Another Crazy Attack on Free Speech

The moral police are at it again - and I do mean police. A woman in Georgia recently received a $100 ticket because she had what the officer felt was a lewd bumpersticker on her car.

Denise Grier is a nurse at Emory University hospital in Georgia.

On March 10, she was driving home from dinner when a Dekalb County police officer pulled her over.

“At least initially, I was just surprised because I hadn’t done anything wrong,” she says.

“When he approached the car, he had his hand on his weapon, and I was in my nurse’s uniform with a stethoscope around my neck. He asked for my license, and then said, ‘Any idea why I stopped you.’

“I said no.

“ ‘You have a lewd decal on your car.’ ”

Grier says she immediately thought that one of her kids had put something nasty on her bumper as a joke.

“But then he mentioned the Bush sticker,” she says. That one says: “I’m tired of all the BUSHIT.” (This story was first reported by Joe Johnson of the Athens Banner-Herald [1].)

Grier says she told the officer it wasn’t lewd, and that it was clearly a political statement. When he insisted it was lewd, she said, “I’m not going to discuss this any further. Just give me the ticket.” Which he did.

Under “offense,” it says: “Lewd decals.”

The ticket is for $100.

Grier's court date is April 18 and the ACLU is representing her because, as Grier herself says, “It’s not just a Democrat/Republican issue. Y’all need to get beyond that. It’s my right to speak, and yours.”

UPDATE: Hat tip to The Impolitic for news and comments about this case: "I'm glad to see the judge threw the case out, even though it doesn't compensate the victim of this bogus arrest for her time and aggravation. I'm not a litigious soul but I think she should now sue the stupid cop for false arrest."