Police exceeding their powers?
We read:
"No charges were filed Sunday, but police told the woman she must take down the handwritten sign on a fence on her property saying, "I rent three bedrooms [at her address to] white people Niagara Falls."
The 53-year-old woman told police she put up the sign after someone tried to break into her house and added, "I can do what I want. I live in America," according to a police report.
Police said they received complaints and she must take the sign down. An officer at the scene said the woman agreed to take down the sign under protest. The officer said the woman already had seven more signs she was planning to hang up.
Source
What might she be charged with that they could direct her as they did? Dare I mention "free speech"?
13 comments:
Some people are clueless, why not put up a sign that says "please vandalize my home?" That's exactly what will happen when certain fanatics see her sign. If she puts "room for rent," it's her prerogative whom she rents the property to. Car dealers play the same trick, "all applications will be accepted," they advertise, true, anyone is welcome to apply but only certain people will get the credit.
I'm trying to rent my apartment as well, I don't care what race my future tenants are as long as they have good credit, good references and aren't going to trash my place.
Why would she assume that a white tenant is better than a colored tenant? My family had a white tenant than broke the furniture, another white tenant stole an appliance. If you rent to a college student, you're better off with one of those asians that study all the time than with some college fratboy that throws parties and trashes the place.
I guess the woman is old school, she probably remembers when the New York Times had classifieds with "No Irish need apply," back then prejudice was celebrated.
Bobbu,
What fascist bone in your body wants this woman to NOT put up a "please vandalize my home?"
And what racist bone in your body automatically assumes that those who disagree with her or are offended by her are also violent and prone to illegal activities?
Who the hell is making "prejudiced" statements now?
A society's commitment to Free Speech is not tested by popular, pleasant speech. It is tested by the most vile, hateful, disruptive speech. To assume the outcome of the other side is criminal mischief is NOT an argument against such speech!
The police can/would charge her with Disorderly Conduct. (distrubing the peace) They could also charge her with possibily inciting people to violence, cause crowds to gather, violating the Federal Fair Housing Act, violating the Federal Segregation laws, racial discrimination, etc. Some brain-dead liberal judge might even call it hate speech! No, this is no longer a free country, (only total fools or liberals think it is) and this poor woman obviously doesn't realize that.
The police can/would charge her with Disorderly Conduct. (distrubing the peace)
No, they couldn't. The peace was not disturbed. The police can only charge on what happen - not what MIGHT happen.
They could also charge her with possibily inciting people to violence,
Inciting to violence must be just that - an act or words designed to cause people to create violence. Do you see anything in her sign that asks people to be violent?
cause crowds to gather,
That would be "the right to assemble." Even so, that would be on the crowd, and not the woman.
violating the Federal Fair Housing Act, violating the Federal Segregation laws, racial discrimination, etc.
Only one problem here. The laws that you discuss are civil and not criminal laws. The police have no jurisdiction in their administration. Furthermore, the local police have absolutely no jurisdiction in the administration of the Federal Fair Housing Laws.
Last but not least, where in the article does it say that the woman was renting rooms or apartments?
That is the SIGN she hung up, but here is a woman that may be single, is getting up in years, and had recently had her home broken into. Could it be that the sign was not one of renting a property, but rather one of "I have other people living in my house?"
The police probably should have talked to her in response to the complaints. Demanding that she remove the signs is a completely different issue.
"What fascist bone in your body wants this woman to NOT put up a "please vandalize my home?""
---People who call attention to themselves often get into trouble.
"And what racist bone in your body automatically assumes that those who disagree with her or are offended by her are also violent and prone to illegal activities?"
---Because sometimes when blacks get pissed off they commit acts of violence. That's why I don't utter the n word in front of them. This is common sense.
"Who the hell is making "prejudiced" statements now?"
---Telling the truth is not prejudice.
"A society's commitment to Free Speech is not tested by popular, pleasant speech. It is tested by the most vile, hateful, disruptive speech."
---Tell that to the moralists that want to ban porn on the internet. One man's free speech is someone else obscenity. Anyway, I'm not against free speech, I love free speech and I hope nothing happens to that woman. But, I also know that if I put a bumpersticker in my car that someone doesn't like, I might get my car vandalized.
