For what it’s worth, and with all due respect to those who make their living in law enforcement, NWA’s Fuck tha Police is a really good song.
As for the suggestion that this could have something to do with the new NWA biopic, Straight Outta Compton, which is scheduled to be released this summer, I know it’s highly unlikely, but I do find the idea intriguing. So, if those of you living elsewhere around the country are also seeing men on street corners holding “Fuck the Police” signs, let me know, OK?
[The above photo, which was forward to me by a reader of this site, was taken yesterday afternoon near the intersection of Huron and Michigan Avenue by Adam Tasselmyer. I’m told that, shortly after this was taken, the man with the sign was beset by local police officers wielding cameras.]
29 Comments
tony is such a douchebag. he desperately wants to be militant and relevant, but comes off as a poser. he’s also an idiot. there are issues with cops, but his protest should be directed towards a problem and not a random community. fuck tony. his antics give real protesters and activists a bad name.
Dennis, when you say Tony, do you mean Tony Morgan, who was on Mark’s radio program a few weeks ago?
Tony Morgan said in his interview that he was having fruitful conversations with the YPD. If that’s true, why would he do this?
The interview with Tony:
http://markmaynard.com/2015/04/discussing-race-fighting-against-the-greater-ann-arbor-area-brand-singing-our-asses-off-and-researching-civil-war-era-cures-for-chronic-masturbation-on-episode-eleven-of-the-saturday-six-pac/
The opposite is true, dennis.
If there were more brave, action-oriented people like Tony in the world, who after watching the latest killer cop video—in this case, Eric Harris dying on the asphalt, to whom a white cop says “fuck your breath”—maybe a few more law enforcement agents would feel less security in their habitual abuse of people of color.
It’s devoted action, rather than playful blog posts or nuggets of revolutionary theory paddled around on Twitter, that mean something in this world.
Dennis,
I will not defend any comment you made but I will slap you in the fucking face. I will not pretend or pose. It’s so easy to toss around mediocre Andy passive opinions about another’s actions. Its white people like YOU that perpetuate a system by your snide, privileged remarks.
Anthony
A list of dumb signs seen in downtown Ypsilanti:
1) “Dead fetus sign” held by anti abortionist.
2) “I am the 99 percent” held by someone who has a household income in the 95th percentile.
3) “Fucc the police” sign held by this person while flipping the bird.
I saw the sign when I was driving down Mich Ave the other day but no one was holding it that I could see. I hope the YPD took it in good stride.
FYI, you lost me at “I will slap you in the fucking face.”
That sign seems to make people uncomfortable. It makes me uncomfortable. That’s okay by me.
“I will not defend any comment you made but I will slap you in the fucking face.”
FINALLY! This website has a motto.
Every law enforcement officer takes an oath to uphold, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. The First Amendment to the Constitution was specifically created to protect unpopular political speech. It looks like Anthony was exercising his First Amendment Right. If anyone doesn’t like it, that is too fucking bad.
charlieRomeo,
There are 7 forms of speech that are not protected by the first amendment. One might argue that holding a sign, at a busy public intersection, that reads “fucc the police” is a form of unprotected “hate speech” and a form of unprotected speech that “encourages violence”. There is a lot of gray area…
Also, I am not sure if it is the same “anthony”, but the poster who threatened:” I will slap [dennis] in the fucking face” might be guilty using another form of speech that is also not protected. It would need to be determined if that statement was constituted a real threat within the context of other and persistent forms of intimidation, I think.
Assuming it is the same “Anthony” I would have preferred a reasoned response for his actions rather than a threat. I would also have preferred a sign that was less obscenely stupid.
Tony, what do you hope to achieve? The only thing you’ve achieved so far, is sounding like an idiot.
Anthony Morgan
How is disagreeing with the a message on a sign, which uses the logic of racism (generalization), for pr
….uses the word “fucc”, seems to encourage violence, seems to encourage disrespect, seems to use the logic of racism–all in a very public place…How would you think that questioning the purpose served by the message and posing in front of the sign while flipping the bird in anyway comparable to the lynching of Lige Daniels–16 year old boy who was illegally murdered in a Texas town square in the 1920’s?
I am not a lawyer but the sign seemed like protected speech to me. It makes a legitimate statement. It isnt a call for violence. It may be a call for disrespect but that is fine. I dont think it will harm our police officers to get the message that respect needs to be earned. The misspelling of the word “fuck” bothered me a little but I imagine that was out of consideration for those types of motherfuckers who cant stand cussing. When I saw the sign, it was across from the cop shop in that little park. It wasnt blocking driver’s views which was a big complaint with the group that had the giant fetus pictures.
