HA - HA!
Posted on 03/23/2005 10:17:56 PM PST by Former Military Chick
DENVER -- Voters in Estes Park, Colo., removed town trustee David Habecker from office Tuesday in a recall election that hinged on his refusal to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at town meetings.
Mr. Habecker, who lost by a vote of 903-605, said he is considering whether to pursue further legal action to overturn the recall outcome, arguing that the voters had infringed upon his First Amendment rights. A 12-year trustee and self-described agnostic, Mr. Habecker refused to stand for the Pledge because he objects to the words "under God," which he described as unconstitutional and "un-American."
"It was a conscientious objection on my part. To take a loyalty oath before the meeting starts -- that's not American," Mr. Habecker said. "This country was founded on religious tolerance. This wasn't religious tolerance."
His opponents, who organized as the Estes Park Citizens for Responsive Government last fall to push the recall, said the trustee's anti-Pledge stance showed that he was out of touch with his constituents.
"I think the voters understood that this was about representation," said town trustee Lori Jeffrey-Clark, whose husband, Richard Clark, helped lead the recall. "People just said, 'Wait a minute -- you're sitting on our board, and you don't represent us.' I think they just decided that his views aren't ours."
Mrs. Jeffrey-Clark said she was confident that the election results would stand up in the face of a lawsuit.
"The state statute on recalls doesn't even say you have to have a reason to recall someone," she said. "They could recall me because I'm short and squat. It's really up to the people."
At the same time, voters elected Richard Homeier, a local businessman and recall supporter, to replace Mr. Habecker.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Buh Bye, Habecker!
Thanks for the update!
In a word, "GOOD!"
Elective office is not subject to free-speech protection. The voters can dump you for any reason or none at all.
Learn it. Love it. Live it.
Thanks for the post and good news!
I won't stand for it either. On the other hand, I support all the other conservative views. But, how ridiculous that he doesn't recognize the right of the voters to not vote for him for that reason or any other.
It goes with hating the "under God" part. There are probably a few genuinely principled objectors to having "under God" in the Pledge, or who won't stand up during the Pledge because they don't believe in God. But most of these people who won't even stand, I think, simply hate the idea of taking any kind of pledge to the country -- of recognizing the nation's superiority to ANYTHING.
Such people should be drummed out of public life, utterly and completely, with hostility and as much publicity as possible. In political terms, they should be "terminated with extreme prejudice."
HA - HA!
I doubt that the pledge was the reason he got kicked out of office, or at least not the only one. People like that just love annoying other people and they do eventually get what's coming to them.
"We didn't toss you out of office just because you wouldn't say the pledge. We tossed you out because you're a f*ing idiot!"
Although I agree with the assertion of the deposed that it flies in the face of self-determination and liberty to insist that people do ANYTHING (Pledge of allegiance included), it was rather stupid on his part to make such a public spectacle of himself, thus opening the door for a recall.
In other words, he's perfectly entitled to believe (or in this case, not) whatever his little heart desires. Had he NOT made such a big deal of it, however, he likely would never have been voted back out of office.
YEA! YEA1 YEA!
SNOOPY DANCE! A WHOLE NIGHT AND DAY LONG OF SNOOPY DANCES!
YEA1 YEA! YEA!
To acknowledge "one nation under God" is to acknowledge that such is the belief of most Americans. It doesn't have to be his belief but he needs to show simple respect for others. Saying the pledge did him no harm. He is a narcissistic ***hole. Me me me me me me me. We don't have to change our culture because someone is "offended."
DUH! A government for the people and by the people.
If this guy thinks he has the right to over ride the peoples vote because he doesn't agree with their vote, then he doesn't belong in a government position in this country anyway.
Proud to know that the voters of Estes Park are part of "One Nation, under God.."
What an ignorant moron. The 1st Amendment says that the GOVERNMENT cannot deny free speech to citizens. It does not say that citizens must grant free speech to members of the government (even penny-ante town trustees).
Mr. Habecker blamed the "inflammatory" tone of the campaign for his defeat, saying his opponents portrayed him in ads and mailings as anti-American.
"They said I turned my back on the flag, that I'm not patriotic, that I didn't support the troops in Iraq, which is completely false," he said.
The debate began in May, when Mrs. Jeffrey-Clark proposed that the town board of trustees recite the Pledge before each meeting. Her proposal was approved, and trustees said the Pledge without incident for several months.
Then Mr. Habecker said he would no longer recite the oath, arguing that it infringed upon his rights to free speech and freedom of religion. Instead, he sat during the Pledge.
Mr. Clark and others began organizing a recall shortly thereafter, collecting enough signatures to put the proposal on the Feb. 15 ballot. Mr. Habecker sued, winning an injunction and a five-week delay while a federal judge considered the issue.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Good Post! Good to hear! Thanks FMC
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