Extra Charges Filed Against Protesters In Illinois
By Logan Murphy Saturday Jul 28, 2007 9:02pm
(see more signs like this at FreewayBlogger)
A Downers Grove man believes he is being prosecuted for his political views - and an area attorney has taken his case pro bono.
Jeff Zurawski, 39, of Downers Grove and Sarah M. Hartfield, 45, of Naperville were initially charged with disorderly conduct for displaying a banner that read "Impeach Bush and Cheney - LIARS" on May 6 on the Great Western Trail above Interstate 355.
But more charges were brought against the two war protesters last week in DuPage County Circuit Court in Wheaton: reckless conduct and unauthorized display of a sign in viewing of a highway, both misdemeanors.
The new charges each carry a penalty of up to one year imprisonment, while the original charge was up to a three-month sentence in the county jail.
"This is political prosecution," said environmental rights attorney Shawn Collins, who has taken on Zurawski and Hartfield's case pro bono. Read more...
The ACLU has more on the White House's ongoing efforts to silence dissent.
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Subpoenas for Micheal Moore, people arrested and hassled for displaying anti-Bush bumper stickers and yard signs, booted off airplanes for wearing political t-shirts, Bush signs an executive action that threatens to impound the assets of anyone who can be accused of inhibiting "victory" in Iraq, where does it end?
Your imperial corporate Bush crime family hard at work: destroying our Bill of Rights, destroying our Constitution, destroying our America...
All conservatives are insecurity born social, economic, political and spiritual parasites.
Bring them on. Bring them ALL on!
"None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. You're locked up in here with me!" - Rorschach
Isn't this double jeopardy?
(no... not the prize winning Alex Trebek kind)
Welcome to Nazi Germany circa 2007
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Time%20for%20change/206
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~nstoltzf/Publications/AtlanticMonthly.pdf
Time to stand tall b4 its all gone
1st Amendment History?
This Administration is terrible.what a pathetic bunch of hypocrite's and hate mongers.
Everything done in secrecy because they are so dark hearted they are afraid America might see what they are doing.
New's Flash......We KNOW!!!
The sad thing is that these guys are more likely to be prosecuted for something it is debatable they were within their constitutional rights to do, then Bushies are for flagrantly using the constitution as toilet paper.
Exercise it, folks. Or lose it.
George - you and your ilk are criminal liars. Don't forget.
Wouldn't a person placing a yard sale sign along the side of the road essentially be worthy of the same charges? I don't see this even making it to trial.
Snowball @ 1:
Actually there's a buffet worth of possibilities regarding your query....
Maybe posting comments right here on Crooks and Liars is next on the menu....
At any rate save me the top bunk at the hoosegow...
ashton @ 9:
Not to mention all of the friggin' advertising.
Throwing dissenters in prison. That's one of the VERY REAL PARALLELS that the Bushies have in common with the Nazis... that and Bush's grandfather... and KKKarl Rove's campaign tactics... and W's zealotry over the American Master Race... and his War of Aggression... and his politicization of the Judiciary... and his use of torture... and his concentration camps in foreign countries... and...
Well, it IS Dupage county, home to more rabid foaming at the mouth wingnuts than anywhere else in the area. What kills me is, there are anti-abortion protesters that hang ut above the Dan Ryan expressway with huge posters of "aborted fetuses" and all sorts of messages. How come THEY never get busted?
Otay @ 11:
Billboards at the side of the road, that is.
So, question for anybody who knows. What can we do in this specific case to help out? Emails or phone calls to the IL representatives, governor, or ??? Surely we could find a way to make the past of least resistance for the politicos to dispose of this one promptly and with no muss.
