates to a clerical oversite of which there are thousands. I mean...n St. Louis, it's illegal to sit on the curb of any city street and drink beer from a bucket. In Hartford, Conn., you aren't allowed to cross a street while walking on your hands.

sP

[dogday]

38. They have made it unconstitutional... That in itself

should be enough and cops should be instructed as such... It is on the books as an unconstitutional law... That is what is on the books and the police need to be brought up to speed on this....

[ProdigalJunkMail]

39. the code does not indicate that the law is unconstitutional

and the cops aren't checking the constitutionality of every law on the books...

sP

[dogday]

41. As shown by this officer

Why worry about a citizens' rights? Right?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

42. why try to look up the constitutional standing

of the several thousand laws in any given state when it is the job of the legislature to make and manage them and the courts to uphold or reject them...

sP

[dogday]

43. This is a pretty easy thing to remember

come on... Don't give people tickets for bumper stickers with bad words on them... Jeez what is so hard about that?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

47. if they were ever told that I would agree with you

but, hey, who knows.

sP

[Kingshakabobo]

58. Yes. Who knows? We wouldn't want a court case or anything like that...

.....to get to the bottom of the facts of the case.....t.:crazy:

[ProdigalJunkMail]

61. are you having a hard time reading

or are you intentionally missing what I am saying? I support a lawsuit...to have the law removed from the books but not to give her money (ok, if she wants to be compensated for the time she spent on this, perhaps a couple of hours, ok).

And you know, I would even be for disciplining the officer if this is a pattern with that person. But, the plaintiff deserves no money.

sP

[Kingshakabobo]

21. 'unspecified' damages is how most cases are worded in the .....

.....initial filings..

....but I wouldn't expect some authoritarian personality to understand that.

Um, the code "was removed" 16 years ago but it didn't stop this pig from using it, did it? (I've never been a fan of the word pig but this cop deserves it)

What other form of redress, other than civil court, would you suggest she seek for an obvious politically motivated ticket?

Maybe she should challenge the cop to a duel?

Cops do this shit ALL THE TIME....and they get away with it 99% of the time. Hitting a police department in the wallet is just about the only way to make them prevent shit like this.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

25. the code was NOT removed

it was simply ruled unconstitutional. Do you think the police officer just made something up? Each violation has to have a code assigned to it. This code is still on the books in Dekalb. But apparently you think the officer should be up to speed on some obscure court ruling from 16 years ago over what is in his ticketbook...interesting. And the redress: Sue to have it removed from the codified laws of Dekalb County. Seeking money for 'emotional distress' over a ticket that was immediately thrown out is...well...not motivate by the public good.

sP

OnEdit : thanks for removing the namecalling from your post...

[Brian Stevens]

14. self delete

[ScreamingWhisper]

87. ermmmm. Any links to data showing police officers

who carry weapons are more or less stable than the average person walking the street?

[Homer Wells]

22. Good for Her N/T

[johnnie]

24. Although I agree with the sticker

This woman needs to get a life. Emotional distress? What the fuck?

I guess I should have sued every time I got "harassed" by the cops because I was breaking ordinances, or because I looked like a punk.

This kind of shit is a waste of taxpayers money and a waste of the court's time.

[Kingshakabobo]

28. WOW! Republican talking points are flying around in this thread.

Now redress in a civil court is a "waste of taxpayers money".....whatever the fuck THAT means....LOL....oh the poor taxpayers! What ever will they do with this burden!!??

How much of a waste of taxpayer's money was it to stop, harass and haul this woman in to court for a non-existent law?

We're not talking about a finger-nail in some chili here. We're talking about a guy with a badge and a gun detaining someone for her political speech.

Re: Emotional distress. How did it make YOU feel to get harassed for being a punk? Did you ever get arrested for something you didn't do? For a law that doesn't exist?

The reason most people don't sue when they get harassed is because cops aren't stupid and usually know what they can get away with....

It just so happens this cop f--ked up and wrote a ticket for a sticker that wasn't illegal OR vulgar.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

30. you keep saying non-existent...

the law was and is to this day still on the books in Dekalb (and probably throughout the state). You can't just write a ticket and say on there, "I wrote this because I was in a bad mood," or, "I wrote this cause I am a Bushbot and this offended me." There has to be a CODE...and guess what...there IS one.

Stop misrepresenting what he officer did.

sP

[dogday]

33. What the officer did was not stay up to code

Read this part

A DeKalb judge threw out the ticket in April because the state's lewd decal law that formed the basis for the ticket was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.


sounds to me that like the state law was deemed unconstitutional in 199O. Therefore there were no law on the books regarding lewd decal statutes since 1990...

[ProdigalJunkMail]

34. wrong...the law IS still on the books

that is the problem. It has not been removed. If the law were not on the books there would not be a code to enforce and write on the ticket. I agree it was ruled unconstitutional, but the state legislature has not removed it from the books.

sP

[dogday]

35. No they have just deemed it unconstitutional since

1990 and the police officer was unaware....

