Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Oh yeah?

The censorship nazis are at it again. This time, a 27 year veteran of the Iowa State Patrol has just been suspended for 30 days over an e-mail that he sent while off-duty and at home. According to KTEV:
OMAHA, Neb. -- An Iowa State trooper who was investigated after it was shown that he forwarded an e-mail showing mug shots of people wearing Obama t-shirts has been suspended for 30 days.

Sgt. Rodney Hicok was at home and off-duty when he forwarded the e-mails, said an official with the Iowa Department of Public Safety Bureau and Professional Standards.

The e-mail made disparaging remarks about 15 people in the photos and referred to Obama as having "quite a fan base."

Hicok was not making a racial statement, the official said, but, rather, a political statement.

In a statement, Hicok said, "I am deeply sorry for my actions … I apologize to anyone this e-mail may have offended, as well as my family, citizens in my community and Iowa taxpayers."

Hicok ended his statement by saying he guaranteed "nothing like this will ever happen again."

"I regret what happened and wish I could take it back," Hicok said in the statement.

He violated the department's policy and his permanent file will reflect the suspension, the official said.

The 27-year veteran, who has no prior offense on his record, will also attend DPS training on policies and procedures.
OK, I've seen the e-mail. It was just a compilation of mug shots put together by The Smoking Gun and it isn't graphic, racist, sexist or otherwise insulting to any group of people...except that group that voted for Obama, obviously. You can go to the link, or you can see it here. It's nothing but an amusing observation about criminals and their apparent presidential choice. Click on the picture to enlarge it and you'll note that every one of these arrestees is wearing an Obama shirt. Surprised? I don't think that anyone really is. Everyone knows that criminals prefer the party that promises to give them something for nothing in exchange for a vote, and that's why Dems court the felon and incarcerated prisoner populations every election season. Frankly, this has circulated for a few weeks now and I really didn't find it worthy of passing along...until now, that is.

Suspending a veteran trooper for a month just for forwarding this from his home computer on his own time? That's outrageous. So Sgt. Hicok, Lagniappe and I have your back on this one. I'LL forward it via this blog, and if you're department has a problem with that, well they can send someone clear out here to kiss my ass. They can't suspend me now, can they? Heck, they can't even force me to write out a humiliating statement of public apology like they did you. And I don't see anything to apologize for. The photos are actual mug shots--public records--and the fact that they're all wearing Obama shirts is just that...a fact. The Democrats court these people. Why is it somehow wrong to point out the obvious?

Well what's wrong is punishing a man for something that he did on his own time as an individual. Political speech is deserving of the highest level of protection per our founding fathers and 200+ years of case law, and that applies to every citizen, including those who work as police officers, and when any citizen's political speech is suppressed or punished, we as a nation need to stand in support of that person. But because this one is a police officer, he's got my support just as a matter of principle. Mess with one of us, mess with all of us. And thanks to this blatant violation of a good man's First Amendment rights, I'm betting that this collection of Obama supporter mug shots is going to get a lot more visibility than it ever would have otherwise.

If you agree, spread this around please.

14 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:29 PM

    Very chilling!

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  2. Anonymous10:05 PM

    So just because he's a policeman means he doesn't have the right to send a funny email? Bullcrap. I voted Obama and that's still crap.

    As to the email itself, compare those criminals with the ones on Wallstreet and in Enron and Halliburton. Who did they vote for? They may not be wearing the Bush/Cheney or McPalin tshirts under their suits but you can be damn sure they also voted for the person handing out free money to their economic class. So to that email, hypocrisy and bullcrap says I. Everyone votes for who they think will benefit them. Welcome to capitalism, whiners. And while these punks were probably arrested for petty crap like shoplifting or smoking weed, at least they weren't starting wars for profit or destroying the entire American economic system (and by extension, way of life).

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  3. Anonymous10:41 PM

    This is a BLATANT violation of this career Trooper's civil rights!

    Something IS rotten in Iowa.

    Can it be that the administration of a state organization has been infiltrated by socialists? Hope you chicken-shit bastards earned some good brownie points at the expense of this fine LEO and his Family.

    I will pass the word that anyone looking for a career trooper position should try ANY OTHER state.

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  4. My Dad was a career Michigan State Trooper (now retired). I remember one year my Mom put up a yard sign for a candidate in a school board election, and Dad made her take it down because he could get fired for having political signs in his yard. I always assumed it had to do with maintaining the impression of impartiality (or some such) for MSP.

    So, this sort of thing has been going on for years. At some level I agree with it - I want police officers to be "above the fray". But this incident seems to be an overreaction to something pretty petty. It's certainly mild compared to bulletin board material I have seen at the different Posts my Dad worked at! (Cop humor is unique, certainly!)

    I have to ask the folks disciplining this officer: Why does the anointed one, the messiah, the greatest president ever, need the likes of you peons to protect his aura? Isn't he omnipotent and wise enough to take this poor little LEO out himself, without your help?

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  5. Yeah, the rest of us officers here in IA are pretty pissed as well that he was punished over this. We all thought it was funny. But apparently somebody didn't - must have been a damn Obama supporter.

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  6. that is a huge stinking load of crap......talk about losing ones rights

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  7. Anonymous3:55 PM

    Truly pathetic. People could say what they wanted about Bush and no one jumped up and down. Anyone makes any references to Obama that are or might be constured in any negative way and chaos ensues.
    He's not even in office for one month yet, and we see the real "change" happening before our eyes. This is going to be a Loooong 4 years. You may want to hide that cute poster pic of Lagniappe lest you should be taken away in the middle of the night for your "opposing views". What was that before..."you are either with me or against me"...well looks like the new Obama philosophy if you are either with me or I will squash you and your opinions like a bug until you submit.

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  8. I have my own concerns about such a subject.

    http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9821639&nav=menu1362_2

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  9. If I was that trooper , I would be majorly filing a grievance and fighting this one. And it would be a cold day at the equator before I would apologize.

    Add another day or two for not apologizing and I'll fight that too.

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  10. The letter of apology should have said "I am deeply sorry my administrative staff are a bunch of ignorant assholes..."

    What a load.

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  11. Anonymous9:00 PM

    So much for hope and change

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  12. I think the State Patrol needs a better union...

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  13. Anonymous7:28 PM

    You don't know nuthin yet. Fast forward for 4 years and you will not know this country. It is fast sliding down a slippery slope and there is no return. God help the USA.

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