Kyras

^ I didn't think that was something you could get in trouble for. What happened? Were you fined?

mikegarrison

This came up in the Seattle area a few years ago:

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly...or_flipping.php

mns2k

I think you missed one option in you poll. How about one when you are "out with the guys". Golf, fishing, racing, etc. Lots of "bombs" dropped that would not be said in mixed company.

timdonna1

What do you consider 'public'?

vader1

The officer was not serious. He was also a giant dink the whole time. I got an attorney, refused to "plea bargin" and just pay a fine to make it go away and when the officer was sent a discovery request for his notes, his video of his interaction with me and all of the other things he refused to respond and the prosecuter had no choice but to drop the charge.

My wife used to be a prosecuter and she said cops charge people with this kind of thing all the time because they think people are too dumb to know the first amendment and will just pay a fine.

After it was dismissed I filed for expungement, which the officer can object to and again he did not respond. When the expungment went into effect I filed a misconduct complaint against the officer. Then I told the patrol they would reimburse my expenses or go to court. We have a quickie resolution process the state uses to make small payout and avoid court, and I am waiting to hear their decision even though we have a state supreme court ruling back in 1983 that says use of the bird is protected free speech.

I have sent a preliminary request to the ACLU to see if they have interest in pursuing the matter, and also have found an attorney who will take the case on a contingency basis. The ACLU just won a similar case in Pittsburgh for a guy named David Hackbart and the city paid $50k. $40k to the lawyers and $10k to the plaintiff.

Even though the experience made for a HORRIBLE six months, I don't care to make money off the deal. I want to get my attoneys fee of a measly $600 bucks back plus anoth $600 or so for my time off work for 6 court appearances and travel back. Getting my out of pocket and making a point that they should never do this again to any citizen of the state are my goals. If that takes a big brewhaha then fine. Have a giant mega lawsuit and let the lawyers take all the money.

If it gets expensive the Patrol will make sure it does not happen again. But right now, Troopers are pretty autonomous with little supervision. They write tickets and follow up or don't at their leisure so they have the ability to just be a dink and charge someone with a crime and walk away, and face no scrutiny. I'd like to change that.

mikegarrison

Good luck with that. If we don't fight for our freedom of speech, we might as well not have it.

vader1

Thanks. I am not a big fan of people like Larry Flynt or Luther Cambell or anything like that, but its guys like that that take a lot of slings and arrows in their fights so that this kind of stuff does not have to happen to the average guy. It makes you look at their cases in a little different light when it kind of happens to you.

Kyras

[QUOTE=vader1,Apr 13 2010, 11:08 AM]The officer was not serious.

paS2K

interesting question. IMO, "public" is anytime that there are others within earshot.

in your example, a group clustered to putt into the 18th hole would be "private"

....but sitting at the bar on the 19th hole would be "public"

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Wow...interesting to hear all of the opinions

Lainey

I'm not sure that education is that much of a factor here. Highly intelligent people let the F bomb slip from time to time. I think it's more rude vs polite, IF you use curse words,( and you are polite) you should be certain no one in your company (or in earshot) would be offended if they heard the curse words. If you are rude, you don't care.

I've worked with all men for 24+ years. Yes, I use curse words. Generally joking around, and occasionally in anger. I usually regret the ones uttered in anger.

I also do not appreciate overhearing the conversations of young people, peppered with curse words. I have no issue at all in "calling them" on their language if my grandchildren or other little folks are around. Most of them are likely using curse words to be part of the "in crowd."

PS Anyone who hammers their own thumb gets one free pass.