"The police will ticket anyone with Kerry bumper stickers"

[cally]

So, I stop by the local deli on my way to work and the owner asks if I have Kerry stickers on my car. I do. I also have other more liberal ones. The owner tells me that I need to remove them because the police hang at his deli and he listens to them talk. The police plan to ticket anyone who have Kerry stickers on their car. I replied, "I hope they try!"

The owner was trying to be helpful but I'm outraged and trying to figure out what to do. I will bring it up at the next Dem meeting but I think I should go talk to the City Council about this. I live in a liberal area that is predominantly Democratic. The City Council members would be sympathetic. I'm also considering contacting a few Dem fundraisers that I've met. What would you do?

[rfranklin]

1. Get a couple of dozen Kerry bumper stickers...

Every time you see a cop car parked apply a Kerry bumper sticker.

[Literate Tar Heel]

3. now that would be funny

and make sure you get a picture of it

[tom_paine]

25. Don't listen to this Jeepers Creepers!

Don't do it and if you do, don't listen to this person who likely wants to see you arrested.

Just don't do it.

[Literate Tar Heel]

28. to quote David Cross

"it's what is referred to as a ... uh ... joke"

[tom_paine]

29. Okey-dokey

:silly:

[truthspeaker]

32. very risky! Don't do that!

But if you do, make ABSOLUTELY sure no one can see you first.

(I've daydreamed about doing this with pro-marijuana stickers, but fortunately discretion, or cowardice, prevailed)

[JHBowden]

2. Where is your evidence?

You're getting worked up over testimony which may not only be unreliable, but may be difficult to prove in court.

If you're not breaking laws, you should have nothing to worry about. If they screw with you for no reason, then yeah, I'd take legal action.

[cally]

9. But that's the point

Most of us break traffic laws. How do you ever prove you were targetted? I know I would never win in court and I wouldn't attempt it. I'm discussing strategy on how to prevent this and ensure that the police don't do this.

[G_j]

14. since it is the word of one person

you might bring it up in private with perhaps the city manager (who often has more power than the city council) At least let them know you have concerns, perhaps let them know you might call the ACLU for "advice".

[AussieInCA]

19. .

[cally]

21. I'll send you a PM

Nice to know another Marin Duer. :hi:

[amber dog democrat]

22. Back in my misguided youth

when I could never afford to be stopped and searched for any reason...
i was meticulous in my driving, kept a plain vinilla car and even stopped at yellow lights, ( that got me rear ended once - but this is another story ) .

The point is that you don't necessarily have to worry about being stopped for no good reason. Many police cars videotape their traffic stops.
this is just intimidation - for no good reasson.

[Caution]

4. make sure you tkae badge numbers and names down

also dont give them a reason to ticket you, ask other dems to do the same and be sure to report any patterns where specific officers are ticketing people to internal affairs and let internal affairs know that you will be writing letters to the editor if the behavior doesnt stop.

[OnionPatch]

5. Hmmmm funny, I just got a speeding ticket

last week! I wasn't going any faster than anyone else and I have a large, prominent Kerry sticker. The cop was very polite and nice. The nicest I have ever encountered actually, but doesn't mean he didn't purposefully target me. I live in a very Republican area of southern California. Can I ask what area you live in?

[cally]

12. I live in Marin County, California

65 percent voted for Gore in 2000. Only about 1/4 voted for Bush. We voted against Arnie. It's a liberal county.

[GainesT1958]

15. Biggest thing I'd make sure of, CALLY...

Would be NOT to drive down to the Orange County area anytime soon!:eyes:

Seems as thought if a cop pulled you with that as his ulterior motive in YOUR area, HE'D be the one who'd have to worry about his safety as a result!:D

B-)

[AussieInCA]

24. crap, I'm in Marin too ..where the hell did this happen?

was it the local cops or the CHP guys?

[calico1]

6. That's stupid. What State do you live in?

[Tweed]

7. Yeah, you local deli worker was joking...

What's the proof? The police union has endorsed John Kerry. This would make no sense.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. Have you considered that maybe the deli owner is just yanking your chain?

??

[cally]

13. I doubt it

He's a very nice man who doesn't know me very well. I didn't sense he was trying to enrage me.

[4_Legs_Good]

10. Contact the District Attorney

I would guess. That's totally outrageous.

I like the idea of plastering stickers on cop cars, though!

Didn't the big police union endorse Kerry already? Makes this extra odd.

david

[GiovanniC]

11. I Would Hope This Isn't True

The Founding Fathers didn't write the First Amendment for their health.

[glitch]

16. Got a tape recorder? Or better, one of those tiny digital video recorders

Can you pass as a republican? Nod appreciatively? Smirk? Perhaps you could get close and get some real evidence. Pass it around the net. Shame these 'peace' officers.

[TexasSissy]

17. I think the police organizations are primarily backing the Dems.

Not true? Maybe that owner is Repub and wants to cut down on the Kerry stickers.

[Tweed]

30. Yeah, the biggest Police Union in the country endorsed Kerry

They endorsed Bush in 2000. It was actually quite the topic for a day or two.

[diamond14]

18. we had 16 KERRY stickered vehicles TOWED from Arlington VA

while we went to NYC for the March 2004 pro-PEACE rally....

it was real shocking....legally parked, checked out way ahead of time for legal all=day parking spots....and then, when we got back, late at night from our PATRIOTIC effort...everybody cars were gone...

Arlington continues to increase the fines and charges at every level of objection...which are not yet over...


those who SIT in their couches and comment here should be advised....AMERICANS FREEDOMS ARE ALMOST GONE....brave Patriotic Pro-Peace AMERICANS have lost their jobs, been arrested, beat, hit by police cars and almost killed, clubbed, maced, thrown in jail, and more....