Tom @ 15:
Apologies for crappy spelling. 8-(
Otay @ 11:
True, anything not authorized by the city to be posted would have to fall into the same category. I always think that the attorneys for these cases should hire someone to do the exact same thing and just use the opposite political message. Film it and see if these people are arrested. Unless they too are arrested, you have an indisputable 1st ammendment issue and compelling reasons for the case to be dismissed.
snitramc @ 13:
Simple law they learn in Wingnut 101: IOKIYAR
While i agree that the charges are most likely political i would have to also say that more of us should be willing to spend up to a year in jail if that is what it takes to speak out against this administration. We should and we must put pressure on the people who want to lock these folks up for speaking their minds. We also should begin to examine ourselves and ask, "What am I willing to risk to fight for democracy and freedom here at home?"
ashton @ 9:
I hope so. I have an idea to make this work. Everyone should just add a tiny FoxNews logo beneath their "Impeach Bush" banner and that'll make it fair and balanced.
Bush wants America to be Iran. At this rate, soon we'll have public floggings for the "politically unsound."
so does this mean they will take down all the bill board along the highways across the country too.....this case has no chance...it will get tossed out....but the fact that these commies have and are trying to do this stuff is like seeing an article about political dissent in China or North Korea..
snitramc @ 13:
Now, that should be filmed and documented and taken to the prosecutor and judge. If nothing else, they would have to arrest them as well. If it is politically motivated, that is unlikely to happen. Should they refuse to go after these protesters, you have a clear case of a 1st amendment violation as they are targeting the message only.
A bunch of Nazi's have taken control.
Iron up your black shirt and polish your boots.
Practicing up on your "Zig Heil" couldn't hurt.
snitramc @ 13:
Find out who they are and let Jeff's lawyer know. Seems to me if they can do what they do with no arrests Jeff should be able to express himself, too. I mean, it is a free country, isn't it?
I don't recall any right wing Clinton haters being locked up for all those impeach Clinton signs. Life in the era of Bush regime fascism. Jeff Zurawski and Sarah M. Hartfield are the latest American patriots persecuting by Bush and the GOP.
The most criminal administration in US history pressing for criminal charges against Americans excercising their constitution right of free speech. Delicious irony.
cycle1man @ 23:
I would much rather practice my Constitutional rights, it tends to keep the fascists out of power.
Well, I assume even Limbaugh ditto-heads must work somewhere.. they can afford radios at least. I personally know of a case where an atheist was fired for having a conversation disparing jesus at work so I can believe this.
ashton @ 22:
Good idea except I would add that they should send the footage of both events to the news, to encourage them to do an expose on the issue. Nothing seems to cause change as much as embarrassing footage on a show like 20-20.
mudshark @ 21:
Not commies, dammit! Nazis!
Snowball @ 1:
Lest we forget:
Making it unlawful to show photos of the flag-draped coffins of soldiers
Arresting peaceful protesters in mass sweeps at the Miami WTO Summit
Establishing "free speech zones" (apparently because it's only free in certain areas) at the political conventions and other public protests
Having law enforcement spies infiltrate peace organization meetings
AND the fact that you have to be one of the five or so billionaires who own a media conglomerate to have anyone other than the few people standing near you hear you express your opinion.
"Stop whinging," you say, "Look how free you are to express your views on the internet!"
Yeah, but who's monitoring every word?
"unauthorized display of a sign"
Ah.Well yes of course thats the reason,and I'm deeply profoundly convinced that had this been a pro war message,he would have met with the same justice.Deeply,profoundly convinced...
I grew up the Downers Grove, so did Emo Philips.
The whole place is filled with Republicans. We were the skate punks and got stopped by the cops for absolutely no reason at all on a near weekly basis. The joke we all told was "Did you hear there was a black out in Downers Grove? The police told him to get back in his car and keep driving." We also knew that if we were pulled over with beer in the car or something like that, that all we had to do to walk was say something like this "Oh no, this means I can't join the Army next year." Then they would let you go. All the stoners in Downers Grove started to dress like the jocks when they realized that the cops never stopped cars with bumper stickers of the local high school football team. The jocks could drink and drive.
Strange place Downers Grove, but a least it is more normal than Wheaton.
Banned by webmaster. Your comments will not be added
AMERICAblog.com
---------------------
OK then.
iam out,, befoure the same happens here. NEW EAGLE PICS ARE UP for sunday . @ my blog
and wíth that,, take care C&L
Best regards,
The Baker.
Jo @ 29:
China enforces capital punishment laws on lawless incompetents in their government. In this country the lawless incompetents enforce capital punishment laws on the rest of us. Perhaps there's a thing or two we can learn from China.
