Is it against the law to have a "Fuck the police" bumper sticker

[UndertheOcean]

Thinking of doing that just as a protest of police corruption and brutality.

[Occulus]

1. Against the law? Probably not. Unwise? *Definitely*. n/t

[DefenseLawyer]

2. Of course not

I hope you enjoy being pulled over and searched.

[MineralMan]

3. Probably not against the law, but really, really stupid.

Unless, of course, you enjoy chatting with patrol officers, or wish to initiate sexual encounters with such officers.

[Subdivisions]

4. Try it and see what happens. n/t

[imdjh]

25. LOL. I like your style.

[michreject]

38. And let us know

[Tim01]

5. Pleas go ahead and do it. Not against the law at all. nt

[spanone]

6. good luck with that one.

[rcrush]

7. No but you'll get a lot more ass whoopins

I'm no big fan of the cops either but I wouldnt dare them to come kick my ass.

[izquierdista]

8. Neither is streaming video

And when you do get pulled over, ask the cop to guess how many webcams are recording. :rofl:

[Shagbark Hickory]

12. It's a great idea but stick them on guard rails, light poles, traffic light boxes etc.

OR even other people's cars.

Be sure to wear thick gloves when you handle them so no prints. Not exam gloves!!

I'd be willing to help stick some up here to voice my 1st ammendment right to say fuck the motherfucken police.

[izquierdista]

37. Call it "quality control"

I've often thought that some citizens' group should take it upon themselves to film and document cops out in the wild. See how they really act in real situations as they interact with the public when they don't know that there are half a dozen cameras recording the event. That would do a lot to weed out the ones that are particularly unsuitable for the task.

[Maru Kitteh]

54. Other people's cars? That's both chickenshit and illegal.

Actually, all of the activities in your post would be chickenshit and illegal. If it's a sentiment you believe in, have the balls to wear it, otherwise you're a coward.

[laststeamtrain]

9. It is against the law of self interest & common sense. n/t.

[mkultra]

15. becuase it is in everyones interest to let the abusive structure continue unhendered

:sarcasm:

Short term gain is not always in line with the law of self interest or common sense.

[laststeamtrain]

35. Ahem. A bumper sticker is going to end 'the abusive structure'?

How so?

[Robb]

50. My "Visualize World Peace" bumper sticker clearly worked.

I mean, look around!

[laststeamtrain]

59. I visualized whirled peas once.

Right before I passed out face first in a bowl of Humus dip. Good times.

[mkultra]

95. I would confidently say it does more than Kowtowing

Can you deny it? This is the internet so you don't have to fear standing up for your opinion here. Just go ahead.

[noamnety]

10. You could be giving yourself an unnecessary legal hassle

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/personal/topic.aspx?topic=bumper_stickers

If you have the time to deal with a court thing like that, go for it. On the other hand, if you have enough leisure time that you could afford a circus like that in your life, maybe there are more direct forms of volunteering that would have a larger impact on the people in your community, like volunteering at a shelter or a food bank.

[UndertheOcean]

17. you are probably right

[-..__...]

11. Legal in FL...

Might be a wise idea to strictly adhere to speed limits, traffic signs, parking meters, etc at all times though...

Florida drops charges involving profane bumper sticker

David Hudson
First Amendment Center

11.19.99

Florida state attorneys have dismissed charges against a woman for violating a state law prohibiting obscene bumper stickers.

In September, a state trooper stopped Laura Elizabeth Barron for a traffic offense. During the stop, the officer noticed Barron's bumper sticker stating "F--- you, you f------ f---." The officer then charged her with violating the obscene bumper sticker law.

Barron contended in legal papers that the bumper sticker was "a form of protest against traffic conditions on the roads" and a message "against tailgaters."

A hearing was scheduled today in State v. Barron. However, on Nov. 18 prosecutors filed papers dismissing the charges.

"The dismissal is a victory for my client and the First Amendment," Ms. Barron's attorney Lawrence Walters said in a news release. "It is obvious that the state knew that they would lose the case if it went in front of the judge on Friday and therefore dismissed the charges before the judge could rule.

Walters had argued in a motion to dismiss that the bumper sticker could not be classified as legally obscene because it "could in no way conjure up a sexual image" and "could hardly be understood to appeal to the 'prurient interest' in sex."

Obscene materials, which receive no First Amendment protection, are those materials which appeal predominantly to the prurient or lustful interest, describe sexual matters in a patently offensive way and have no serious artistic, literary or political value.

Walters cited the famous 1971 U.S. Supreme Court case of Cohen v. California as the precedent for assigning Barron's bumper sticker the status of protected speech. In Cohen, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the conviction of a man charged with disturbing the peace for wearing a jacket with the words "F--- the Draft" into a courthouse. "One man's vulgarity is another's lyric," the high court wrote.