OPEN YOUR EYES AMERICA !!!!

expect YOUR freedom of speech to be attacked BY THE POLICE, under the reTHUGlican shrub administration....most of bush* "homeland security" funds are only be used by YOUR local police to track, harrass and arrest and beat Pro-Peace people...did anyone watch Michael Moore's movie...it shows what HOMELAND SECURITY funds are really used for...for taking away YOUR rights...

[BiggJawn]

36. Amen, amen!

Why do you think a rural sherriff's department needs a multi-million-dollar "Urban Response Vehicle" (mini-tank)?

Only 2 reasons come to mind. First, it might be Pork, but second, and more believably, it's to "deal with insurgent elements and insurrection" in their own little back-water podunks.

And people sit at home and clutch their Dean teddy bears and say "but the Army wouldn't obey the ReTHUGs if they were ordered to shoot us!"

It ain't the Army we have to worry about, friends. I keep telling you that!

[AnnInLa]

20. letter to the editor

A letter to your local editor (if, indeed, you ARE targeted and not before), works wonders. If it has happened to others, they write in, police dept gets nervous, etc. They don't like negative publicity.

[rniel]

23. Go right up the chain of command

Their boss or even better their bosses boss

[soup]

26. I know my response Should be, "That's just crazy talk."

But, since I've started DWS (driving with stickers) I've become a much more defensive and cautious driver. I've also reminded anyone using our vehicles to drive carefully - specifically because of the stickers.

Some right-wingers seem to think my stickers give them a license to be overtly agressive, rabidly obnoxious, and just plain stupid. (or maybe they already were)

Have there been any incidents reported about being stopped for DWS?

I'd definitely bring it up at your meeting. Don't know what help the city council would be - other than maybe raising awareness and helping to find out if this does have any validity. Although I don't know how it could be proven.

My son got pulled over after school one afternoon. But, he somehow managed to chirp the tires on the ratty old sticker-covered 0-30mph in ten minutes car we shared at the time.

So, the stop was probably warranted. The charge wasn't - something about street racing, which carries huge penalties - and we had to hire an attorney to save his license.

But I have always wondered if I'd had 350 flag stickers and a 'power of pride' on the car if he'd even have stopped him. :shrug:

Strange world we live in.

[GiovanniC]

31. Something I Never Got About Those "Power of Pride" Stickers

Isn't Pride one of the seven deadly sins?

So isn't the real "power of pride" to get you to burn in hell for all eternity? Why would you want to advertise that?

Are they a set? Can you collect them all?

"The Power of Pride"
"The Power of Gluttony"
"The Power of Wrath"
"The Power of Envy"
"The Power of Lust"
"The Power of Avarice"
"The Power of Sloth"

[OnionPatch]

33. POWER OF PROPAGANDA!!

I so badly wanted to make a look-alike sticker that said this but I'm SURE I would get run off the road with that one. :evilgrin:

I live in Riverside county. Land of giant pickups and flags. I won't be speeding again anytime soon.

[GiovanniC]

35. I'm Seriously Thinking About Picking Up a "Power of Pride"

sticker and getting a printer to to complete the set for me, and then putting them on my back window.

[trogdor]

38. How about the reverse case?

I got stopped a few weeks ago, and I probably deserved to get a ticket because I did something really dumb. I pulled out in front of somebody like and idiot and almost got rear ended. I probably would have deserved that, too. I got off with a warning and an admonishment to drive more carefully. I guess this was a Kerry cop.

[cally]

41. I haven't been pulled over in years

and I do deserve to be pulled over for speeding. Cops don't target mid-40s white women. It annoys me when I see young minorities targetted. I don't know what to do about that either.

[Th1onein]

27. The only way to do something about this is to get it on tape.

eom

[proud patriot]

34. I'd warn the chief of police

that the ACLU may be notified .

I'd notify the local ACLU , Media , City Council .
Tell as many people that you can think of .

If they try to do this to me in my town ....
:grr:

[happynewyear]

39. now that is the best idea yet!

Great words there proud patriot!!!

:mad:

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. I posted this the other day.

This is all a "hunch" and I have no proof...BUT, we were on vacation (last week) and had stopped at a hotel in West Virginia to sleep. Our car was parked in a outdoor parking lot all night. We have on the back car window a DUMP BUSH and John Kerry For President 2004 stickers and on the 2 side quarter windows a Kerry 2004 sticker...one on each side. We left our West Virginia hotel and had JUST pulled onto the interstate when we were radared by a cop. Now, first let me say this....I have a radar detector that detects radar/laser up to 5 miles away if a cop is using it. The radar detector didn't go off which told us that WE were his target. He shot ONLY us....as soon as he saw us. We concluded that he must have been in the hotel parking lot and saw our stickers because he was waiting for us...perched to shoot us. There were MANY cars passing us up....but, WE were the ones who were pulled over. WHY? We say it's because of our stickers. If this happens again, they're coming off. How can you prove something like that? You can't know what a policeman's political persuasion is. :(

[cally]

40. Wow

I guess it does happen, then. I'm going to the Dem steering committee and I will contact the Dem fundraisers.

[elehhhhna]

42. advice on attaching unsolicited stickers:

PLEASE don't put them on peoples cars--that's rude.

Magnetic bumper stickers, however, can be thrown quite accurately (with practice) frisbee-style. You should see my kids land 'em on the fridge!

What if said stickers were to suddenly materialize overnight on some, say, freestanding metal objects (signage)? The stickers would be seen. The reep-leaning cops could "do their part" for the BA.

It's a win-win. No harm done, B1.

[bleowheels]

43. It's simple, they (the republicans) are resorting to intimidation.

their motto is "by any means necessary"