Ruthless People @ 34:
I see your point but I am against the death penalty - even for incompetents in China's government.
Downer's Grove . What an absolutely perfect name for a hotbed of fascist repression . Ten thousand sign makers should descend on this burg and cover the freeways with anti-administration signs .
Didn't you hear? By a 5-4 vote the Supreme Court added seditious libel to the list of unprotected forms of speech (obscenity, fighting words, etc.)
Seditious Libel, as John Peter Zenger could have told you, is anything critical of the government or the
kingPresident.If that sign had read "thank God for george bush," with a hanged effigy of Hillary Clinton dangling from the rail, these two people would be the Darlings of DuPage.
Jeez, I have no frickin' idea what country I'm living in anymore. I don't recognize it.
I just received a letter from my homeowners association demanding I fly my American flag right-side up. They said I am violating the by-laws by flying it upside down. But there is nothing in the by-laws about flying the flag.
They are giving me 60 days to "correct this violation immediately"
A week ago Friday I was made awake by deputies knocking on my door.
The Miami County Sheriff Department kid was apologetic, but it seemed I suddenly had a warrant a county over.
I had the money to cover the fine they suggested I owed.
But the Shelby County Ohio cops took me to jail anyway.
An hour later the C.O. told his superior this was B.S.
I was home an hour after that but what brought it all down to begin with?
Maybe cause I'm a registered Democrat and make overt statements online.
It concerned a DUI I was acquitted of some time ago.
How many DUI's have Bush and Cheney been acquitted off?
How many stolen elections?
How many phoney wars?
Straight Shooter @ 38:
Maybe this is like a Twilight Zone episode and we've all been living in one of those fake American cities the commies supposedly had to train spies.
We were all brainwashed to believe we were Americans but it turns out we were really living in the Soviet Union.
Chip @ 39:
On day 59 start flying it at half-mast.
myiq2xu @ 42:
Yeah, then fly the Jolly Roger - It's original meaning was no surrender - take no prisoners.
We need to urge all Americans to stop Tricky Dick and Mr. and Mrs. Bush with their drunk driving at the wheel of our ship of state.
Laura can't be trusted behind the wheel of a motor vehicle either.
And how many Americans even know what that refers to Washington Post?
Chip @ 39:
There is a story in North Carolina of a couple who were arrested for flying the flag upside down. The police busted in their house and assulted them. They face 420 days in jail.
Unauthorized display of a sign is a law now. You are hurting the troops. Watch what you say!
Blue Buddha @ 4:
Actually, I was thinking that myself: "disorderly conduct and reckless conduct?"
But it turns out there is a big difference.
According to http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K26-1 ,
disorderly conduct in the state of Illinois can be any number of things, and the definition is loose enough in certain parts to classify this as disorderly conduct.
Reckless conduct, however, is a much more serious charge, and according to Illinois law as presented here http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K12-5 ,
"A person who causes bodily harm to or endangers the bodily safety of an individual by any means, commits reckless conduct if he or she performs recklessly the acts that cause the harm or endanger safety, whether they otherwise are lawful or unlawful."
Unless anyone actually got hurt in this incident, the prosecution seems to be saying that the people holding the sign were endangering the bodily safety of someone, perhaps the drivers who might read the sign, become distracted, and cause a collision? This is the only possible explanation I can see for the reckless conduct charge, and if that's the case, why not the same charge for the makers of any billboard along the roadside?
myiq2xu @ 42:
And put an IMPEACH sign on your window immediately.
Until the Department of Injustice is cleaned-up and Gonzales is impeached this kind of stuff will only get worse.
Space Coyote @ 46:
Actually, I was thinking that if they were already charged with the disorderly conduct, they couldn't have been charged with the reckless conduct because charging someone for a certain event after a case on it has been settled would be double jeopardy. However, looking at the article again, it says that the original charge was issued only two and half months ago, so I doubt the original charge has already been settled, and if that's true then this can't be double jeopardy because the case is still open.
