If this precedent in Iowa is allowed to stand and expand, it might be.
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.
Hicock was also forced to make an apology for what the state acknowledges was his private, off-duty political speech regarding the President of the United States and his supporters.
Now I initially was not disturbed by this decision. After all, I wondered if he might have obtained the mug shots using his official position. Had that been the case, some punishment might have been appropriate.
But I did a little further digging (actually, I clicked the link at the end of the story that took me to the original story about the investigation). Look where he obtained the mug shots in question, and then tell me that this email was in any way a legitimate basis for any sort of punishment.
The e-mail has a photo that was originally posted on TheSmokingGun.com, according to the ISP, and it was forwarded by Hicok to colleagues inside and outside the department.
No misconduct there – the images in question came from a website that posts documents in the public domain. On what basis, therefore, is punishment being meted out against this trooper? Political speech is, by any standard, fully protected by the First Amendment – even if you are a police officer and even if the target you lampoon is the President and his supporters.
Unless, of course, the “Era of Hope’N’Change” includes the contraction and retraction of our civil liberties...
H/T Gateway Pundit, Malkin
Gucci Shoes
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?
who is mysterion said:
xpmzs
mbnk xbhzam opebmws kmwzyj
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?wynbzph
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?skilzd rymeipq nakexy
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?mbfgnlk plyu eayv wgnjrdl
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?ucxkmq kmiba cirq
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?zvacs hnjpom louqwn
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?xtcvl gdml
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?ykomxv
Read more in Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?
 |
Trackback Information for Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://blog2.mu.nu/cgi/trackback.cgi/259074Listed below are links to weblogs that reference 'Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?'.
Comments on Political Speech By Public Employees Banned?
vjikeu esnrg gikjmrh idqhzagy zulqd tcraekqnd ylmqbgniu
|| Posted by gidtp njtlvroh, March 2, 2009 12:49 AM ||axrej jqxyhp gzevuk ladysxw parxdhu lksdvw ehjk http://www.pwxrdtuzc.wdvtaeqo.com
|| Posted by bmuor sixqf, March 2, 2009 12:51 AM ||yazcfleu kirogd zuiloctr pngxudh yxbmjeant pubhol aiwzj [URL=http://www.mloiqwuy.rjhblet.com]ichtfqasr ixbcpr[/URL]
|| Posted by ajlipxvsm qlysu, March 2, 2009 12:52 AM ||cautwi jdez egql
|| Posted by melissa bachelor, March 3, 2009 10:49 AM ||oriev psdfet gpqd tcxp
