Man detained for "Don't tread on me" bumper sticker-for crying out loud!

[Gardengirl]

www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97374

Suspect detained over 'extremist' bumper sticker
'Don't Tread on Me' puts driver in 'watch' category in DHS report


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Posted: May 07, 2009
10:45 pm Eastern


By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily





A Louisiana driver was stopped and detained for having a "Don't Tread on Me" bumper sticker on his vehicle and warned by a police officer about the "subversive" message it sent, according to the driver's relative.

The situation developed in the small town of Ball, La., where a receptionist at the police department told WND she knew nothing about the traffic stop, during which the "suspect" was investigated for "extremist" activities, the relative said.

A man identifying himself as a police officer from Ball called WND later to report that the town's records of traffic stops did not include this situation. He suggested it might have involved one of several other agencies that work in the area.

It followed by only a few weeks the release of a Department of Homeland Security report, "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment", which prompted outrage from legislators and a campaign calling for the resignation of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.

The report, which cites individuals who sport certain bumper stickers on their vehicles as suspect, was delivered to tens of thousands of local law enforcement officers across the nation.

WND is withholding the driver's name and the relative's name at their request.

(Story continues below)

     


However, the situation was described on the American Vision blog.

According to the relative, it happened this way: Her brother-in-law was driving home from work through the town, which has a local reputation for enhancing its budget by ticketing speeders. He was pulled over by police officers who told him "he had a subversive survivalist bumper sticker on his car."

Are you ready for a second Declaration of Independence? Sign the petition promoting true freedom once again!

"They proceeded to keep him there on the side of the road while they ran whatever they do to see if you have a record, keeping him standing by the side of the road for 30 minutes," she told WND.

Finding no record and no reason to keep him, they warned him and eventually let him go, she said.

The company that sells the bumper sticker is The Patriot Depot, where Chief Operating Officer Jay Taylor told WND the woman had told his staff about the situation while ordering more bumper stickers.

"It's rather shocking," he said. "We supposedly have freedom of speech in our country.

Proclaim to everyone: "Don't tread on me!" Get your own Gadsden Flag here!

"We joke around every now and then how our spouses will come to visit us in jail," he continued, citing his products that say, "The Audacity of Nope," "Taxed Enough Already," "Born Free, Taxed to Death," "Bring Home Our Troops: Send the Democrats" and "I'll Keep my Guns and Money, You Keep the 'Change'."

"We hope people realize this is serious," he said.

American Vision noted the "background check" that was done on the driver.

"Why? [He] had purchased and displayed a conservative 'Don't Tread on Me' bumper sticker.""

The commentator wrote, "The bumper sticker is based on the famous flag designed by American Revolution era general and statesman Christopher Gadsden. The yellow flag featured a coiled diamondback rattlesnake ready to strike, with the slogan 'Don't Tread on Me!' underneath it. Benjamin Franklin helped make the rattlesnake a symbol of Americans' reluctance to quarrel but vigilance and resolve in defense of their rights. By 1775 when Gadsden presented his flag to the commander-in-chief of the Navy, the rattlesnake was a symbol of the colonies and of their need to unite in defense of threats to their God-given and inherited rights. The flag and the bumper sticker symbolize American patriotism, the need to defend Americans' rights, and resistance to tyranny's threats to American liberty. Those threats included-and include-illegal taxation, profanation of Americans' rights, and violation of the fundamental principles of American law."

American Vision continued: "The notorious Department of Homeland Security memo, which was apparently based on the infamous Missouri State Police Report that described supporters of presidential candidates Bob Barr, Ron Paul, and Chuck Baldwin as 'militia'-type potential extremists and potential terrorists, is not the first effort of leftist radicals to slander their political opponents as 'extremists.'"

"'Liberals' and other leftists have been calling defenders of traditional American limited, constitutional government, free enterprise, and individual liberty 'extremists' since at least the 1964 election," the Vision America statement said. "Small town police misled by phony left wing 'reports' are bad enough. Federal government agencies and their armed agents under the direction of leftist radicals are exponentially worse."

WND reported earlier on the DHS report, which advised about the "extremism" that could be expected from returning veterans, those who support homeschooling and oppose abortion, post certain bumper stickers on their vehicles and other factors.

The DHS not only issued that report, but also an earlier memo defining dozens of groups, members of animal rights organizations, black separatists, tax protesters and others as "threats."



That item, the "Domestic Extremism Lexicon" reportedly was rescinded almost immediately, but Benjamin Sarlin of The Daily Beast recently obtained and published online a copy of the unclassified memo, dated March 26, 2009.

It defines the "tax resistance movement" – also referred to in the report as the tax protest movement or the tax freedom movement – as "groups or individuals who vehemently believe taxes violate their constitutional rights. Among their beliefs are that wages are not income, that paying income taxes is voluntary, and that the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allowed Congress to levy taxes on income, was not properly ratified."

It states that tax protesters "have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism in an attempt to advance their extremist goals."

Apparently, the DHS analyzes the "threat" level of Internet news websites like WorldNetDaily, for the lexicon defines "alternative media" as "a term used to describe various information sources that provide a forum for interpretations of events and issues that differ radically from those presented in mass media products and outlets."

[Locutus]

I may have to call bullshit on that entire story.  I didn't read anywhere where there was a record of these actions.

