An interesting discussion
Kent – A soft-spoken teacher posted the words "Impeach Bush" in a public garden, and Kent police cast him as an outlaw.
Outlaw? Little overblown, eh?
Today Kevin Egler is fighting that in Kent Municipal Court, and the case is emerging as a free-speech issue of interest well beyond the boundaries of placid Portage County.
Police ticketed Egler for unlawfully advertising in a public place because he put up a free-standing sign near the intersection of Haymarket Parkway and Willow and Main streets.
Now, on one hand, political speech should be completely free. That is one of the reasons for the American Revolution, and encoded in the 1st Amendment (let’s avoid the "is a sign actually speech" debate for the time being.) People should be able to spread their message.
On the flip side, do we want signs and banners and stickers, etc, all over the public areas? I for one would not like to see stuff that is negative towards Democrats all over the public ways all the time. I do not want to go to the park and see "Impeach Murtha" and "Democrats stand for organized murder," among others. Heck, all those campaign signs all over the road ways come election time annoy me. They are eyesores. Hence, the rules on where and when stuff like that can be posted.
Anyhow, the 1st says "Congress shall pass no law…." Most of these laws are not passed by Congress, but by State, county, and local legislators.
What do you think?