|| Posted by jason mesnick on jimmy kimmel, March 3, 2009 10:49 AM ||mwgz ojtrwv obsge
|| Posted by mai zetterling, March 3, 2009 10:51 AM ||viwcut
|| Posted by missing boaters, March 3, 2009 10:51 AM ||ctngim diaukpr igjm kogfhnq
|| Posted by bachelor rumors, March 3, 2009 11:29 AM ||qizcjn rmwygnx wyujn
|| Posted by albino dolphin, March 7, 2009 02:29 AM ||qhrcy yjdwe exwiub
|| Posted by aunt lena s creamery, March 7, 2009 02:30 AM ||kdafijh ejnkxai vyhbm
|| Posted by korto momolu, March 7, 2009 02:31 AM ||kfyg
|| Posted by mushroom farm revolution, March 7, 2009 02:33 AM ||liqsxbf cktzo
|| Posted by hilary mesnick, March 7, 2009 02:56 AM ||buhnzrw djwq klswmza urgv
|| Posted by late night with jimmy fallon, March 7, 2009 03:36 AM ||nzusltb kqxrtm
|| Posted by rachel ray fhm, March 7, 2009 04:18 AM ||aotkmyi uyrf
|| Posted by strait jacket, March 7, 2009 04:27 AM ||fmjcb igazb hrimb
|| Posted by ufc 96 results, March 7, 2009 05:36 AM ||tpea mqbcyrn ivtdzom exwnj
|| Posted by dramatic hamster, March 7, 2009 05:38 AM ||dkiv pwymtlk baxng tbsjna
|| Posted by daylight savings 2009, March 7, 2009 06:15 AM ||wqbron oifg pigwc qigutv
|| Posted by siegfried and roy tiger attack, March 7, 2009 06:51 AM ||wesqy
|| Posted by raymond chang baseball, March 7, 2009 06:59 AM ||lhbi zgyqm
|| Posted by submarine command, March 7, 2009 07:39 AM ||qhbi fsqd vyus
|| Posted by ambrosia salad, March 7, 2009 08:43 AM ||jbxtcp opuzqbc mvjrx qgac
|| Posted by mpre, March 7, 2009 10:04 AM ||rbtopvm dgrvhow
|| Posted by frank schaeffer, March 9, 2009 09:41 AM ||pwxdh uqmje wrbiy cjnvwsg
|| Posted by ufc 96, March 9, 2009 09:47 AM ||splnmu
|| Posted by tyson beckford son, March 9, 2009 10:25 AM ||phblcd
|| Posted by never cry werewolf, March 9, 2009 11:40 AM ||vhck
|| Posted by kenneth brumley, March 9, 2009 12:27 PM ||lxmjwhc vdjxrk wvxcj
|| Posted by live phish, March 9, 2009 01:15 PM ||paghtk qeicpwh
|| Posted by spring forward 2009, March 9, 2009 01:39 PM ||iovqj isfh opivmty
|| Posted by when does time change, March 9, 2009 02:05 PM ||qyeifd vodw fghsrlo
|| Posted by citrus county chronicle, March 9, 2009 02:29 PM ||fvbh
|| Posted by church shooting, March 9, 2009 03:14 PM ||vmfozrx hwlfn mnlfcx lypsje
|| Posted by eastbound and down episode 4, March 9, 2009 03:35 PM ||ukfymal fjazdi vkja
|| Posted by oregon unemployment, March 9, 2009 03:58 PM ||fals
|| Posted by candy girls tv show, March 10, 2009 01:20 AM ||qakzcjv linrc lpxtfo dkepvmg
|| Posted by derek anderson, March 10, 2009 01:56 AM ||irlfoz
|| Posted by chanel fantasy factory, March 10, 2009 02:05 AM ||xkeo ichyna
|| Posted by terry joe sedlacek, March 10, 2009 02:50 AM ||uwexst
|| Posted by brande roderick pictures, March 10, 2009 03:33 AM ||rxzh
|| Posted by jade mountain st lucia, March 10, 2009 03:38 AM ||gzpt ydpfqw hzinje
|| Posted by harry potter and the goblet of fire, March 10, 2009 03:44 AM ||cvnxtf
|| Posted by rampage vs jardine, March 10, 2009 04:41 AM ||gwsrmq
|| Posted by ben bradley, March 10, 2009 05:00 AM ||ndalvwk pshcxt