Also, while I think the sign is likely a response to racism, I fail to see how it uses the logic of racism. Unless you mmean that he is stereotyping the police, in which case you have to ask yourself who holds the power
I don’t know that it really matters, but I didn’t know this was Tony when I posted it. I, of course, thought that it could be, given the content of the sign, but , after staring at the photo for a good long while, I felt pretty certain it was someone else. Also, I should add that I don’t have any issue with the sign. As Tony and I discussed on my radio show a few weeks ago, I think it’s healthy and positive to have people, like him, making sure this subject stays at the forefront of people’s minds. My only concern, as others have noted, is that it could interfere with the work that he and others have been doing with members of local police forces to increase transparency, accountability, etc. Hopefully that’s not the case, but I do worry. Then again, I worry about everything.
Lynne,
I don’t think there would be a legal precedent to consider the sign unprotected free speech but it is creeping into the gray area in my opinion. I believe, in order to be unprotected speech it would need to be expressed within a context where there was actual potential for the expression to lead to violence and that the violence was foreseeable. There are certain contexts, I believe, where one could argue that it is not protected speech. I don’t appreciate swear words but that is not the big deal for me. I more objective to the stupidity of stereotyping. Yes, that is what I meant by the message “fucc the police” having the same logic of racism–because it classifies people into one group and judges them all the same way–it stereotypes officers as all being bad. I would have supported a message that read “Fire Bad Cops”, or something similar…
I am a free speech nut. I absolutely support someone’s right to say “fucc the police” if that is what they want to do. I however, would not be too surprised if such an act led to someone being arrested and having the case run through courts–that is how precedent is established. I also, enjoy my right to express my opinion that holding a sign that says “fucc the police” is irresponsible, counterproductive and childish.
When can we have a conversation about the apparent rise in attitudes that lead to non-cooperation and resisting arrest and the role that it plays in police violence against the civilian population?
Cue–isn’t that like blaming the victim?
No.
Regarding “who holds the power”? Stereotyping isn’t less stupid if the more powerful group is the one being stereotyped. “Who holds the power” depends on the situation and context. There are situations, rooms, streets corners, neighborhoods, cities, places of business and police stations where black people are in power over white people..Suggesting to the contrary, if that is what you are suggesting, is not factually true and most likely due to racist beliefs you have about the world.
“There are situations, rooms, streets corners, neighborhoods, cities, places of business and police stations where black people are in power over white people.”
Your understanding of racism, free speech, power relations and logic itself is literally juvenile. Including the way you have no awareness of it and a plethora of uninformed opinions. Do you read? What sources besides the top of your head and your unexamined gut reactions do you consult? I’m amazed at your confidence in your own point of view on every subject while exhibiting so much ignorance. The deracination of power relations and political protest seems logical to you, as to many white people, though it is completely out of touch with reality. This is a dominant culture problem but you show no awareness of dominant culture dynamics either. Your verbal diarrhea seems masturbatory. You can’t stop cuz it feels too good. Lynne’s patience is admirable.
The part you quoted is my attempt to address the idea that black people can’t be racist. It seemed like Lynne was going in that direction with her I comment, although I could be wrong.
Why don’t you educate us on structural racism, or really any subject, kjc. I would hate for your vast education to be squandered on spending too much time putting people down, in the comment sections of blogs, in ever more elaborate ways.
FF is clearly correct. It’s 1988 all over again.
Speaking of movie marketing, the new Ant-Man campaign is rolling out.
http://imgur.com/CJu1PTH
Frosted Flakes,
“God Hates Fags” is protected speech according to: Snyder v. Phelps, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snyder_v._Phelps
Seems more hateful and provocative than “Fucc the Police”, to me anyway.
More hateful, protected speech, which could encourage violence;
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case based on the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Court held that government cannot punish inflammatory speech unless that speech is directed to inciting, and is likely to incite, imminent lawless action.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_v._Ohio
Suppression of speech as an effective police measure is an old, old device, outlawed by our Constitution.”[53]
WATTS v. UNITED STATES.
Petitioner’s remark during political debate at small public gathering that if inducted into Army (which he vowed would never occur) and made to carry a rifle “the first man I want to get in my sights is L. B. J.,” held to be crude political hyperbole which in light of its context and conditional nature did not constitute a knowing and willful threat against the President within the coverage of 18 U.S.C. 871 (a).
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=394&invol=705
I would argue “Fucc the police” is obvious hyperbole.
Your specious hypothetical arguments are feckless at best.
Of the seven exceptions to free speech, only one possibly applies to Anthony in this case, in my opinion. That of threat. Read them for yourself and say which exceptions apply:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions#Fighting_words_and_offensive_speech
Obscenity and stupidity have nothing to do with the free speech content in this instance.
Can you say “I will slap you in the fucking face” on the internets anymore without threat of legal action? Especially if it can be proven they actually know each other? Will markmaynard.com’s commenter list be seized by court order in an ongoing act of civil litigation? This is poorly branded activism.