Man Jailed For Bush Remark

CNEWS ^ | December 6, 2002 | December 6, 2002

[Reaganwuzthebest]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- A man who made a remark about a "burning Bush" during the president's March 2001 trip to Sioux Falls was sentenced Friday to 37 months in prison.

Richard Humphreys of Portland, Ore., was convicted in September of threatening to kill or harm the president and said he plans to appeal. He has said the comment was a prophecy protected under his right to free speech.

Humphreys said he got into a barroom discussion in nearby Watertown with a truck driver. A bartender who overheard the conversation realized the president was to visit Sioux Falls the next day and told police Humphreys talked about a "burning Bush" and the possibility of someone pouring a flammable liquid on Bush and lighting it.

"I said God might speak to the world through a burning Bush," Humphreys testified during his trial. "I had said that before and I thought it was funny."

[Reaganwuzthebest]

After watching the video I didn't get the impression Humphreys was nuts, but just acting. I think they were looking for a reason to throw the book at him because of his past problems.

The statement by itself doesn't convince me he threatened Bush, but the jury saw all the evidence and convicted him so it's not like he didn't get a fair trial.

[45semi]

[RnMomof7]

Yea..I just do not want us complicant on this..If the freedom to speak is lost all the other freedoms are worthless...and between the PC movement and the US SSI it is shrinking

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Reminds me of days of olde... Say anything bad about the King and off flew your head. Now we have annointed the office of the presidency with nearly the same protection. Some of these people would sell our freedoms, one at a time, step by step until we have freedom no more.

Is being able to verbally threaten a POTUS with death a "freedom" that's important to you?

I think it's still legal to say you don't like his haircut, or disagree with him politically, by the way. (Don't worry about your head flying off for that.)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

The statement by itself doesn't convince me he threatened Bush, but the jury saw all the evidence and convicted him so it's not like he didn't get a fair trial.

Exactly. I doubt that a group of ordinary citizens would be so eager to convict someone for making a benign comment over a beer.

(That said, I would like to hear what they heard.)

[swarthyguy]

THat's it? Burning Bush? three years? For bar-room rants?

Hail King George!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

BOO! Be afraid. Be very afraid. (You guys...good grief, a jury convicted him - President Bush didn't. Don't you think there might be something to this?)

[RnMomof7]

THat's it? Burning Bush? three years? For bar-room rants? Hail King George!

We have been properly warned..do not use a OT biblical phrase when speaking of the President ...it offends him..

[swarthyguy]

Nothing compared to the daily preachings in mosques around this country.

Why aren't the mullahs and imams busted?

[RichInOC]

No, he shouldn't get three years in the can for threatening the president. It is unfortunate, however, that he can't be flogged for making that stupid pun. Yeah, yeah..."burning Bush"...that was a real kneeslapper. And even then, very original, I'm sure.

[wcbtinman]

I don't think that the guy should have been prosecuted for this.

The patrons of the bar should have taken him out back and "adjusted" his attitude. I think that would have been far more effective than sending him to CU.(Criminal University)And, a lot less expensive for the taxpayers.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Well, I haven't been in a mosque lately, so I can't speak to what's going on there. Do you have an exact quote you'd care to share with me?

So let me ask you. A guy walks into a bar (ba DUM bum) and makes what appears to be - and what a jury was apparently convinced beyond a reasonable doubt was - a threat on the life of a POTUS who was going to be in town the next day. Doesn't bother you. You are offended that he is convicted. You blame President Bush, calling him "King George".

Someone says something similar in a mosque - and you think the result should be...what? What do you think should happen to someone practicing Islam who threatens to kill the POTUS?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

No, he shouldn't get three years in the can for threatening the president. It is unfortunate, however, that he can't be flogged for making that stupid pun.

LOL! Yeah, it was pretty bad, huh? : ) (Gee, I think Al Gore said something similar during the campaign, now that I reflect on that...)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

The dreaded x. Sorry. Here it is:

[swarthyguy]

All Hail King George!

Go to a mosque and hear the rantings in arabic.

Has any mosque been called to task? No.

"Kill the unbelievers" -- "Live among them but don't take them for friends" --

[swarthyguy]

The entrails of the unbelievers must be ripped out and they must be left to die slowly......

Real quotes happening all the time in America.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Is that an answer to my question?

[swarthyguy]

You dont like the quotes?

[swarthyguy]

>>Well, I haven't been in a mosque lately, so I can't speak to what's going on there.

Try it sometimes instead of assuming you know what's being said in the American mosques.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

If the freedom to speak is lost all the other freedoms are worthless...and between the PC movement and the US SSI it is shrinking

Not jerking your chain here - just asking. What is it that you want to be able to do or say that you are not free to do or say? Is the ability to publicly threaten the life of a POTUS without consequence important to you? That's what I'm trying to understand.