Posted on 01/23/2009 3:21:54 PM PST by BBell
Yesterday the ACLU of Louisiana enrolled in a lawsuit filed by Johnny Duncan, aka "Johnny UnBlackWorthy," a veteran and resident of Amite who was detained by police because they objected to a sign on his car reading "You Might be a Nigger!." Mr. Duncan, himself an African-American, is the author of a book of political and social commentary entitled "You Might be a Nigger!," and the sign on his car was to advertise the book.
Mr. Duncan was detained outside of an Amite restaurant, where the police told him that the sign on his car was "obscene." When he refused to remove the sign from his car, the officers followed him, detained him by the side of the road for an hour, and issued a ticket under Louisiana's obscenity law. Ultimately the charges under the ticket were rightly dismissed, because nothing on the sign qualifies under the definition of "obscene."
"Johnny Duncan has the clear right to advertise his book, and to use a title for the book that may offend some but that is in no way obscene or illegal," said Marjorie R. Esman, Executive Director of the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana. "The facts of this case show that Mr. Duncan was detained for no reason other than that the police in Amite didn't like what he had to say. The First Amendment to our Constitution does not permit law enforcement to detain someone simply because the officers don't like what that person has to say."
ACLU Legal Director Katie Schwartzmann and cooperating attorney Ron Wilson have entered this case to represent Mr. Duncan. The suit, entitled "Johnny Duncan v. City of Amite, et al," is pending at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Maybe "Johnny UnBlackWorthy" wants to start a new trend along the lines of Jeff Foxworthy.
Uh, the “N”-word isn’t an obscenity, it’s a vulgarity.
But it’s OK if you’re black.
If you’re white and you use that word — you’re a racist. But if you’re black.....
Of course anyone call whites rednecks, crackers, devils, etc. Neither is ok in my opinion.
I’m using this story as evidence in my upcoming suit against “The Cracker Barrel”.
I’m using this story as evidence in my upcoming suit against “The Cracker Barrel”.
Maybe... just maybe Mr. Duncan was at The Cracker Barrrel.
LMAO over here.
I simply do not see the “N word” as being an unpardonable sin. Sure, it could be considered derogatory, but it certainly doesn’t rise to the level of illegal,or threat. It is only a slang word of the language. Just my opinion, ..
Well, I always considered one. Worked for “the man” many years.
We’re all slaves to the tax system, and the “get a raise/prices go up” system. Most people just don’t realize that ours is a different form of slavery.
You left out white trash.
Unless you’re looking for a legal battle or publicity, which in this case the guy is going to get, it’s not worth it. Just cooperate with the cop for a few minutes. When he’s gone, put the sign back on the car.
Thanks for posting this. It was actually a very funny story.
He may have even planed it.
Johnny Duncan has the clear right to advertise his book, and to use a title for the book that may offend some but that is in no way obscene or illegal,” said Marjorie R. Esman, Executive Director of the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana.
Really ? And what if little Johnny had been a white man ? Would the ACLU have expressed this same sentiment i wonder ?
Let me know how it turns out. If it’s a class action lawsuit I want in!
Maybe he should change his slogan to "You might be the descendant of a slave!" Then that conjures up good feelings of sugar plums and reparations.
If he were white the ACLU would not even return his phone calls.
To who? That's what black people call themselves and each other.
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