"My client intends to proudly continue displaying the bumper sticker on her car as an expression of free-speech rights," Walters said. "At this point, Ms. Barron is deciding whether to file a civil rights complaint against the Florida Highway Patrol and the arresting officer."

The assistant attorney general who handled the case for the state was in court on another matter and unavailable for comment.http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=10242

Edit to add link: http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=10242

[rzemanfl]

27. The way people drive here it should be mandatory. n/t

[mkultra]

13. you should never challenge the police

:sarcasm:

[grytpype]

14. Don't do stupid shit to provoke the police.

[DefenseLawyer]

21. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

[CanonRay]

16. Forget talking your way out of tickets!

[auntAgonist]

18. no but stupidity should be illegal

just sayin'

aA

[timeforpeace]

19. If it will make you feel good, go for it.

[lumberjack_jeff]

20. These guys are hired by you to enforce the laws.

Don't expect them to ask too many questions of the guy trying to break into it.

Anarchy only sounds like fun.

[Shagbark Hickory]

22. It's a great idea but stick them on guard rails, light poles, traffic light boxes etc.

OR even other people's cars.

Be sure to wear thick gloves when you handle them so no prints. Not exam gloves!!

I'd be willing to help stick some up here to voice my 1st ammendment right to say fuck the motherfucken police.

But take it from me you don't want to get your ass kicked by the cops and jailed . IT's expesive and it hurts. And it's annoying when they feel you up just for fun.

[imdjh]

23. It's one of those things, you'll win but you'll lose.

[rzemanfl]

24. Only a good idea if you are a hot looking promiscuous woman

who likes cops.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

26. It's not illegal...

But if you car is stolen, don't bother reporting it.

[Mari333]

28. well, heres Chris Rock on some of that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8

[TokenQueer]

34. "He got weed! He got weed!"

:rofl:

[Statistical]

41. +1 lol.

[Tim01]

57. And this thread falls under "be polite" nt

[whistler162]

29. I would suggest you become familiar with

every iota of you locals/county/state/federal traffic laws and don't break any!

[rrneck]

30. Pissing people off

indiscriminately is never a good idea.

[kirby]

31. Only if adjacent to I support NRA, Palin/McCain '08, and Impeach Obama n/t

[Statistical]

32. It isn't illegal but most people don't drive perfect so.....

a cop sees it and follows you within a couple miles you do something wrong; 5mpg over, not signal, improper lane change, rolling stop, following to closely.

Expect a lot of tickets. If you have a couple grand to burn as a protest go ahead.

[blondeatlast]

33. Legal? sure. Monumentally stupid? Find out for yourself--and get back to us if there's broadband

in the "really stupid" section in county lockup.

[JohnnyRingo]

36. In Akron there's a group of motorcycle stunt riders who use "FTP" on their shirts & bikes

They aren't in the image of outlaw bikers, the "Star Boyz" ride Japanese motorcycles and put on shows across the state. They've been known to act up on city streets as well, riding mile-long wheelies, standing on the seat and such.

"FTP" features prominently on their bikes, web site, and apparel.
Prominent, but subtle is the way to go. If someone can't figure out what FTP is, they wouldn't care about your cause anyway.


http://www.starboyz.com/

[izquierdista]

43. FTP?

Are they still stuck in the '90s? Haven't they learned about the new peer-to-peer networks?

[kirby]

52. A Rogue Group of Florists I Hear n/t

[TheMightyFavog]

71. Almnost like an American Bosozoku.

Interesting.

[Rabrrrrrr]

81. Ah, the old File Transfer Protocol gang. I didn't think they were still around,

since so much is done through web-browsers nowadays.

I'm glad someone is standing up for good old-fashioned FTP! Especially command-line ftp.

Fuckin' noobs and their pictographic interfaces and programs that do everything behind-the-scenes...

[tjwash]

39. Here's a moldy oldie from Chris Rock that may help you out...

You wouldn't happen to be the guys buddy at 3:50 would you?

[Gman]

80. LOL!

[Coyote_Bandit]

40. Plenty of stupid

to go around this week it would appear.

Yes, it is absolutely legal to have that bumper sticker on your car.

Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Sometimes there is wisdom in choosing one's words.

[petronius]

42. I was pulled over once for having "Fuck Stanfurd" in the dust on my window

When I asked if it was illegal the cop said "no, but I'll find something."