[ProdigalJunkMail]

37. you expect the officer to be aware of

an obscure US Supreme court ruling (relating to a California based case, by the by) rather than read the codes in the current law? I would expect that the state do its job and remove it from the books. If a cop sees the law on the books, they just might try to enforce it.

Look, I agree with the suit to get the law OFF THE BOOKS. But I do not agree with her desire to gain monetarily from what has caused her no real harm. I hope that a jury awards her $1...and then orders the law stricken from the Georgia Code (and the requisite county ordinances)

sP

[dogday]

40. When it comes to stopping, detaining and

giving a citizen a ticket, you damn right I do... I hope they look into the background of the Officer who stopped her, his political affiliation, how many other times this has been done, and by what officers... It should be interesting to see....

[ProdigalJunkMail]

44. simply can't be done

too many laws to look up each one. That is not the job of the officer. The officer's job is to enforce the laws on the books. Not interpret them nor try to assertain their constitutional standing.

sP

OnEdit : need more coffee for fingerz to werk rite

[dogday]

52. Like I said in previous post, this was a given...

I mean what goes through an officer's head when he sees a bumper sticker like that, and goes through all the trouble of stopping a person for it? Like I said, this would of been a easy one to tell the officers just leave it be, it is unconstitutional, and they should not want any lawsuits on their hands...

Just like everyone else, they have their jobs and they need to remember some things that take memory, but giving somebody a ticket for profanity on a bumper sticker... Come one now... that's a given....


PS... ON edit to add

In Texas, the law on the books said that every prisoner released will get a horse... But guess what, they don't get horses, do they?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

54. I still think the code should say

"I would like to give this person a ticket cause I feel like it." It's a technicality. The judge caught it...threw it out. The person in question lost probably an hour of her life to this and maybe should be compensated. I just disagree with the suit seeking damages. The suit should seek to have the law removed from the books so that this doesn't happen again...as she has stated is her goal.

OK...I need a drink...coffee...

sP

[Kingshakabobo]

57. Keeping up an laws is hard work?

Jeebus christ!

"simply can't be done"

It's amazing how some authoritarian personalities will bend over backward, blame the victim and carry water for municipalities, the state and police departments because it's too hard to update a code book.

Tell me the physical, technological and/or budgetary restrictions, in this 21st century, to updating a code book??? The books the state uses to arrest people. I'd REALLY love to hear them.

Also, I'd like to know where you get the fact that the "state" never removed the law from THEIR book. I haven't seen that.

I found THIS interesting tidbit....see bleow.....Oh the poor down-trodden people of Athens.....how WILL they ever get by having their citizens have to sue them to stop enforcing unconstitutional laws.....how did you put it? "stick it to them?"


>>>>>>>By the way, this is not the first time someone in Grier's
family has gotten into trouble over a bumpersticker.


Last year, she says her 20-year-old son was pulled over in
Athens, Georgia, for having a bumpersticker that said, "Bush
Sucks Dick. Cheney Too."


She says the police officer told her son, "If you do not
remove the bumpersticker, I'm taking you to jail."<<<<<<<<

[ProdigalJunkMail]

59. when there are more than 10,000 of them,,,yes

but hey...keep blaming the cop...updating the code book is not their job...it is the legislature's job. Now I will agree with you 100% that they (the legislature) have fallen down on this. The law SHOULD be off the books. And about the cop in Athens: I did see that article but her son did NOT sue...maybe if he had sued to have the law removed from the books maybe she would not have been pulled over for it...

sP

[Kingshakabobo]

63. I STILL haven't see ANYWHERE that it was the LEGISLATURE...

.....that dropped the ball. Have you? Do you have a link I can read?

If son HAD sued would you have accused HIM of trying to line his pockets? He was threatened with ARREST!

[ProdigalJunkMail]

64. as long as it wasn't about money I would not complain at all

sue to get the laws removed...GREAT...fantastic. And it always the legislature that updates the codes for the state...

sP

[ellisonz]

79. Your argument stinks.

The police officer displayed incredibly poor judgement and subsuquently violated the woman's first amendment rights. It is the cops responsibility to use his judgement, he is not an automated ticket writing machine. It is her full legal perogative to take whatever legal action she can afford too. You can't deny someone their day in court.

PS. If it's still on the books, they need new books, because the Supreme Court of Georgia says it shouldn't be there.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

82. no, the Supreme Court of the US says it shouldn't be there

based on a ruling out of California. And you know what, the cop DID make a judgement. And while it may have been wrong, there was a code for it so the cop is justified to have written the ticket. And you know what? The system worked. The ticket was thrown out. This lady may have lost two hours of her life. If she would like to be compensated based on her salary for that...OK. But the point of a lawsuit seeking monetary damages is 'to be made whole'. You know, I hope she wins her money...all she deserves...about $1.

Oh, and your desire to allow a frivolous lawsuit seeking monetary damages in a situation where the system friggen worked stinks too.

sP

[Brian Stevens]

86. I think you guys believe....

To sue for every lil thing that was settled will make you billionares in no time. You are right, she does have the right to take legal action, but it will be at the tax payers cost. And if she wins, we lose.

[johnnie]

45. You know as well as I do

That if the bumper sticker said "George Bush is Fucking great!", this whole thread would be completely different. And don't say it wouldn't because I have been here long enough to know it would be. People would be saying shit like,"She should have gotten busted just for being a fucking moran".

Give me a break with this "Republican talking points". I'm not a friggin' idiot. Talk to your friends like that, not me.

Yes, I was taken in before for shit I didn't do. I was just happy when they let me go.

[Name removed]

69. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kingshakabobo]

74. Huh?

"Frivolous lawsuits are one of the highest in tax payer dollars"

Huh? Where you trying to make a point?

Do you have any links? Proof? Statistics? ....other than half-baked incomplete sentences and statements you pulled out of your ass?

[Brian Stevens]

75. Though it maybe repug looking , they actually have a point.

http://www.cala.org/cause.html (they are bipartisan, so you don't have a shit fit over it)

ok, let me change the heading to costliest in tax payer dollars.

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

78. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dogday]

29. It depends on what you think the price of freedom

and the constitution cost... In the case, it is most warranted... They need to train their cops to follow the law... This suit just may make that happen....

[johnnie]

48. Since you are not as rude as the person above, I will be nicer.

:)

Like I said above, if this was turned around and the sticker had a pro-Bush swearing message, the people here would be hangin' the woman in the gallows.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

49. who's being rude?

:-) a little titchy today, are we?

sP

OnEdit: did not mean to imply NO ONE was being rude...just sort of par for the course...

[johnnie]

51. Not you

:)

[dogday]

50. That's the problem in a nutshell.... We need to be thinking

about all of our rights as a nation of people united, instead of partisan people divided who will never be able to overcome the adversity we need to fight...

I fight for the Constitution, rather it be for right, left or somewhere else, it is for all of us and that is something we do share as a people....

I would venture to say, there are many who feel that it should apply both ways, and it should....

[johnnie]

53. I agree 100%

The point is, this is such a stupid thing to freak out about and if this was the other way around, the ones bashing this cop would be bashing the woman.

It is an example of a cop being too rambunctious and ticketing a woman for having the word SHIT in her car. If the cop would have puller her out of her car and beat the living shit out of her, then I might be a little more supportive of her "emotional distress", as it is, in my opinion what she is doing does not make her a hero in my book.

[dogday]

55. No, not a hero, but certainly not a criminal either

This event should of never taken place, that simple...

[Kingshakabobo]

60. Ok then.......

We'll put you down for "getting the shit beat ot of you" for the level official misconduct must rise to before redress is sought in court.

"Driving while black? Driving while liberal? Too bad...call us when you get the shit beat out of you."...um, OK. Gotcha.

[johnnie]

62. Good comparison

You are equating being black to a bumper sticker? :eyes:

[Kingshakabobo]

65. No, I'm equating cops using their badge to.....

.....intimidate, in different situations, people they don't like for one reason or another.

But you knew that...instead, you decided to use a tired old debate tactic. Nice try. Maybe you should try out for the Sean Hannity show... he uses similar tactics when discussing criticism of troops versus criticism of war policy. Congrats!

[johnnie]

66. No, I didn't know that.

So far all of your debate tactics have been silly, and you compared being pulled over because you are black to being pulled over because of a bumper sticker. Your comments toward people are ridiculous:

"republican talking points aside"
"but I wouldn't expect some authoritarian personality to understand that"
"WOW! Republican talking points are flying around in this thread."
"It's amazing how some authoritarian personalities"
"Maybe you should try out for the Sean Hannity show"
"Not to mention the fact that you are ignorant to the level of emotional distress"


Do you honestly think that using 8th grade schoolyard debating techniques is making you look intelligent? Take some debating classes before you graduate, they might come in handy in the real world.

[Kingshakabobo]

67. Hey, at least we know you can get indignant about SOMETHING!

Save your outrage for the guy with the gun and badge that cited someone for exercising her constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech......stop carrying water for the police.

[survivor999]

46. DUPE

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2406614

[Red Right and BLUE]

73. Give 'em HELL, Denise! nt

[FreeStateDemocrat]

83. Standing up for freedom of speech and police state tactics goes

to the heart of what being a liberal Democrat is all about. Make them pay and they will not do it again or try to harass other law-abiding citizens that are not breaking any laws, real or imagined. Fuck this cop who should have far more important duties than being concerned about a bumper sticker, isn't this yahoo a first responder in our dire war on terror? Who or what would have been harmed if the cop had used some common sense and ignored an offensive bummer sticker just like we all do every day, more authority than brains to administer it. This kind of nit-wit behavior wastes far more tax dollars every day in tying up courts and disrupting people's lives than this law-suit besides chipping away at our increasingly restricted freedoms.

[Brian Stevens]

84. The ticket in question costs $100 dollars

but hte suit will cost in the tens of thousands to go through and even more here after. Once it's settled it is settled. But unfortunately, that is not good enough so this becomes a get rich quick scheme at the cost of you the taxpayer.

This is becoming more laughable, and it will be thrown out in disgrace.