And good point about the the reckless conduct charge. If it's true about anti-abortion protesters doing the same thing in that county, then this definitely needs to be documented as part of the defense.
This country is morphing into "Deutschland Uber Ugliss"
Wait a minute.
Its my flag.
I can fly it any way I want.
And when I have a facist retard president who stole the executive branch,
I think it is my patriotic duty to fly it upside down.
Who are these local bumblef*cks to suggest otherwise? (Our nation's Mayor).
They endanger my bodily safety and that of our troops. Arrest them along with the chimp and
Darth Vader.
[...] Court Contact the Webmaster Link to Article white house Extra Charges Filed Against Protesters In Illinois » Posted at Crooks [...]
This isn't a sign yet, but it should be. What a great slogan, brought to you by the Freeway Blogger!!!
trevjr @ 45:
I wonder how many of these North Carolina police or homeowners from Chip's neighborhood are even aware that flying a flag upside down doesn't mean "down with America" but is actually the proper way to fly a flag when the nation is in peril.
I find the prosecutions excuse as to why to try this man ridiculous. If we use his logic, then all traffic signs are also dangerous, as they make drivers look up, to the left and to the right to read them, taking their attention from the road.
This isn't prosecution... it's persecution.
Nowonmai @ 54:
Exactly. As I linked to a few posts above, the only reason for the reckless conduct charge is that they endangered other people's bodily safety. And I can think of no other reason that a sign above a highway could endanger people's bodily safety, than the fact that it might make them look away from the road.
This is that third rail that the MSM, Nancy, Reid and Conyers don't contemplate or understand.
We not only have the crooked executive branch who stole their office.
We have the hillbilly cops out here too.
Will you people quit sh*ttin around and impeach these f*ckers.
myiq2xu @ 37:
Then why not a seditious libel charge, instead of a reckless conduct charge?
Space Coyote @ 55:
Have to agree with common sense sign postings rules along and above roadways. If the sign read "John loves Susie" or "Geico Insurance" the same road sign distractions would apply the same re penalties.
If you're going to protest use your head for pete's sake. It's obsurd this is a surprise unless the penalty they receive exceeds the violation stated on the books.
crazylove @ 58:
Maybe you're right. I don't know enough about traffic laws. So are you basically saying that they could have avoided the charges, or at least avoided the legitimacy of the charges, by holding the sign beside the highway, where the billboards are?
Well the religious right won their free speech case holding up pictures of aborted so this should go the same way
I don't know if there is any legal difference between holding the signs and tyeing them to the overpass though.
Let's take a look at the law they're accused of violating:
(625 ILCS 5/11‑310) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑310)
Sec. 11‑310. Display of Unauthorized Signs, Signals or Markings.
(a) No person shall place, maintain or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic‑control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the movement of traffic or the effectiveness of an official traffic‑control device or any railroad sign or signal.
As long as they see Bush's portrait up on the wall in Post Offices and Federal buildings, many who make their living working for the federal and local government think they better wear jackboots for this president.
And as long as he's president they're right.
Get this monkey out of office.
He is a crook and there is ample evidence to prove it.
We cannot wait until January 2009.
Bring charges. Impeach.
On July 4, this year I bought a new flag, one of the 5x8 ft ones to display on my house. I flew it upside down and I noticed this packet in the package that it came with, so I decided to take a read.
It said in that packet that your disrespecting America and the preznit if you fly it upside down, and it is punishable by time in jail.
I said, WHOA there, since when?! I have been searching on the internet to find that law.. and By god I want to find it. If it's true I can't fly my flag in distress.. We are certainly down shit creek with out a paddle.
Do any of you MOONBATS really think that BushCo is paying any attention to these fools? They are way to busy building the Halliburton/Walmart detention camps.
Oh this is lovely.
Scooter Libby - lies and obstructs investigation into whether Cheney/Rove outed a CIA covert operative as payback for operative's husband expressing unpopular political view?-- convicted -- skates free.
2 people hanging a sign that expresses political view unpopular with Authority Freaks: a year or more in jail .