[pariann]

The date March 26th was mentioned.  I looked up the infogram for 3/26 and this is what was said regarding terrorists:

Terrorist Recognition Handbook

Written by a 20-year veteran of the U.S. intelligence community, this second edition of the Terrorist Recognition Handbook reflects the latest geopolitical factors affecting global terrorist incidents and regional insurgencies, according to a review by the inspector general of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed that a new section includes an analysis of transformations within Al Qaeda, coverage of the modern insurgency, and new global and regional terrorist groups. The completely updated section on terrorist tactics reveals the latest trends and attack methods, and also has a new chapter on previously unreported suicide bombings.

With the subtitle of "A Practitioner's Manual for Predicting and Indentifying Terrorist Activities," this handbook is intended to be a resource "for those who realize that they need to begin their own terrorism education today." The reviewer further indicated that "it is an invaluable training tool on how to identify an attack, how to mitigate damage from successful attacks, and how to recognize the various stages of developing terrorist plots."

The EMR-ISAC confirmed that the Terrorist Recognition Handbook (PDF, 10 Mb, 470 pp.) is available as a free download until about 3 April.

Infogram 12-09: March 26, 2009

This INFOGRAM will be distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. For further information, contact the Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by e-mail at emr-isac@dhs.gov.

Probably has nothing to do with anything WND wrote about, but it is all I found at the moment under government information.

[LOsborne]

I just finished a thorough search of the web, and every place this story appears it is a direct reprint (with attribution) of the World Net Daily story. Total hogwash.

[followsthewolf]

However, that won't deter those who will still spread it.

Ignorance.

[dan foster]

I may have to call bullshit on that entire story.  I didn't read anywhere where there was a record of these actions.

No facts, no sources; you decide.  The two paragraphs below (2nd and 3rd into the story) tell it all.  In fact, it is so poorly written, only a right wingnut could have produced it.  It never happened.

"The situation developed in the small town of Ball, La., where a receptionist at the police department told WND she knew nothing about the traffic stop, during which the "suspect" was investigated for "extremist" activities, the relative said.

A man identifying himself as a police officer from Ball called WND later to report that the town's records of traffic stops did not include this situation. He suggested it might have involved one of several other agencies that work in the area."

[Exterminator]

LMAO!  A bullshit story from WND?  There's something new and different!  Seems like this whole (unconfirmed) "incident" is based on an anonymous call made to Patriot Depot where the story originated and guess what?  They sell the aforementioned stickers.  What better way to advertise than to create some right-wing fabrication that'll spread around the internet like wildfire?

[LOsborne]

EX, I am shocked...shocked ... to find there is self-interest lurking in a right-wing fabrication.

[mcgonser]

Ah, well we learned it from the Democrats and improved on it. Thats the Republican way. Lol

[Sandy Eggo]

You do realize that you didn't do the Republicans or yourself any favors with that comment, right?

[mcgonser]

I know, the truth always hurts. Something the Dems haven't learned from us.

Actually all smart alec aside, I would say that both and all parties suffer from this. Sadly it is one of the things we have in common. Right now, truth be told, I am not exactly proud or happy with any party. I still will stay with my party and do the best I can, I have hope that things will change for the good.

[Dexter Morgan]

If the incident really did happen it's total bullshit. Whatever happened to freedom of speech and expression?    Seriously.... must we lose every right that we have as American citizens?  For cryin' out loud... it's a damn bumpersticker!!!  We're moving closer to being a communist nation every damn day. Wake the hell up people!!! The government has every last one of us by the balls!!! American citizens have almost zero rights. We lost free speech and expression, you cannot smoke in public, restaurants can't serve trans fats,(they are telling you what you can eat ) they've taxed alcohol and tobacco to death, they're taking away some gun rights,( only the crooks will have guns by the time it's all said and done) and the newest thing is taxing soda and sugary products.( they're either taxing or taking away the things people find enjoyment in here) Who the hell do they think they are? When will people realize that by letting them they are completely ruling your life every single day? Another thing is taxation... why the hell should honest hardworking people pay for the dregs of society to sit on their ass, and collect a check?  I guess the sheeple will continue to drink the koolaid and obey the master. (the government)  I love America the way it used to be many,many, years ago. Back then American citizens had rights.

[LOsborne]

If the incident really did happen it's total bullshit. Whatever happened to freedom of speech and expression?    Seriously.... must we lose every right that we have as American citizens?  For cryin' out loud... it's a damn bumpersticker!!!

It's also a work of fiction.  Do you get this worked up about prime-time sit-coms too? How 'bout a little sense of proportion here?

[Exterminator]

I guess the sheeple will continue to drink the koolaid...

Seeing how you've worked yourself into a tizzie over something that never happened, I agree...the sheeple will obviously continue to drink the koolaid.   

[pariann]

Wait a minute.  How do you know it absolutely did not happen?  Do you have any idea of the number of conversations that take place between civilians and law enforcement that aren't written down (logged)?  It's highly possible that someone was pulled over about something, and a discussion over the bumper sticker came up....and conversation about terrorism may have occurred.  The third party may have just decided to make it more than it was.  Not to mention..if it's a small town area, god only knows what they think they can pull you over for.  I don't think we can say that this person was not pulled over and discussion of the bumper sticker did not take place.  All we can say is someone was trying to stir up trouble for someone, and it did raise some kind of interest among the conspiracy bloggers.