Protester's sign's legality up in air

[goddess40]

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/wdhlocal/291344070488680.shtml

snip
"The letters 's-h-i-t' in that can certainly can be interpreted as obscene or profane, and that's the way we interpreted it," Nagle said.

One First Amendment expert, however, said there is no question that Wallschlaeger has a constitutional right to use that language in a political protest. Donald Downs, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and the author of several books on political speech, said the city clearly violated Wallschlaeger's rights by citing him.
snip

Front page above the fold! Mike's sign reads "This War Is Bushit". There was a small article on the third page yesterday.

We will be out this Friday again - my hubby suggested that my new sign should read "Bush is a four letter word" or Bush's war policies are obscene" What do you think?

[sui generis]

1. this is so funny

the Dallas Police Department commissioned hundreds of t-shirts from me many years ago when I owned a printing business that said:

"I need more money, more power, and less shit from you people!"

[Mithras61]

2. Just out of curiosity...

how would they have reacted to a sign that read "This was is bullshit!" instead? I grew up in east-central WI (about 30 mi south of Green Bay), and "bullshit" certainly wouldn't have raised any eyebrows then (too many years ago for me to remember comfortably). Which, of course, leads me to believe that this was intentional (possibly even official) suppression of constitutionally protected speech.

[goddess40]

5. It was just a way for the cops to try and step on us

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday in town that said: Jesus loves you / everyone else thinks you're an asshole. I think that is a tad bit more 'obscene' than a made up word.
We've been using that sign, or a version of it, for two years. On July 31st 2004 they showed the top half of the sign on the front page.

The reason we didn't give up the sign willingly was because we knew there was nothing wrong with it and that if we gave up they would be after more of them later.

We did have one ignorant young man stop and ask us to stop using the "What Would Jesus Bomb" and "Jesus would be against this war too" signs. He said Jesus would be for this war and god believed in war.

The ACLU is interested.

[Mithras61]

8. That's pretty mch what I thought was the case...

Keep us here at DU posted, especially if you need assistance.

[oneold1-4u]

3. Obscene, profane?

Maybe something like: "The 4th Reich rules as republicans"

[oneold1-4u]

4. PS

And that ain't no BS!

[davidinalameda]

6. bring out the storm troopers

the cops won't protect him anymore?

can we say big ass lawsuit!

[AllegroRondo]

7. How about: "This war is BU__ SH__"

would that be allowed?

[MADem]

11. Sounds to me like a case of an overactive

DIRTY MIND (with the usual fascist overtones in play, too). The word being protested is BUSHIT. OK, Bush is the president, the remainder of the word is IT. Where's the OVERT shit in those two words (aside from the bearer of the name). Do we ban the publication of the name of the former PM of Japan because he is called TakeSHITa??? Geez, that's even worse--someone is actually TAKING A SHIT there!! OH, the HORROR!

Let's not talk about the tsunami devastation either, because in this easily offended environment, that island that took a big hit sounds way too much like peepee....

I feel that the pendulum is about to swing. This Beaver Cleaver mentality is just getting ABSURD.

[sybylla]

16. Nope, just plain ole brownshirts disguised as cops - that's all.

I live in the area and I can assure you the arrest was no mistake, nor a product of a dirty mind. These people have been protesting for two years and have suffered crap from cops on several occasions, from what I've heard.

These brownshirts were just looking for another way to harass the protestors into giving it up. And you are right - it is ABSURD!

[MADem]

18. I was being a bit snarky!!!

I know what they were going for, but I guess former PM Takeshita can't ever visit without causing offense!

[goddess40]

22. Thanks Sybylla, we will be out their until this invasion is over

This Friday will be interesting, I'm sure the nut jobs will be out in force. We won't be dissuaded from our protesting anyone that can and would like to join us is certainly welcome. Fridays, 3:30 - 5:00 in front of the Marathon county courthouse in Wausau WI.

If you can't make it, letters to the editor would be nice too.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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

[Az]

10. How bout Bush can eat Shitaki Mushrooms?

Are we still stuck on words being evil in and of themself? Good grief.