Yeah, that's justice for you. I just saw the movie "The Good Shepherd" last night, about the formation of the CIA and its counter-intel division. It brings home just how dangerous being covert can be. But. "oh, wtf, some blonde beauty sitting at a desk job now -- yeah, like we really damaged her career..." -- this is the sickeneing view of these same authoritarian GOP conservatives -- and we all know what Poppy Bush had to say about such outings.
Oh but, as bad as all of this is? Dems say "let's run out the clock, all will be well in 2009 when we elect a Dem" and "meanwhile we've got impt legislation to pass". Yeah. And how does it pass, again? You can't get one goddamn thing passed due to the same obstructionist Repubs who are actively thwarting our intentions to deliver what Americans voted for -- getting out of Iraq... And yet the vigorous Dems say "let's not get distracted by all the hullabaloo; we're taking care of the people's business"... while they continue to tunr their heads while the rule of law is trounced upon, taken a massive shit on.
But hell hath no fury like authorities who object to a freeway banner. That could cause... unwanted deaths.
Yeah, it all works fine .. if you're a six year old.
Space Coyote @ 60:
Even billboards have to meet specifications, usually owned by companies that rent those billboard spaces. They have to be a certain distance from the roadway. I've never seen ads posted atop roadways unless they identify streets & distances.
These seem like two very different issues compounded by emotion.
I'd like to see bush & cheney dragged from the back of a pickup in a rocky field full of cactus, but that's another topic.
We should flood the courts with these sorts of "infractions" in order to render prosecution counter-productive.
Gosh, the post about the pro-life on the overpass people reminds me of the pro-life people at Coney Island in Cincinnatti where both Clinton's and Gore's along with John Glenn appeared in 1992 at an AFL-CIO rally.
They screamed at attendees entering the grounds while they held up their signs with pictures of God knows what kind of deceptive photographs.
I screamed back at them it looked like George HW Bush's vomit on the Japanese Prime Minister.
They all shriveled, these bad ass religious righties.
Head for the mountains...of Bush.
guess we all better learn the words to, THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
Some other words to learn, BUSH BLOWS CHUNKS.
For some reason this is very effective with Repupublicans.
They remember the incident and it resonates to this day.
The statement makes them crumble.
Kill the chimp and his party based on dear old dad.
He was a prick too.
So was Grandpa.
Terrapin67 @ 62:
That's not the only law they're charged with breaking. Scroll up to my comment at #49.
Space dog
If I have you right I concur.
To be "pro life", pro-war and pro-Bush one endangers life.
To be anti-Bush one is pro-law.
America shot itself in the head by selecting this president.
This is a dame shame, that these people are going after folks for standing up against this criminal administration.
This case is the third one I heard of this week as there is the seventy something year old man who was selling Impeach Bush buttons at the flee market, arrested for this honorable deed.
There is the couple who were arrested for hanging a US Flag upside down on their front porch, when the police came and kicked in their front door and attacked them. They were arrested for violating him. This is really outrageous.
We have all got to stand together against this kind of against this kind of police abuse, that is promoted by this administration in their cheap attempts to continue to keep American people so afraid, that they will not want to come out and defend our rights as citizens.
These are the actions that these freaks have promoted from the very start of their illegal, stolen inception into control of our government and the more they can keep us from protesting and slamming their asses, the more they will control this disgusting media to continue to tell us how much we love them in control and screw up our elections.
The action Bush is taking to keep the ignorant Attorney General in office just adds to the conduct we can look forward to for the next eighteen months of his evil administration and the ignorant supporters of this man can holler all they want about we just hate Bush.
Yes many of us do just hate his evil disgusting ass, but that has nothing to do with the manor in which this bastard as destroyed the lives of thousands of American citizens and I plan to continue calling his ass on these dirty deeds.
Sorry I'm late here... Free Speech on the freeways is Alive and Well in America. At least on the West Coast... about six of us have put up some 2,000 signs on the freeways here in California and nobody's done squat to us.
The trick is to make a bunch of signs and just drive around posting them. There's no law that says you have to stand there and hold the things, and if there is it's unconstitutional: pure and simple. It's our right to reach out to as many of our fellow citizens as possible if we feel our country is in danger.
