Posted on 08/05/2004 4:41:52 AM PDT by joesnuffy
Thursday, August 5, 2004
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Trooper kicks pro-lifer out of state
Abortion images on truck barred, detainee called 'Jesus freak'
Posted: August 5, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
Two pro-life advocates have filed a federal lawsuit claiming one was berated as a "Jesus freak" and "extremist" and the other kicked out of Connecticut by state troopers because of their provocative anti-abortion signs.
After five days in Boston to demonstrate at the Democratic convention, Michael Marcavage and Dennis Green were driving a truck with panels that display large photographs of aborted children when they were pulled over by trooper David Febbraio as they approached Bridgeport, Conn., July 29.
According to Green, the officer said the vehicle could not go any further in the state until the messages were removed from the truck.
Green, citing his First Amendment rights, insisted the truck would remain as it was.
According to the two men, the trooper, Febbraio, informed Green "people should have the freedom not to look at this."
The officer, said Green, began to "fish" for reasons to charge him, contending the men weren't wearing seat belts. But Green contends they were in compliance. Another officer arrived on the scene, Green said, and also began to verbally attack him about the messages and images on the vehicle.
The truck is used by Green's Virginia-based pro-life Christian group, Life and Liberty Ministries, to "communicate the truth" about abortion.
Marcavage, while attempting to videotape the discussion, was placed under arrest. Green was escorted by another state trooper to the New York state line and instructed not to return to Connecticut, the men said.
Marcavage claims while in custody he was berated continually by Febbaraio as a "Jesus-freak," a "wing-nut," "brainwashed" and an "extremist."
The two men are represented by the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy.
One year ago, Febbraio was arrested and charged with eight counts of harassment of a disabled state police dispatcher he referred to as "Gimpy," the AFA notes. One allegations stated Febbraio, using the home address of the dispatcher, subscribed to magazines such as Playboy and CosmoGirl!.
Febbraio described the harassment as a practical joke, according to the Hartford Courant.
"It appears that Connecticut has taken a page from Wyatt Earp's playbook," said Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the CLP. "This is a picture perfect example of how to mishandle First Amendment issues."
Michael J. DePrimo, senior litigation counsel for the CLP, said his group has demanded an internal affairs investigation of the incident.
Where's the ACLU? Those "warriors for Civil Rights - especially the freedom of speech/self expression......
Oh - That's right, they are even MORE in favor of the very NON-Constitutional "right" to abortion....
I don't think that state troopers have the authority to make the call. A question about the first amendment might be made by the state's attorney general but not a couple of knuckle headed troopers.
Escorting someone to the state's border is really a questionable call. From where does that authority come?
JBT ping.
This should be one heck of a law suit. These RAT b*st*rds can dish it out, but they sure can't take it.
What could be worse than a liberal with a badge and a gun?
SO9
I got a star on my car and one on my chest
A gun on my hips and the right to arrest
I'm the guy who's the boss on this highway
So watch out what you're doin' when you're drivin' my way
If you break the law, you'll hear from me, I know
I'm a-workin' for the state
I'm The Highway Patrol.
Well, you'll know me when you see me, 'cause my door's painted white
My siren a-screamin' and my flashin' red lights
I work all day and I work all night
Just a-keepin' law and order, tryin' to do what's right
If I write you out a ticket, then you'd better drive slow
I'm just a-doin' my job, I'm The Highway Patrol.
REFRAIN
I'm The Highway Patrol, The Highway Patrol
My hours are long and my pay is low
But I'll do my best to keep you drivin' slow
I'm just a-doin' my job
I'm The Highway Patrol.
If you're drivin' too fast like you shouldn't do
You can bet your boots I'm comin' after you
If you wanna race, then get on a race track
'Cause when you try to run away, I'm gonna bring you back
I'm here to keep all the speeder's drivin' slow
I'm just a-doin' my job, I'm The Highway Patrol.
I'm sure they zealously guart CT from "illegal" firearms as well. I doubt they'll have problems with conducting anti-firearms checkpoints, when the day comes.
That part was certainly inappropriate. But how many of the people here who are howling about it would be upset if my hypothetical anti-war activists had been wearing pagan pentagrams and been called "devil worshippers" by police as they and and their truck were escorted to the state border? The officers should get a reprimand in their files for the anti-Christian mouthing off, and more severe action if they repeat a similar offense. But getting the offensive truck off the state's roads was a reasonable measure to uphold community standards.
State and local governments are within their rights to enforce basic community standards for public behavior. If they see a man walking down the street rubbing himself in an obscene manner in front of young girls, they don't need to let him keep on doing it until he's been tried and convicted by a jury. They can haul him in on the spot and let him plead his right to "express himself" in court at a later date. Same deal with these out of state activists.
*sound of crickets*
I rather suspect that there are existing LAWS being broken in that case. What would be the charge in this one?
My views of this issue (abortion) notwithstanding. I feel it was very much within these troopers duty to act as they did (except for the verbal issue). This vehicle was displaying scenes which are VERY distracting, if not downright discusting, and therefore are a traffic hazard.
No matter what your views on abortion are, you don't have the right to cause others to die in traffic accidents to further your views.
The abortion issue has always, and probably always will, create heated, even violent reponses from both sides.
What is wrong with asking these people to cover their signs while on a public road to eliminate the possibility of creating a trafic accident? The men driving the truck sound like they felt their rights to do as the pleased superceded the right of the rest of us NOT to be endangered by their causing a dangerous situation on the road.
I for one feel the troopers were doing their duty by asking the signs be removed. The troopers stepped over that line when the verbal issues arose, but we all know that people who actively demonstrate for a cause they feel strongly about are often confrontational in their attitudde towards ANYONE who disagrees with them.
Uh, oh now you've stepped in it. No common sense about traffic safety should be allowed on this thread either.
I don't know all the details of Connecticut law, and this would likely be a common law, rather than a statutory law issue. A lot of states' courts have drawn the line on various displays which are deemed offensive under community standards, especially when the displays are in locations that can't be reasonably avoided by people going about their business.
It appears that these Connecticut state troopers are rogue cops. I hope that Christian legal advocacy groups such as the American Center for Law and Justice get a big settlement from the state of Connecticut, as well as from the anti-Christian, pro-abortion bigots with badges and guns.
In Newark, NJ, Fr. Peter West of Priests for Life, was thrown out of a Catholic School (St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral) and down the stairs by a mob of Police, democrat operatives and union thugs with over 100 municipal and county police officers witnessing the crime and nothing was done. This happened after the 2001 Newark St. Patrick's Day Parade, sponsored by the Catholic Ancient Order of Hibernians, where the Grand Marshall, Catholic Democrat James E. McGreevey (100% pro-abortion record as State Senator) was campaigning for Governor. Seems handing Mr. McGreevey a copy of "Living the Gospel of Life" was cause for Fr. Peter to be assaulted and thrown down the stairs? This was a booklet written by the USCCB, bishops, with no offensive pictures, just words.
We have rights so long as we don't bother democrats. Protest the war, fine, protest the NRA, fine, but just don't protest the Demons otherwise the Clinton Death Squad will come after you.
Was the patriot act passed in order to investigate terrorists or patriots? Just wondering. Don't take out those library books.
Connecticut/Abortion/Legal Issues--I've pinged the foremost expert on FR boards.
I suspect he will have an opinion, particularly on the topic of Ct. LEO's...
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