Posted on 03/20/2008 9:35:47 AM PDT by swampdweller
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The owner of a home vandalized with a spray-painted racial slur was cited for assault Wednesday after police said he pushed a city worker who was removing the graffiti.
A 43-year-old graffiti abatement worker was trying to get rid of the bright red paint on the home's white garage doors when Broderick Gamble interfered. An officer stationed nearby saw Gamble assault the woman, said Lt. Blake Miller, a spokesman for Arlington police.
Gamble was accused of assault by bodily contact, police said. He faces a $500 fine. Gamble disputed the account, telling Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT, "actually they touched me." Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Gamble by telephone were unsuccessful.
Code enforcement workers had a warrant signed by a judge to remove the offensive words from the home, Miller said.
City officials sought to get rid of the graffiti by filing a lawsuit earlier this month against Gamble and Etha Kay "Silk" Littlejohn, the black homeowners. Since Gamble and Littlejohn did not file an appeal, the city was allowed to remove the graffiti, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on its online edition.
The graffiti was spray painted on the couple's house in late December, days after a white neighbor allegedly struck Littlejohn in the head with a 2-by-4.
The couple rejected some of their neighbors' requests and the city's offer to remove the racist graffiti. Gamble said he wanted people to see the stark symbol of hatred.
Earlier this year, KSKY radio host Mike Gallagher and his wife pledged $500 and then raised nearly $4,000 to replace the graffiti-covered garage doors. Although Gamble picked up the new doors, they were not installed, the station has said.
The couple said they placed a tarp over the racial slurs. But city officials said an ordinance required them to remove, not just cover, the graffiti, The Dallas Morning News reported on its online edition Wednesday.
"Our patience has run out," Mayor Robert Cluck said. "We have every right to do what we've done this morning. We gave them every opportunity to abate the graffiti."
Police haven't found who spray painted the words "Kill." "Die (N-word)." The case remains open, Miller said.
Grace Head was charged for the attack on Littlejohn and faces aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief charges. Both were filed as hate crimes.
It’s obvious that this jerk off has a very big chip on his shoulder. Maybe he deserved a beating with a 2X4.
So, Mr. Gamble, by insisting the graffiti get left up there, does that mean you agree it presents a good description of who you are?
Sadly, I can say from experience that this is true. A lot of cities down here have smoking bans. A couple of years ago my hometown came up with a scheme to inspect all rental properties (and some homes that were not rental properties)...for the sake of the tenants, of course, not as a fishing expedition or anything. The same home town also prohibited alcohol sales until just a few years ago. I could go on and on.
There are good things about the state, to be sure. But it's not the bastion of freedom that some people make it out to be.
It’s obvious that this jerk off has a very big chip on his shoulder. Maybe he deserved a beating with a 2X4.
Just because something is Constitutionally permissible doesn't mean it is an appropriate activity for state and local governments.
For example, "public" smoking bans, subsidies for the arts, meaningless resolutions against the Iraq war, etc. The Federal Constitution doesn't prohibit these things, and going to a Federal court may not be the right way to stop them, but I think most of us would agree those are not appropriate government activities. Even if it's coming from a local government.
“Our patience has run out,” Mayor Robert Cluck said. “We have every right to do what we’ve done this morning.”
Questionable hate crime and major scumbag for hitting a woman aside, the above thinking of the mayor is one of the main problems with politicians big and small in this country.
Some people consider any touch a “push”. And sometimes people on the public pay will push first and say something else in a report.
I don’t advocate assaulting city workers doing their job.
This was something on private property and was covered. Heck if your homeowner policy insurer wanted to SEE it first, you’d have to leave it up.
People can burn the flag under the protection of free speech. So why is this abhorrent free speech any different. Burning the flag insults my heritage just as much.
>>They are attempting to milk the victim-thing for everything it’s worth. If you saw the newscast it would make you want to earp.<<
I think its even possible they did it themselves.
But, I don’t government should be forcibly repainting to cover offensive speech.
Well put.
Now wait a minute. The article said nothing about him “attacking: the woman. For all we know he inserted himself between her and his doors and she screamed abuse. Like THAT has never happened before. Like the cops and government never abuse their authority.
Are we conservatives and libertarians hers? What would YOU do if a government employee showed up and started messing with your garage door?
If someone wrote “die whitey” on my garage I might just have the exact same reaction this guys did.
Ding ding ding!
Thanks. I was starting to get worried.
Good man.
My turn.
Gamble was accused of assault by bodily contact, police said. He faces a $500 fine. Gamble disputed the account, telling Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT, "actually they touched me." Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Gamble by telephone were unsuccessful.
You'll forgive me if I doubt that he turned around and slugged her or threw her into a parked car. I'd wager he came out and asked what the hell she was doing and got pissed when she would not stop and tried to move between her and the door or grab th paint or whatever. Maybe not smart but not "assault". You mean to tell me after being here at FR and reading the PC manipulation of language and intent you cannot see that "assault" is possibly a tad over the top for what he did?
Do we know exactly what he did to her? Do you not think if you saw someone messing with your property you would not be a tad irate?
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