Hell, it's our duty.
scarlet p. @ 76:
Amen......!
jacambece @ 65:
Stop channeling Malkin... We have standards here. ;)
Space Coyote @ 72:
In regards to that and comment #49, I'm sure there's some stipulation regarding the legality of billboards, since they're technically OFF the highway and do not transverse it.
I really can't see how the law posted above could be a basis for a case unless they truly believe that anything was "hidden from view" because of the sign or it "interferes with the movement of traffic"... neither of which it did.
that isn't the first banner to be hung on an overpass. Unless there's something stating the necessity of express local consent before the hanging of such a sign, the village is going to lose.
And I'm from the Chicagoland area and, yes, there's a bunch of tarts in the DuPage county area. The area is bustling with bumper sticker patriots!!!
Dupage County cops are continuing their proud tradition established during the Rolondo Cruz Murder trial. These fiends/cops framed innocent people by getting them to confess once in police custody. I'm surprised these cops are not in Iraq helping interogate Iraqis.
YOU DO REALIZE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ILLINOIS, one state, one local issue, don't you?
This is NOT a nationwide phenomena. This is SMALL POTATOES harassment from local authorities. It is the action of a handful of Republican politicians or police authorities.
• In 2003, a handful of rightwing Nat'l Guard and Marines ROLLED A TANK down Westwood Blvd. here in Los Angeles, and with a Stryker, they confronted antiwar protesters at the Federal Building, turning the turret toward the crowd, and swiveling the machine gun in their sockets.
That's not a conspiracy of all lawful authority in California acting in concert with the Shitehouse to suppress dissent. That's maybe FIVE rightwing assbites who seized equipment from the VA, and committed a series of felonies with it.
They would have LOVED to produce the climate of fear that commenters here commonly spew around like Homer Simpson being told the beer isn't free.
"But while the sceptic destroys gross superstitions, let him spare to deface...the eternal truths charactered upon hte imaginations of men." -- Percy Bysshe Shelley
Rather than do the Chicken Little trip like this is 2003, can be PLEASE keep some perspective and some sense of scope, and not keep pulling the fire alarm just because a handful of conspirators in Illinois are hassling some protesters?
I've hung signs over the freeways and highways of California in several cities, and while I've been accosted by the police and CHP several times, that's the extent of it, because it's legal, and one CHP supervisor told me that they had a meeting in Sacramento, and they decided that "they want to be on the right side of this when it's all over."
And that's what you would hear in most places, because these are FACTIONS that are producing this reign of error, not the country, not the legal part of the government, not the people at large, and not the ooga-boogas of martial law, panic-spreaders, alarm-ringers, and hand-wringers who can't tear the pages off their calendars and realize that they are living in the wrong year.
scarlet p. @ 76:
Yes there is. What you are doing is LITTERING, not that I don't applaud you. This is an emergency, but your first amendment rights don't extend to leaving signs on freeways, just so you know.
The courts have held that people have a limited right to protest on highway overpasses. The requirement is that the persons hold their signs, do not litter or in any way endanger the roadway, do not attach their signs in any way, and the CHP retains the right to call the protest a safety hazard, generally if there is high traffic (especially bumper-to-bumper at moderate speed).
If you cooperate with the CHP, and those rules you are within the law. However, that doesn't stop local cops from trying to interfere. I've had LAPD tell me that the overpasses belong to the city. I told them that the city belongs to the people, and they didn't have an answer to that, and drove off.
HaggleRock @ 74:
They were NEVER elected, so your statement is nonsense.
• The caging scandal that is about to erupt into indictments (once AG Gonzales and crony-U.S attorney Taylor are removed or neutralized) PROVES that the election in 2004 was stolen in at least five states, and especially in Ohio.
• In California, the new, loyal SecState has just blown the myth of contract good faith and serviceability by three large electronic voting companies out the window, for good. Lawsuits by state AGs (after letter-writing campaigns) to recover damages for contract nonfulfillment in 4, 3, 2, 1....
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vsr.htm
Space Coyote @ 72:
I know, but the "disorderly conduct" and "reckless conduct" charges stem from allegedly throwing unknown objects onto the highway. The defendants have consistantly denied that allegation.
