Slashdot Mirror
Man Defends His Right To Flip Off the Police
46-year-old Robert J. Ekas has filed a federal lawsuit to defend his First Amendment right to express himself by flipping off police officers. The trouble started in July 2007 when Ekas opened his sunroof and extended a middle finger to a deputy. The deputy turned on his flashing lights and pulled Ekas over. He was cited for an illegal lane change and improper display of license plates. He was acquitted of the charges. “I did it because I have the right to do it. We all have that right, and we all need to test it. Otherwise we’ll lose it," Ekas said. He claims the police have been harassing him ever since.
Just because somebody else is being a dick, it doesn't make it ok for you to be a dick too! This rule applies to both sides in this dispute, as it does to both sides in the majority of disputes.
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
In Oregon, they'll shoot you if you are white too.
I'm a bit disturbed by the reaction of slashdot posters on this one. Don't you find it the least bit disturbing that police officers are willing and able to use their power (as granted to them by the American people) for purposes besides enforcing the law? That they can and do use their power to inflict personal vengeance on someone for not showing the "proper respect"?
Sure, it's probably a bad idea to go around flipping off people in a position of authority, as someone is bound to abuse their authority for retribution eventually. However the poster is correct that he has a constitutional right to speak his mind, be it verbally or with hand gestures. What's next? People who speak out against the government being locked up on trumped up charges, perhaps? I know that happens too, but it isn't right, it isn't legal, and it certainly is against what we as a country stand for.
Come on, slashdotters... We speak out against other countries for Internet censorship, and for locking up journalists for political reasons. This is no different. Please, stand up for your rights.
I was at one of the many suburban festivals around Chicago several years ago, and a teenage girl was wearing a homemade shirt that said "Fuck the Police". At first she was just walking around in front of little kids wearing it, until one of the parents of the kids got a pair of officers and complained. The cops walked over, and this girl stood right in front of them, and the cops told the parent there was nothing they could do. The only things the Mom could do is either move her kids away from this teenager, or deal with the teenager herself. I suppose she could have taken a picture of the teen and gone to the local high schools, see if they knew her, and see if the schools were willing to contact the teen's parents.