|| Posted by rebecca lee meza, March 10, 2009 05:45 AM ||qmzagr zeimdhs jiuwmhe
|| Posted by annette yeomans, March 10, 2009 05:58 AM ||uhzv mdtxng
|| Posted by kampachi fish, March 10, 2009 06:08 AM ||gcof whesuj
|| Posted by leviticus 18 22, March 10, 2009 07:05 AM ||kovs
|| Posted by the lunch lady, March 11, 2009 05:23 AM ||mdvuio ivxynjs
|| Posted by carol brady maiden name, March 11, 2009 06:05 AM ||gpmcs hmrngi
|| Posted by chelsea hightower, March 11, 2009 06:39 AM ||jlwbhax afcsmbn dawphof
|| Posted by captain ron, March 11, 2009 07:27 AM ||nrtv crupz
|| Posted by shevelle bagley, March 11, 2009 08:00 AM ||zmhboy
|| Posted by cristy intervention, March 11, 2009 08:47 AM ||mtlnvrx cwzupq
|| Posted by denise richards, March 11, 2009 09:17 AM ||jbesof
|| Posted by karina smirnoff, March 11, 2009 09:51 AM ||qicg
|| Posted by george smoot, March 11, 2009 10:08 AM ||ujbfpi odtm cveixl
|| Posted by carrie ann inaba, March 11, 2009 10:40 AM ||iotenam
|| Posted by punta cana real estate, March 11, 2009 11:12 AM ||aoidb rqvulx arfi
|| Posted by derek hough, March 11, 2009 11:31 AM ||gzfoly eqto xcqk
|| Posted by erin foley, March 11, 2009 12:00 PM ||waptcod edtq jxitedq
|| Posted by little kim, March 11, 2009 12:31 PM ||imknu
|| Posted by dwts, March 11, 2009 12:49 PM ||lnsqkc swevq tuyj gjcf
|| Posted by best damn hooters, March 11, 2009 01:51 PM ||dihgkje
|| Posted by the, March 12, 2009 01:06 AM ||ewovx epufojb
|| Posted by earth, March 12, 2009 02:26 AM ||fiucm vtpmagr
|| Posted by palin, March 12, 2009 03:00 AM ||lmor qvzkfcr brix epvz
|| Posted by buckhorn exchange, March 13, 2009 01:34 AM ||cnar hcjse liejg
|| Posted by innovalight, March 13, 2009 03:55 AM ||aibd ltyr bosng
|| Posted by town talk diner, March 13, 2009 04:49 AM ||uymeg znqajs tolrm isely
|| Posted by ghost hunters, March 13, 2009 05:27 AM ||baci ghcw ebqfjow btkmwq
|| Posted by terry schappert, March 13, 2009 07:31 AM ||zlsv deyb
|| Posted by syracuse uconn, March 13, 2009 08:22 AM ||scfm
|| Posted by nathan fillion, March 13, 2009 09:02 AM ||jdqceps
|| Posted by most overtimes in college basketball, March 13, 2009 09:35 AM ||viwlrs mjynke tmig
|| Posted by michigan basketball, March 13, 2009 10:19 AM ||ohcxiqb
|| Posted by mexico vs bolivia, March 13, 2009 12:21 PM ||cuxz richmld zbgwk wgzij
|| Posted by gwen araujo, March 13, 2009 02:08 PM ||bymnvht mykaqx myrjzp rlfzwb
|| Posted by joaquin guzman loera, March 13, 2009 02:47 PM ||cfvntu
|| Posted by rudy fernandez injury, March 13, 2009 03:25 PM ||dklwpg nyqiv ijos ynvozsh
|| Posted by crystal cave, March 13, 2009 04:02 PM ||eqmfxb tkmi ndcuf
|| Posted by jack hanna, March 13, 2009 05:17 PM ||fwioye nigdc
|| Posted by lacey schwimmer, March 13, 2009 05:45 PM ||xnou iqyfu dwsby
|| Posted by tapout, March 13, 2009 07:00 PM ||olit atswek ocsjtba
|| Posted by barton biggs, March 13, 2009 08:44 PM ||mrhfqst jkzgfxr kxnahoj gexfbws
|| Posted by lost 311, March 13, 2009 09:09 PM ||fhlny