Space Coyote @ 58:
I sort of see this as a good thing. I mean, doesn't Coulter, Rush, Hannity, etc. commit seditious libel on a daily basis? It's one of those silver linings to every cloud, sort of like if a rabid rightwingnut ever tried to threaten you physically, you should be able to slap him/her on a terrorism watch list, according to the Patriot Act.
The NAZIS SS ARE HERE TO TAKE YOU AWAY!!! HEIL BUSH!!!
StirFry @ 20:
Then you'd be sued for copyright infringement - welcome to 'murika!
There's a lesson in this. Always bring a video cam to film your protest and especially any encounters with law enforcement.
There are so many ways to passively but aggressively mess with the Corporations. Economic Warfare can cut up a bottum line pretty heavily and actually put people to work. Buy things return things take things from one part of the store put them down in other places. Confusion to our Enemies.
Terrapin67 @ 84:
Toward the middle of the article, it said that a state trooper saw them holding the sign up, and asked them to take it down. As they packed up the banner, another trooper pulled up and said he received calls that they were throwing stuff onto the highway, which is when they were slapped with the charges.
I'm thinking that some nutjob(s) driving on the highway called in that some dirty fucking hippie was throwing crap on the highway while holding up a banner once said nutjob(s) read the sign and noticed that someone was holding it up.
Bud @ 87:
But thankfully satire is still protected (for now). If the logo was slightly altered, such as "FoxNewz", you could get away with it.
Wheaton, huh?
Wheaton College pretty much rivals Regent University for Wingnut graduates.
snitramc @ 13:
Because the Dan Ryan is in Chicago, where freedom of speech is (usually) given a fair shot.
As you say, this is DuPage County.
Terrapin67 @ 84:
That is a constant in police complaints regarding overpass protesting.
We can't even make signs anymore. The junta and their proxies Pinichetism is out of control
Now someone gets the balls to do this? why wasn't it done years ago when the incidents first happened? This crap has been going on since bush took office, now is to little too late
"Paul Darrah, a spokesman for the state's attorney's office, said the charges are not for the content of Zurawski and Hartfield's banner but for the location.
"If you're driving along the highway at 55 mph, you need to pay attention to what's going on on the road, not necessarily above the road," Darrah said."
Hmmm. Does that mean we should prosecute state workers who put up road signs. What about all those billboards. Sounds like a pretty weak argument to me. Lock us all away until Bush leaves office.
my post above is in reference to the suit filed by the ACLU referred to in the linked article
As members of the public, they are part owners of the public property. They can hang their signs there, just as the RNC can hang "Vote Bush" posters in the same place.
“Paul Darrah, a spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, said the charges are not for the content of Zurawski and Hartfield’s banner but for the location." If that is true not only are highway department employees guitly of endangering the public, but so are owners and operators of billboards and businesses which hang a shingle that is visible from the higway.
This is bullshit persecution for free speech. It demands civil disobedience: "Let a million such signs blossom". Also, if I'm not mistaken, DuPage county has quite a business going as a convention venue host. Probably time to pick locations that are more respectful of the Constitution.
Their first mistake was posting a sign in DuPage County - It's a huge Republican area. Heavy D Denny Hastert is based there. These two are certainly entitled to their right to free speech, but next time they should head east a few miles where the gestapo isn't patrolling around.
Let Freedom Reign....
I used to live in Downers Grove...there's a Bentley dealer down from my old home...'nuff said.
Sphincters are puckered up right'proper.
haha...bye Chicago...blah
I doubt I'll be allowed to post (I've been blocked for a while), but; it never ceases to amaze me that people act illegally, then blame their prosecution on their political views. Don't these people understand that they have many, many ways to get their views out without violating laws?
Paul @ 99:
That makes a lot of sense. I'm part owner in the Pelosi's Congressional office, then. Think I can just walk in and start going through the desk?
