I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.
Apparently a few police officers in Clackamas have had their feelings hurt by a local man, Robert J. Ekas. According to an article by the Oregonian, Ekas has been arrested several times in the last few years for offering his middle finger to passing officers as a sign of civil protest.
Ekas gave the finger to a deputy in July 2007 while driving near Clackamas Town Center, according to the lawsuit. With the deputy in pursuit, Ekas said he opened his sunroof and again extended a middle finger. The deputy turned on his flashing lights. Ekas stopped and was cited for an illegal lane change and improper display of license plates. He was acquitted of the charges.
Apparently Ekas has filed a lawsuit in the matter, and I really hope he wins it. The purpose of the police force is to “protect and serve.” It is not an uncommon feeling among our citizens that often times they do not fulfill those duties.
What it boils down to is the fact that Ekas has a right to free speech, even if it is a daily bird-flipping to a sheriff. I’m glad to see that self-important traffic cops got their panties in a fuss. It might help them to understand the law next time.
Great work Robert. I struggle in the Molalla area with free speech issues all the time. Everyone needs to push for maintaining our First Amendment rights. Attorney General John Kroger currently has a campaign for transparency in government which I believe directly relates to the struggle for our free speech rights.
At Kroger’s first Transparency hearing in Salem last week I told of how my rights were violated when a cowardly officer of a local CPO wished to keep me off the agenda of a public meeting. When I wrote an angry message that I would SPEAK I was followed by a Molalla policewoman into the meeting – and my comments via email were not even to a person at the meeting and had no threats of harm to anyone, just angry words about First Amendment rights!
After I spoke, another grey haired woman from Estacada described how the sheriff in Estacada area followed her to a school board meeting because she was a dissenter that the school board wished to intimidate.
These kinds of abuses of the First Amendment and of police power can’t go unchallenged. Keep up the fight Robert! You represent everyone who has faced abuse at the hands of the “authorities”. Thanks!
i think Gil should file a lawsuit against Long Beach PD. give ’em the finger of freedom!