This needs to be stopped.

[R3dD0g]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/12/bush.protest.suspension.ap/index.html

Is there any way that DUers can prevent this brave man from losing his job?

This is their 'contact us' page

http://www.buckeyetraffic.org/feedback.asp

Whether contacting the state is advantageous or not, we can at least write to the brave man to express our support.

Mike Gerstenslager
806 Windsong Cir Ne
Massillon, OH

[fearnobush]

1. [http://www.cnn.com/feedback] CNN's feedback link page

Go get em'

[Zhade]

2. Kick

This is important.

[Florida_Geek]

3. While I like his message, I do not know if he has a case

Putting a politicial message on a "state vehicle" probably is against the law. NOW, if there were Pro-Bush messages on other state vehicles then he has a case.

[R3dD0g]

5. I don't think it's any more outrageous than

shuttling protestors to 'free speech zones'.

But, agreed, it's risky for a state employee to engage in political activity on state time. (I'm a gov't worker bee, and have been 'counseled' for sending letters to the editor.)

[revcarol]

4. Luckily, he is represented by a UNION!!

Think it is horrible how government employees who are co-opted to do stuff for the Bush administration lose their freedom of speech.

[bearfartinthewoods]

6. how in the hell was he co-opted to do stuff for the Bush administration

jeezus people...we weaken ourselves by outraging over phoney issues.

he was not on his own time.
the sign was not on his own vechicle.

[Cognitive Diversity]

7. Thats true,

he wasn't on his own time, he was on the people's time.

John kerry is on the people's time, speaking his mind, and so is bush

i fail to see the difference

congress shall make no law means no freaking law in my book

soldiers are 24/7/365, do they forfeit the freedoms they have protected for us?

edited to repair egregious misspelling asshattery

[bearfartinthewoods]

8. what congressional law is he being arrested under ?,,,,none

he is being disaplined for violating the terms of his employment.

BIG DIFFERENCE that seems to be being ignored now.


btw....did you know a similar situation has occured to state and city workers who hung flags on their vechicles? and the ffreeps went ballistic.

they were wrong too.

[Cognitive Diversity]

9. He is being punished by the government

if the government is firing him.

he didn't do anything worng with his job.

i doubt that he was instructed to refrain from political speech

and i just dont see how this meets the constitutional guidlines for the speech that congress can prohibit

they cant prohibit speech.

this isnt a civil empoyer, this is the government. everyhting they do is the result of a legislative act. so his firing is the result of a congress made law.

this is pretty obvious stuff.

further, he did nothing wrong, he said what he wanted!

what employees do you think are elite enough to get to use their time to speak freely? generals presidents and senators?

i think its the people who deserve that right most

[Cognitive Diversity]

10. furthermore,

he doesnt have to be arrested, the constitution protects us from being prohibited from speech, not from being arrested for speech

if the government takes any action to prohibit speech, they are in violation.

read the constitution. it is so sad to see people not care about their rights, and i hope you can understand my frustration

there are other rights, such as a right to life and liberty, that sometimes come into conflict with free speech (ie when someone yells fire in a theatre) then the government has to make a priority call

in this instance, there was no conflict. a person said what they wanted, in no way violating any contract with anyone, and was prohibited and fired by the goverment.

the freepers were right to be upset that flags were banned from whereever.

Unless there was some sort of state code for the appearance of a shove on a truck, he just plain did nothing wrong.

this isnt liberal extremism, its common libertarian sense, and we dont have to take it.

do you want the government to be able to control speech in government employees? the only people who know what is really going on sometimes? why would anyone want that? sure, they can prohibit harassment or harm, but thus aint that, its just an opinion. no one can sight the harm in this... or perhaps you can...?

[tobius]

20. Do you really think you that you are interpreting the law

correctly? Do you really feel that parking patrol vehicles should have pictures of fetuses and "abortion is murder" posters draped on them?
The harm you fail or refuse to see is that the general public can interpret govt sponsored advocacy as intimidation. Would you like to go to the planning commision to get an extra wing added to your planned parenthood building and sit in an office strewn with g w bush campaign posters?
How about the city parks worker with a boss that has a lyndon la rouche donation can on his desk?

[bearfartinthewoods]

12. in this case, the government is his employer.

an empployer can prohibit free speech on the job by their employees.

i YOU want to exercise YOUR freddom of speech you do it own YOUR time and with YOUR resources.

it's freedom of speech is not a guarantee of of immunity from discipline by your boss. he did do something wrong. he used his bosses equipement in a manner his boss did not allow it to be used.

how would you like it if cop cars sported re-elect bush signs?

[revcarol]

13. He was TOLD by his employer to do a duty to facilitate a Bush

campaign appearance.Police, fire and others were also co-opted. I hope the BUSH CAMPAIGN HAS TO PAY FOR ALL THIS TIME OF THESE PEOPLE, for Bush to do campaigning.

Poor judgment shown by this guy, but not worth firing him for.

[bearfartinthewoods]

19. and he very likely was doing the same facilatation for clinton if

he visited the area. the security of the president is a public concern. when Kerry is prez, he will also need to be secure and road access will be limited when he travels. acting like this was something special because the it's bush is bs.

i doubt he will be fired.

[Mairead]

15. Being told to park his plow to block the freeway entrance, it seems to me

That's certainly not a part of highway maintenance--it's rankly political. Closing off a highway might marginally be considered to be the job of the state police, but properly not even them.

[stevebreeze]

11. reminds me of the guy arrested for the water balloon assault on Hastert

He threw a water balloon at a fire truck in the middle of a parade KNOWN for water throwing activities.



Hastert truck hit by water balloon

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


DIXON — A 33-year-old man faces felony aggravated battery charges for tossing a water balloon at U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Yorkville.

John S. Allen of Dixon posted his $25,000 bail on Monday. He was arrested Sunday after throwing the balloon during the Dixon Petunia Festival parade. The balloon broke on an antique fire truck driven by Hastert, who got wet but was not injured.

Allen said in court he didn't know Hastert was driving the truck. Lee County Judge Tomas Magdich reprimanded Allen for not recognizing Hastert. "He is third in line to the presidency of the United States. You won't forget it next time, will you?" Magdich told Allen.

[molly]

14. I think we should all send him at least $1.00

there's over 4,000 of us now and it sure would show we support him!

[revcarol]

17. I say send $1.00 to his union.

THEY will be defending him.

[Mairead]

16. How sure are you that the guy whose address you give is the right guy?

(I'm not trying to be critical, just trying to make sure the right person gets anything we decide to send him! It wouldn't be the first time the press made a dog's breakfast out of someone's name.)

I wonder whether DK could intervene without making it worse for the guy.

I bet the trooper that turned him in is a staunch Bush supporter (*urp*)

[R3dD0g]

18. Not sure at all.

The address came from Yahoo People Finder. The name is unusual enough though that it was the only one to show up in all of Ohio.

[tobius]

22. probably not a good idea to post an address w/o permission.

Especially one that you are unsure of.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

21. His message was right, his method of expression was wrong.