THIS IS SCARY FOLKS! Does Germany circa 1936 look oddly familiar? Are we about to lose the right of assembly? We are running out of time and options. They own the courts, the mainstream press has been neutralized. Habeas corpus has been gutted, and the National Guard is overseas, replaced by private military contractors, not sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution. Add it up. Can you feel the noose tightening around the neck of the republic? DEMAND IMPEACHMENT NOW, WHILE THERE IS STILL AN AMERICA TO SAVE.
phone your own Congress Member at 202-224-3121 and ask them to immediately call Conyers’ office to express their support for impeachment.
Whatever. I'm confident that their message reached nobody
(that is until the bozos in DuPage County decided to prosecute them).
destardi @ 101:
LOL!!! I used to live very near there and had reached the same conclusion. I couldn't believe there could be THAT many hoity-toity snoot bags in one burb.
color me shocked ... NOT!
what did you think all the recent executive orders were about . . . and did you think he wasn't going to use them?
Thanks for the story on the NC couple being arrested for flying their flag upside down.
I had mine flying upside down as noted above but took it down before heading out on vacation since the wind keeps blowing the flag on the porch lamp.
I want to rehang it upside-down again but now hearing that NC couple being arrested I'm not sure I should now. I think I'll check the laws here in Maryland first. I don't give a crap about the HOA but I'm scared of the police here. I don't trust them. They shoot first, literally, and ask questions later. They shot a woman holding a bag of potato chips one time, thinking she was a threat.
I hung the flag upside down for the reasons stated by others that this country is in peril with this administration that runs roughshod over the Constitution.
My hope, like someone else mentioned, that if we flood the courts with these frivolous acts of dissent, it won't be worth it. It's happening all over.
I also sent a note to my Senator asking her to Impeach Bush. Here is her response:
Dear Chip.
Thank you for getting in touch with me to express your views. It's good to hear from you.
I understand your concerns about the Bush Administration. I want you to know that the Bush Administration and I do not see eye to eye on a number of issues. As for your views on impeachment, our Constitution reserves the exclusive authority of impeachment to the House of Representatives. Only after the House votes to impeach and specifies the grounds for impeachment could the Senate begin an impeachment trial.
Knowing of your views is very important to me, and I appreciate that you took the time to contact me. Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you in the future.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator
P.S. If I can be of further assistance in the future,
please visit my website at http://mikulski.senate.gov
or call my Washington D.C. office at 202-224-4654
DuPage Co. is where I live - welcome to my world!! The repugs have been riding rough-shod over all the local Dems for at least the last 35 years when that was the last time we had representation in the state house. But because of the high concentration of population, we have the 2nd highest Dem votes to Chicago's.
Here is an update from the pre-trial this morning. The trial has been set for Monday October 15th at 9:30 am, DuPage County Judicial Center, jury selection will begin then. The attorney expects the trial to last anywhere from 2- 4 days, depending on the judge.
Some have asked what they can do - you can write letters to the editors of the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald and the other local papers that serve DuPage County. States Atty, Joe Birkett has already received many letters, but to no avail - the charges have not been dropped.
I don't know what it's like in Illinois, but in Massachusetts we have a lot of protest signs hanging on highway bridges, as well as a lot of "welcome back" signs for military people coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. If the "welcome back" sign posters aren't prosecuted, neither should the protest sign posters. I have no problem with any of the signs and, actually, welcome them both.
Isn't that a state sanctioned Highway distraction in the distance right behind the impeach Bush sign? It has more words and smaller letters. Why does the state want to distract people trying to drive?
Clear Channel has turned all their billboards into giant screen TV's here in Phoenix that are increadibly bright at night and change their content regularly. When can we expect them to be brought up on charges?
Oh one more thing. . . I almost crashed the other day because I was trying to read an "adopt a highway" sign. I want whoever is responsible for sponsoring that part of the highway arrested.
I can totally understand how the public needs to be shut out of the Media, and that protesters must be punished for communicating to the public, this is to guarantee the protection of career political criminals. Yes, we all know that communications along streets are a hazard for the public -- only if they don't contain comments that have been vetted by the "paying a lot for a fricken' billboard" process.
[/sarcasm]
Out a CIA operative and betray your country?
3 Year Sentence Commuted.
Display a sign that offends the Leadership?
3 Year Sentence + Fines.
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