[Fifth of Five]

12. So I guess this means that

if your name is Dikshit (no joke - there was such a family in my hometown), you could not have your name over a business, or on campaign signs?

[0007]

13. A $225.00 fine, 'ya gotta be kidding? For Bushit?

[ucmike]

14. fined for using a made up word???????

i'm laughing and cringing at the same time...

[Mithras61]

17. I agree... to quote "Recess"

"that really whomps!" :hippie:

[MasonJar]

15. Well, isn't that what all this administration is--bushit? How can he

be arrested for telling the truth?

[NYC Liberal]

19. Does that mean Dick Cheney's name

is now banned?

[Piperay]

20. Aw SHIT

how ridiculous! :argh:

[TahitiNut]

21. So, these cops worship Feces? (Is that how they see Bush?)

pro·fane adj.

1. Marked by contempt or irreverence for what is sacred.
2. Nonreligious in subject matter, form, or use; secular: sacred and profane music.
3. Not admitted into a body of secret knowledge or ritual; uninitiated.
4. Vulgar; coarse.

[truthisfreedom]

23. they have drawn so much attention to the anti-bush people that they've

really done all of us a service, these police. i like the BU**SH** idea.

[goddess40]

24. City reviews obscenity ticket/ in the paper again

The city is getting nervous about there foolish foray into fascism.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/wdhlocal/291811378280477.shtml

Tue, Jan 11, 2005

City reviews obscenity ticket
ACLU attorney: Ordinance could be unconstitutional

By Joel Christopher
Wausau Daily Herald
[e-mail]

The city attorney's office is considering whether it should dismiss a public obscenity citation given to a war protester who displayed a sign that reads "This war is Bushit."
The protester, Mike Wallschlaeger, 41, of Mosinee was cited Friday near the Marathon County Courthouse after a passer-by complained to police about the sign. Police seized the sign.


http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/wdhopinion/
Tue, Jan 11, 2005

Wausau
tramples on
Constitution
We were worried, to say the least, when a Wausau police officer told war protester Mike Wallschlaeger that he might have been asking to be assaulted by marching under a defaced American flag.

[sybylla]

25. Thanks for the update

I really want to get involved. If I can work it into my schedule this Friday, I'll be there. I don't have a sign but I can be there to support you. I think it would be wonderful if the brownshirts saw that their stupidity doubled or tripled the turnout.

Maybe I'll try to tug my political prisioner in training shirt over my winter coat. I'd like to see what the brownshirts have to say about that.

[rocktivity]

26. THIS WAR IS BUSH-IT

What if you simply put in a hyphen? What if you all carried signs and shouted "BUSH-IT!!!" P.S. There's a http://www.bushit.net">bushit.net.

:headbang:
rocknation

[BrainRants]

27. How about "Bush-it!

as in "How do you fuck up a country? Bush-it!"

or

"Iraq is Bush Shiite"

Wish I could be there Friday. The little demon in me would love to be the person holding the sign that now says "This war is BULLSHIT! in big red letters. :evilgrin:

[goddess40]

28. I like the way you think

I wish I could, but what kind of example would I set for my kids.

[buddysmellgood]

29. Get everyone you can to print the very same sign. Bushit. Then you'll

really make some news. Are they going to run in the whole lot of you? That would be even better. You'd make national news. I will kick in $25 for the fine and I bet a load of other DUers would as well. Next thing you know the ACLU is fighting this in court. They will rue the day they busted that protester.

[goddess40]

31. The police chief called and left a message for Mike

we think he wants to make arrangements for Mike to pick up his sign. They know they screwed up big time.

[buddysmellgood]

32. That is excellent.

[Clark2008]

30. So does this mean we can't quote from the Bible?

As the Israelites arrived in the valley of Shitim, they plunged themselves into the worship of Baal Peor. For once, they broke completely away from the laws of Moses and the commands of his God. For once, they were truly free, inwardly free.

:shrug: