Oklahoma City Police Officer Pulls Man Over For Anti-Obama Sign On Vehicle

[ejsdaughter]

I hope this guy does file a lawsuit for violation of 1st Amendment Rights.

"Oklahoma City police officer pulls man over for anti-Obama sign on vehicle" How many times have you seen hateful signs against Bush on cars? I wonder how many of those Bush Haters got pulled over like this?

"The police officers who stopped Oklahoma City motorist Chip Harrison and confiscated a sign from his car told him he has a right to his beliefs, but the U.S. Secret Service "could construe this as... "The police officers who stopped Oklahoma City motorist Chip Harrison and confiscated a sign from his car told him he has a right to his beliefs, but the U.S. Secret Service "could construe this as a threat against President Obama," according to the incident report released this morning.

Capt. Steve McCool of the Oklahoma City Police Department is seen in this NewsOK.com video frame grab. McCool says an officer who wrongly pulled a man over last week and confiscated an anti-Barack Obama sign from his vehicle misinterpreted the sign as threatening.

The sign, which read "Abort Obama Not the Unborn," was returned to Harrison later that day, the report said.
Police spokesman Steve McCool said this morning that the sign was taken in error, and Oklahoma City residents should not be worried that their First Amendment rights will be violated. He said a supervisor "intervened and quickly returned the sign" after Harrison called the police department.
"Obviously, it was not a good decision to confiscate the sign," McCool said.
Harrison, who could not be reached for comment this morning, told the officers that in his opinion the words "Abort Obama" meant to impeach him. He told the officers he does not believe in abortion because he is a Christian.
Harrison was stopped while driving a white truck on westbound Interstate 44 at SW 119th at 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 12, according to the police report.
According to Harrison, an official said the Secret Service had been contacted on the matter and had told them the sign was not a threat to the president.
Harrison was asked if he would like to file a complaint. He said he was not sure but would take the paperwork, just in case.
But his run-in with the law wasn't over yet.
''The Secret Service called and said they were at my house," Harrison said.
After talking to his attorney, Harrison went home where he met the Secret Service.
''When I was on my way there, the Secret Service called me and said they weren't going to ransack my house or anything ... they just wanted to (walk through the house) and make sure I wasn't a part of any hate groups."
Harrison said he invited the Secret Service agents into the house and they were "very cordial."
''We walked through the house and my wife and 2-year-old were in the house," Harrison said.
He said they interviewed him for about 30 minutes and then left, not finding any evidence Harrison was a threat to the president.
''I'm still in contact with a lawyer right now," Harrison said. "I don't know what I'm going to do."
Harrison said he feels his First Amendment rights were violated.
McCool said the officer who pulled over Harrison misinterpreted the sign.
''We had an officer that his interpretation of the sign was different than what was meant," McCool said. "You've got an officer who had a different thought on what the word 'abort' meant."
McCool said the sign basically meant Obama should be impeached and it was not a threat.
''(The officer) shouldn't have taken the sign," McCool said. "That was (Harrison's) First Amendment right to voice his concern."
McCool said although the sign should not have been confiscated, the situation was made right in the end.
''We always try to do the right thing and in the end we believe we did the right thing by returning the sign," McCool said."

http://newsok.com/okc-officer-pulls-man-over-for-anti-obama-s...

[MSG31U]

Just wait until the "Fairness Doctrine" is passed.
Then we will find out if the 1st Amendment will apply.

[Phobos]

I can not say I am surprised; I knew something like this would happen sooner than later.

[fhtim]

They want to apply the fairness doctrine to the internet as well. The first thing a dictator does is seize control of and control all information outlets so that there can be no negative news about the ruler.

This is just the beginning. The Dems are out to ensure by any means necessary that there are NO negative comments about Obama. They will use the police, the FBI, the IRS, direct intimidation and the court system to punish anyone who dares speak out against the President.

Our country, our Constitution and our very way of life are in jeoperdy of being compromised. The fairness Doctrine (or what ever they decide to change the name to) and things such as this article are very clear signs of things to come. Hearings are already being organized by the Dems in Congress to find ways to institute these policies.

Even if you do support Obama, do not turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to actions of the government that will steal the Constitutionally guarenteed rights of our citizens to publically disagree with a President and their policies. What if you had been arrested, audited, ticketed or such for expressing your views on Bush?

Whether we always agree with each other or not on certain principals, we should all agree and fight for the rights of each and every one of us to be able to publically express a reasonable viewpoint without fear of punishment. Every one of us has a right and an obligation to question our government leaders, to hold them all accountable for their actions and to speak openly when we disagree with them.

What did this guy get for speaking his peace? Pulled over and hassled. What did he get when he defended his rights under the first amendment? The police called the Secret Service on him. Is this the way a free country operates? I think not.

[Sweet Pea]

This type of stuff has happened before. It has not just started. I believe in FL, several years ago a woman sent an email to some Gov official that had a remark in it they didn't like and the Secret Service showed up on her door step. I don't believe she was the only one that the Secret Service visited either. Seems I remember a few more instances where someone had a bumper sticker, cartoon or just said something. I know about our first amendment right, so don't go there. If some one sees something as a threat against a Gov official, they may check it out. You may not have ment a thing about what you said, But I may see it in a different light. That is the way different minds work.

[Shortround]

I know where you are going with this ejs. But it can only be a racial issue if the white person is in the wrong. Oh wait the Caucasian of European decent committed the heinous offence.