Look, whether it's jews that wear a star, extremely flamboyant gays, or hispanics that speak Spanish outside of hispanic areas, I don't think it's a good idea to draw attention to yourself. There's just too many bigots out there.
"To assume the outcome of the other side is criminal mischief is NOT an argument against such speech!"
---Nobody's arguing against her right to free speech. I'm just saying that this woman is asking for trouble. You saw what they did to Joe the Plumber, how for asking a benign question the state government investigated him. Now maybe the feds won't do anything to her, but if her home gets vandalized, do you think the cops will work real hard at finding the vandals? And do you think a jury in New York will convict them? You saw what happened with the Jenna 6.
I'm just saying if you're gonna engage in free speech, make sure you do it in a way that doesn't get you hurt. Like graffiti, online postings, letters to the editor with a pseudonym, etc. That's just common sense.
Maybe it would be fun to hang a sign like that and then sit inside with a very large caliber weapon. Then use it if necessary.
Bobbu:
Those who would sacrifice freedom for temporary security deserve neither. - Ben Franklin
I hope you enjoy your life as "a nonentity trying to preserve the anonymity he so richly deserves" - Dickinson, 1776, the Musical.
"Those who would sacrifice freedom for temporary security deserve neither. - Ben Franklin "
---I agree. But are you willing to live with the consequences of your actions? Are you willing to get fired because you played "Barrack the magic negro" at work? Are you willing to get beat up because you wore a controversial shirt?
I love anti-Obama bumperstickers and t-shirts, but I have a mortage to pay! And in this crappy economy where good people are getting downsized (as I was) you think I can afford to piss off my future coworkers just because I hate Obama?
Freedom is great, but what happens when you lose your job and nobody will hire you because you're a lose cannon? What happens when you can't pay your bills?
Freedom is like nudity, make sure you do it where others don't mind seeing you naked. LOL.
I love anti-Obama bumperstickers and t-shirts, but I have a mortage to pay! And in this crappy economy where good people are getting downsized (as I was) you think I can afford to piss off my future coworkers just because I hate Obama?
TRANSLATION: I love speaking out anonymously and letting others take the brunt of those who attempt to silence them. As long as they don't come for me, that is what matters. As long as they don't know who I am, I can be safe and secure in the knowledge that other people can be bullied, harrassed, threatened and beat up.
*I* am safe and secure behind the anonyimity of my computer, and that is all that matters.
"I love speaking out anonymously and letting others take the brunt of those who attempt to silence them."
---Not everyone needs to be in front of a camera, there's a lot of good work you can do behind the scenes. Ask any NRA member, 90% of them do a great job writing their congressman, sometimes the NRA already sends them postcards and all they have to do is sign their names.
"*I* am safe and secure behind the anonyimity of my computer, and that is all that matters."
---Becoming a martyr is not much fun.
---Not everyone needs to be in front of a camera, there's a lot of good work you can do behind the scenes. Ask any NRA member, 90% of them do a great job writing their congressman, sometimes the NRA already sends them postcards and all they have to do is sign their names.
This is not about "being in front of a camera." This is about sticking up for what one thinks and believes.
If you get a card from the NRA, I would guess that you fake a name becasue you don't want anyone to know that you believe what the NRA believes.
Becoming a martyr is not much fun.
Neither is being a coward in allowing others to take the point on issues and instead hiding behind their works and their coatails.
"This is about sticking up for what one thinks and believes."
---I did that in my youth, and for what? You tell people what you think, you lose friends, your coworkers turn against you, you might not even get hired for a job. It's just like the red scare in the 50s, but now it's people on the right that are being persecuted.
"If you get a card from the NRA, I would guess that you fake a name"
---Not true, I have my real name. I don't pay for my membership in cash and the NRA doesn't let you know without doing a background check, you can't do that with a fake name.
"Neither is being a coward in allowing others to take the point on issues and instead hiding behind their works and their coatails."
---Ok, you tell me what to do. Say a coworker has a poster of Barack Obama in his cubicle? How do I respond? Do I put one of George W. Bush? Do I complain to HR?
Here's another example, say a co-worker e-mails the entire office with some anti-conservative humor, what do I do? Do I e-mail an anti-Obama cartoon?
Just so you know, my line of work is dominated by Obama lovers. Even when your muy supervisor has a republican, he keeps his views to himself.
She is clearly guilty of Felonious Honesty.
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