[bushmeister0]

75. A friend of mine one wrote "fuck the police" in the dust on my roof

just above the driver-side door. Those were in my '74 Nova coupe days, a car all the black kids at work called a "negro car." That and the pie tin rig on my right back tail-light got me stopped almost nightly on my way home from work for about a month. Luckily, not the night he wrote that up there.

The North Miami Beach cops eventually got used to me car and left me alone. Not so much for another friend who had the "Impeach Reagan" bumper sticker. He got pulled over every day and was regularly threatened in every Publix parking lot from Perrine to Hallendale by crazed "exilios." Lucky for him someone finally yanked the thing off while he was in a store.

[Throd]

44. No, just tacky and stupid.

[MrScorpio]

45. I'd rather not be a police fucker

Not good advice at all

[JonLP24]

46. Just don't play "fuck the police" while getting pulled over by the police

I used to watch Chris Rock Show religiously when it was on HBO.

[WeDidIt]

47. It's against the unwritten law

And having it will get you tried and convicted by cop. The sentence is one night in jail and there are no appeals.

I guarantee you, if you put that bumper sticker on your car, you'll spend a night in jail for disturbing the peace. Charges will be dropped the next day, unless a jerk cop decides to charge you with resisting arrest, too.

[UndertheOcean]

49. How do you know that ?

[Curtland1015]

53. He unread it.

:P

[WeDidIt]

55. Questoning cop authority is the unwritten illegal act

Cops have the power to try and convict anybody of this unwritten law at any time, charge them with "disturbing the peace", and throw them in jail. It doesn't get sorted out until the next morning.

HAppens hundreds of times every day. IF you put that bumper sticker on your car, it will eventually happen to you.

NEVER question a cop's authority.

[Synicus Maximus]

48. Let us know how that works for you

[Political Tiger]

51. I know in Florida it's illegal to use "foul language" on a bumper sticker

But you might get away with something like "F the police" although I'm sure they'd fine another reason to give you a ticket!

[Taitertots]

56. I just hope that turns out bad for you

Why don't you wear a fuck the judge shirt into court?

[stranger81]

61. You'd probably have better luck doing that.

Judges don't have tasers and billy clubs, for instance. They also tend to exercise a little more restraint and self-control than your average cop.

[Taitertots]

76. You would surely go to jail

and lose your court case. While pissing off every judge in the area, thereby assuring that you never win a case again.

[stranger81]

84. You'll definitely prejudice the court against you, but probably not jail.

A contempt of court citation & a fine is more likely. And still better than what the cop might do to you if provoked.

[Taitertots]

90. It depends how you handled the situation

If you handled it the way some people think the police should be treated, the you would surely get in serious trouble. A citation and fine you would get without question, how far you decided to take it is how much more trouble you would get.

"provoked".
How much provoking would a judge take before having you removed from court? Not even close to the amount you expect police should take without action.

[dorktv]

92. most of the judges I know would just tell the person to go turn it inside out

There are some that would overreact but for the most part, doing the paperwork and effort for a contempt charge really is not worth it.

In fact, the last time a dude was wearing that shirt in court, the judge told him to get out and told the dude's lawyer that this was considered an nonappearance therefore a warrant for FTA would be issued.

It was quashed the next day but the point was made.

[Taitertots]

96. Here is where reaction matters

If it was a judge you would surely turn it inside out or show up the next day with a different shirt.

If it was a police officer telling you to remove a goatse bumper sticker, then you scream at them about the first amendment for a half an hour, and complain when they arrest you.

[dorktv]

97. You would be surprised at what people do in court.

Thank you Judge Judy.



not.

[stranger81]

58. It's not against the law, but prepare to get pulled over a lot.

I remember watching a Ninth Circuit argument a couple of years ago in which Judge Kozinski took the position that having a sticker on your car showing Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes) pissing on a police car gave cops probable cause to stop the vehicle, since it reflects a disregard/lack of respect for the law. I'm sure FTP would generate much the same reaction.

Not saying it's justified --- just a few words of pragmatic advice.

[Davis_X_Machina]

65. Funny. Same judge -- Kozinski -- says this:

<T>he First Amendment protects a significant amount of verbal criticism and challenge directed at police officers." Hill, 482 U.S. at 461, 107 S.Ct. at 2509. The freedom of individuals to oppose or challenge police action verbally without thereby risking arrest is one important characteristic by which we distinguish ourselves from a police state. Id. at 462-63, 107 S.Ct. at 2510. Thus, while police, no less than anyone else, may resent having obscene words and gestures directed at them, they may not exercise the awesome power at their disposal to punish individuals for conduct that is not merely lawful, but protected by the First Amendment.

Inarticulate and crude as Duran's conduct may have been*, it represented an expression of disapproval toward a police officer with whom he had just had a run-in. As such, it fell squarely within the protective umbrella of the First Amendment and any action to punish or deter such speech--such as stopping or hassling the speaker--is categorically prohibited by the Constitution.

