This Amendment is Number One! See...?

An Oregon man flips off some cops.  They stop him.  Then, he does it again.  They stop him again.  The man then sues claiming the cops harassed him by stopping him while engaged in free speech.  The case settles without a trial paying the man $4,000.00.  Protected speech?  Certainly.  Ridiculous plaintiff?  Most probably.

I agree that making a certain infamous hand gesture is free speech.  Shoot, any hand gesture is probably protected as free speech by the First Amendment to the Constitution.  But for Robert Ekas, I do not think the constitutional question is at issue so much as the personal conduct/gentlemanly behavior issue.  Why flip off a bunch of Sheriff’s deputies?  What’s the point?  My guess is that it was just a way to get national attention including an appearance on The Colbert Report.

Personally, I think Mr. Ekas’ victory (if you can call it that) should be widely celebrated by giving Mr. Ekas the very free speech he holds so dear.  So when you see Robert Ekas, make sure to extend your favorite hand, extend that hand’s middle finger, and let us all celebrate what our Founding Fathers must have truly intended with the First Amendment.  Let us direct that speech squarely at the man that fought so hard to protect it by taking a $4,000.00 settlement and running rather than trying to establish legal precedent that the “cop flip-off” is protected free speech.  That’s definitely the forthright man’s way through the case.  (Readers, I hope you’re picking up the sarcasm, because I’m laying it on pretty thick here). Continue reading →