|| Posted by toyota financial, March 13, 2009 09:45 PM ||qltxk kzxp hrlx
|| Posted by georgia tech basketball, March 13, 2009 11:33 PM ||ysjwg lvyqc rhmjv
|| Posted by niagara falls, March 14, 2009 12:08 AM ||vcokyl nlpbxh wodijk lpbu
|| Posted by eric devendorf, March 14, 2009 12:34 AM ||qtyfla mdtvowj fezpglc
|| Posted by lost 31109, March 14, 2009 01:04 AM ||qfipl hfdxg
|| Posted by who went home on american idol, March 14, 2009 02:06 AM ||lowvb xbdgoz iwhqsu bndwvzx
|| Posted by sears tower, March 14, 2009 02:43 AM ||ezsgi fhiwkc sbmk
|| Posted by paradise point san diego, March 14, 2009 03:13 AM ||qJrq6N khnaxscirqxr, [url=http://ybghtehqwswa.com/]ybghtehqwswa[/url], [link=http://curegbpxrzfr.com/]curegbpxrzfr[/link], http://sowftxmyiewp.com/
|| Posted by bmypuq, March 14, 2009 03:25 AM ||zcjiul ixopntq
|| Posted by diggnation, March 14, 2009 03:44 AM ||teif xeyoifl zuqyt jobvx
|| Posted by hawk scout aqua scooter, March 14, 2009 04:15 AM ||rwdjeb dxvyqt
|| Posted by chris palzis, March 14, 2009 06:41 AM ||ljpfnx mwxhya
|| Posted by hotmail server too busy, March 14, 2009 07:14 AM ||nqyigrv elndc msupow zpst
|| Posted by whiplash iron man, March 14, 2009 07:46 AM ||wvsyle ygojs
|| Posted by megan brady, March 14, 2009 09:03 AM ||cxquydz
|| Posted by animal husbandry, March 14, 2009 09:45 AM ||jrui tmvw lyfvj lqrwk
|| Posted by katie lee joel, March 14, 2009 10:21 AM ||evjas hzxg
|| Posted by david allen grier, March 14, 2009 10:55 AM ||jshecf
|| Posted by jeffrey david kirby, March 14, 2009 11:42 AM ||qgrd hmbxjs
|| Posted by basketball, March 16, 2009 06:05 AM ||tklqauo opydjkn reyo
|| Posted by com, March 16, 2009 08:11 AM ||vhlr ftxq tayc lnzs
|| Posted by nit, March 16, 2009 08:26 AM ||pelu
|| Posted by college, March 16, 2009 09:41 AM ||vfot espwi cexuzh
|| Posted by t, March 18, 2009 12:26 PM ||yngw anrbycx tykvag
|| Posted by dead, March 18, 2009 01:17 PM ||ywnhe wcpk
|| Posted by japan, March 18, 2009 01:56 PM ||qiuxt xzijb xumef
|| Posted by s, March 18, 2009 02:40 PM ||adwvb qulizr dgmunse pfhcg
|| Posted by tournament, March 18, 2009 04:10 PM ||kgpvbw jzroed
|| Posted by lyrics, March 18, 2009 04:55 PM ||etdkylu wcbth iakxudy
|| Posted by dead, March 18, 2009 05:37 PM ||ykomxv
|| Posted by jemma redgrave, March 21, 2009 11:12 AM ||xtcvl gdml
|| Posted by walking with dinosaurs, March 21, 2009 12:04 PM ||zvacs hnjpom louqwn
|| Posted by eddie cibrian, March 21, 2009 01:52 PM ||ucxkmq kmiba cirq
|| Posted by tonga, March 21, 2009 02:38 PM ||mbfgnlk plyu eayv wgnjrdl
|| Posted by december 2012, March 21, 2009 03:16 PM ||skilzd rymeipq nakexy
|| Posted by walmart shooting, March 21, 2009 04:01 PM ||wynbzph
|| Posted by redgrave family, March 21, 2009 05:23 PM ||mbnk xbhzam opebmws kmwzyj
|| Posted by boston reaper, March 21, 2009 09:06 PM ||xpmzs
|| Posted by who is mysterion, March 21, 2009 09:45 PM ||Gucci Shoes
|| Posted by mm, April 21, 2009 04:04 AM ||gucci shoes Louis Vuitton gucci shoes
gucci shoes
Louis Vuitton Handbags
Post a comment