...

No less well established is the principle that government officials in general, and police officers in particular, may not exercise their authority for personal motives, particularly in response to real or perceived slights to their dignity. Surely anyone who takes an oath of office knows--or should know--that much.

Emphasis mine... case is Duran v. City of Douglas, 904 F.2d 1372, 1990


*Swearing - in two languages -- giving the officer the finger, etc....

[KansDem]

60. No--just make sure it's on the inside of the bumper...(nt)

[Uncle Joe]

62. Not for their husbands or wives. n/t

[Odin2005]

Against the law? No. Liable to get you harassed by said pigs? Yes.

[ismnotwasm]

63. Don't know

Some cops are assholes, some are lifesavers. Not a job I want, and I'll guarantee you no one else would want me doing it either.

However, I give my favorite "Fuck the Police" song by Dope. You could play it full up with the windows down maybe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMrnjh3PeT8

[La Lioness Priyanka]

64. FUCK POLICE BRUTALITY is a more targeted message and doesnt leave you open

to criticism of stereotyping

[La Lioness Priyanka]

66. i am most amused at how people are justifying your position by hoping that cops will attack you or

hurt you for it.

the level of stupidity is immense in this thread

[stray cat]

67. Of course not - just don't ever do anything that is illegal or need the police for anything

if you are 5 miles per hour over the speedlimit - that is illegal and you will get pulled over.

[stray cat]

68. Do you really want no police - I assume you are so trusting you leave keys in your car

and the door open to your house and valuables lying in the open. Hopefully you are right that all people are saints and will never do you harm.

[BlooInBloo]

69. Poking state-sponsored domestic terrorists probably isn't the most prudent idea.

[Stinky The Clown]

70. "Stupid" isn't against the law either.

Knock yourself out ....

[Gman]

72. Not a very smart thing to do

But don't take my word for it. You'll find out why for yourself shortly after you pull out of your driveway.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

73. Kinda like shouting "Fuck you and your mamas!" in a Hell's Angels bar.

[TexasObserver]

74. Not against the law, but they'll probably kill or maim you for it.

There is no group on the planet who are more driven by a need to have their ego stroked than American police officers. Conversely, no one will hurt you faster for stepping on their fragile ego.

It's legal, but they'll hurt you for it, and probably badly.

[pipoman]

77. When I get stopped

I always hope for a warning. Sometimes I get one sometimes I get a ticket....you will NEVER get a warning.

While you are at it why not put on one of these stickers too..



And be sure to wear one of these hats too..

[cherokeeprogressive]

78. Make sure you point it out to the first policeman/woman that you actually need for something. n/t

[ejpoeta]

79. i don't think it's illegal... but it'll sure get you more attention. i'll bet

if you change lanes without signaling you will more than likely get pulled over.

[seabeyond]

82. i know we dont like to "think about the kids", but geeeesh. isnt there some line?

i know i had to explain abortion to children at a way too young age when a sticker told my kids to not murder babies....

[Rabrrrrrr]

83. If you don't mind them telling you to fuck off when you need them

and promise that you will never, ever, ever expect anyone to follow the law again.

[bridgit]

89. Ding! There it is; it's all fun & games till the fun & games become tedious

[flvegan]

91. Once again, Rabrrrrrr has the correct response.

[Forkboy]

85. I hear you get one free with every "Taze me bro!" t-shirt.

[Joe the Revelator]

86. Your maturity knows no bounds.

[Poiuyt]

87. My nephew had a sticker that said: "Meter Maids Eat Their Young"

Funny, but probably not too wise. I don't think he ever had a parking ticket though.

[EndersDame]

88. I will bet every time you get pulled over you will have your car searched

[customerserviceguy]

93. No, but I wouldn't advise it

My son had a sticker that said, "Beer-Helping Ugly People Have Sex Since 1846!" on his car. I pointed out to his underaged ass that it would not have been helpful if that was the first thing a cop knew about him.

What's funny is that about five or ten percent of the vehicles in my area have some sort of Police Benevolet Society sticker on them, I think they really feel it will get them out of a ticket if they're driving poorly.

I personally know one woman whose brothers are cops, and she has plastic cards in her wallet to show this if she gets pulled over. I call it her "Get Out of Shit Free" card.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

94. Nope.

And all the people here claiming it's a bad idea are, perhaps unwittingly, admitting wide-spread police corruption.

[Catshrink]

98. No, but neither is being really stupid.

You can't fix stupid but you can avoid a lot of headache by not doing this. Why invite trouble? Use your energies more productively.