Nurse sues over ticket for anti-Bush bumper sticker

October 16, 2006

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A woman who was ticketed for having an obscene anti-Bush bumper sticker filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday against a county in the state of Georgia and its officials.

Denise Grier, 47, of Athens, Georgia, got a $100 ticket in March after a DeKalb County police officer spotted the bumper sticker, which read "I'm Tired Of All The BUSH**."

A DeKalb judge threw out the ticket in April because the state's lewd decal law that formed the basis for the ticket was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.

Grier is seeking damages from the county for "emotional distress," according to the lawsuit.

Grier also seeks a declaration in federal court that her bumper sticker is considered constitutionally protected speech because she is "uncertain and insecure regarding her right to display her bumper sticker in DeKalb County," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia.


LINK TO STORY

It's so frustrating that an officer of the law can impose and punish somebody because of his personal beliefs. He broke the law, not her. ..do you know if he's being punished for this now? ...I also think the woman does have a right to sue because he violated her freedom of speech and wasted her time by having to have the stupid ticket into court to be throw out because it wasn't even legal of him to give it to her, but I don't know about the 'emotional distress.' But, maybe since I'm upset about it too, it is emotional distress.

The nurse's case has probably not been heard yet, jobot...but you can keep up with what the ACLU is doing to help people caught in these kinds of situations
HERE

Also, the Atlanta and Athens, GA newspapers will probably report updates on the story. You can do a search for their websites.

Lawsuits like this call attention to the ever increasing erosion of our freedoms and will, hopefully, make an increasing number of Americans pause and consider how important these freedoms are.

Catherine

Yes..but are enough Americans hearing these stories?

More than they used to, imo, jobot. I think they're paying more attention as the GOP "morals" are being exposed and the support for the war in Iraq continues to erode.