[fhtim]

Our first amendment rights are being actively threatened in Congress as we speak. Hearings will begnning shortly on how to ensure that opposing points of view do not go out into print, over the airwaves and online. Please do not tell me that there is no need for concern over our first amendment rights.

If the Dems are looking for means to oppress an opposing point of view, then that is a direct violation of the 1st Amendment rights of every citizen. So pardon me folks if I defend everyones right to speak. Even if I disagree with them. If we sit on our rights, we lose them. After they have been taken away or severely restricted is too late to defend them.

"So don't go there"? The 1st amendment guarentees my right TO go there. If I believe there is a legitimate threat to our constitutional rights to free speech, then it is my duty as a true American to defend our rights. Even if I don't agree with you, you have a right to say it. And I will defend your right to say it. If you lose your rights, it will not be long before mine are taken away and vice versa.

We HAVE to go there.

[Blondie]

i will say what i believe, always have and always will. i cant stand how people bashed bush for 8 years and now when someone bashes obama they have a cow.

[81Tiger]

The guy views abortion as murder.

He wants to "abort" Obama.

Soooo.....

...

Can he not make that connection? I'm not talking about metaphysics or fuzzy logic. This looks like a 2+2 problem, but his answer seems to be "New York City."

I don't know how many death threats the president has gotten, but I assume it may be more than his predecessor. While the policeman's reaction may seem harsh and the Secret Service's involvement over the top, maybe they saw this as a potential threat.

Pro-Obama T-shirts in a school -- not so much.

[dave]

I don't believe in impeaching the unborn.

According to Fox News Obama opposes the "Fairness Doctrine".

[ejsdaughter]

Originally Posted by Shortround

I know where you are going with this ejs. But it can only be a racial issue if the white person is in the wrong. Oh wait the Caucasian of European decent committed the heinous offence.

Scratchin' my head on this one. Guess it just may be that I need some sleep lol as I don't know what you mean as far as "what I'm doing with this." Seriously, I do need some sleep.

[ejsdaughter]

Originally Posted by dave

According to Fox News Obama opposes the "Fairness Doctrine".

I was just about to post a link that I found on this Doctorine, and at the very bottom it does mention what Obama had said about it (on the campaign trail):


"As the President stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated,"

BUT who knows now that he's in there and is starting to get some really negative things thrown around..he just may change his mind. I am posting the link so that in the even anyone wants to read where I got that quote, they can.

A Brief History Of the Fairness Doctrine - TIME

[fhtim]

That is some stretch of the imagination. Some real fuzzy logic. If I looked angrily at the President, then using that same logic, I would be imprisioned.

Using that same logic, everyone who had something negative to say about Bush needs to report to their local prison.

I am guessing it went something like this. The cop is an Obama supporter. He sees the sticker, pulls the guy over and gives him a bunch of hooey and rips off the sticker. The guy knows he did nothing wrong and was well within his 1st Amendment rights to have the sticker and is able to get the police to "undo" that violation of his rights. Then someone in that pd, ticked that this isn't going the right way, picks up the phone and calls the Secret Service.

It probably went something like this:

cop "Hello Secret Service?"
SS "yes"
cop "I got this guy down here with a bumper sticker on his car I do not like. Says 'Abort Obama not babies'."
SS...pause..."So? It's a bumper sticker."
cop..."ummmm. I think he is a direct threat to the President's life."
SS..."Ok. We will be right there."

Now the Secret Service guys are doing their job. Someone told them a bogus story just to hassle this guy.

But let's be serious. That bumper sticker was in no way a direct threat to anyone. It takes a great deal of 'imagination' and fuzzy logic to MAKE it into anything close to a direct threat.

The 1 st amendment guarentees this guy's right to have that sticker. Whether we believe in abortion or not, he has a right to express his views. The officer was way out of line, and someone in that pd made it much worse by calling the Secret Service in to harass this guy.

But I can say this. As Blondie pointed out. Very bad things were and are said about Bush. As soon as anyone dares utter anything negative about Obama, there is a huge uproar and the cries of 'someone has to pay for this outrage' emerge.

[ejsdaughter]

Originally Posted by 81Tiger

The guy views abortion as murder.

He wants to "abort" Obama.

The sticker/sign did not say Abortion Obama, it said Abort Obama. Technically, abort also means


To cancel
stop, cut short, nullify; see cancel

So it is conceivable that this man may want to rally maybe to have Obama impeached, either way I am glad he got his sign/sticker back and can display it as he wants to (or not who knows).

Originally Posted by 81Tiger

I don't know how many death threats the president has gotten, but I assume it may be more than his predecessor.

Why do you think this?

Originally Posted by 81Tiger

Pro-Obama T-shirts in a school -- not so much.

I've seen those but what do you mean by not so much?

[fhtim]

I understand what the President said about the Fairness Doctrine and that is true. However, members of congrees state on record that some 'form' or the Fairness Doctrine needs to be brought back. A member of Congress stated in an interview that this 'regulation' should also extend to the internet. There are calls for hearing to begin to explore the options.

I acknowledge what the President said. If they name it the "Sweet Smelling Rose Act" but has the framework for imposing the exact same restrictions, it is still the Fairness Doctrine.

One thing I am learning about our President. He promised us a tax break. We got one. $8 a week. He promised relief for homeowners in trouble with their mortgages. $8,333 each. He promised jobs. There will be some..for only two years. He technically delivers, but in substance he falls way short. I believe him when he states he is against the Fairness Doctrine. That doesn't mean he won't support the "Sweet Smelling Rose Act" that does pretty much the same thing. Because it isn't the Fairness Doctrine, it is something else.