Federal court rules that air fresheners and pro-cop stickers are a reason to pull you over

So all those good Catholic Moms who are hauling around their teenage athletes better just watch out now!
I can see it now: Next the "authorities" will decide that those parents of honor students are the real threat!
cue up the Twilight Zone theme....

a reply to: infolurker

Do you guys remember the giant Crown air freshener people used to put in the back window?

You wouldn't make it out of your driveway with that thing nowadays.

While the courts ruling on air fresheners is at the very least arguable, the notion that you can pull someone over for having a rosary hanging off their mirror is not only a problem with religious freedom, its also blatant and obvious racial profiling.

I wish this was the country I grew up thinking it was.

a reply to: infolurker

The fundamental problem American's need to deal with right now is the ability for police to detain people for ANY REASON. They can manufacture any reason they like right now, and that needs to change. Priority should be that no police officer can detain or arrest you for "being difficult", or for arguing with them, or for being "uppity"...

You need to press for new laws specifying when someone can be detained, for how long, and under what circumstances.

Until this is done, nothing else matters. Get the fundamentals right before focusing on the minutiae.

Greetings from a medically retired cop from Ca. Perhaps I can shed some light into this ? As for anything that dangles from the rear view mirror, this could be construed as an "obstruction" as it 'may' hinder a clear view of the roadway. This of course leads to a possible "pier" Basically it is a reason to articulate in the report on the PC (probable cause) to initiate a traffic stop. (arriving at the pier) It allows the cops to begin "fishing" Going through Your belongings looking for something to throw at You. Fortunately, I worked at a police department that "Traffic" wasn't a primary function, especially for a "beat cop".

•Personal Opinion • This also explains why it takes 1-2 hrs. for the cops to show up, it is because "many" are violating folks' rights in order to either make the Sgt. happy or to make "Case Law" . This will only get WORSE as more and more jails/prisons go private. I worked "The Crack War" a boondoggle off the BIG boondoggle "War on Drugs" At that time, 1990 onward, right after the Urban male started making more $$$ than the sub-Urban male, the Urban male was given 20-25 year PRISON sentences while the sub-Urban male received PROBATION for using the same substance. Those Urban males are just NOW getting out of jail.

That substance now is either methamphetamine or opiate based narcotic. In 2001, Afghanistan supplied 7% of the world's opium, it is now 84+%. Is there an opiate based epidemic?

Because it is Friday, why not I recommend a movie for You? American Violet. This movie explains what is going on and You then won't have to Google™ the above and get on some "Watch List".

If Your personal portfolio showed the same rate of growth as that of Afghan opium fields, You'd be reading this while nursing a Pina Colada with a tee shirt that reads: "It's gotta be 2:45 somewhere"



namaste

Edit: Here is the movie: www.imdb.com...

and a little trailer: www.youtube.com...

Proud Member of LEAP

This is why the companies that make the air fresheners that stick in the vents will now make a fortune lol


Anyhow, if they did nothing wrong, why was their money taken and they sent to jail?
Oh forgot...'Murica....

ETA: wonder if I'll get pulled over with an 'Alien on board' sticker on my car...

originally posted by: abe froman
So, if you have a bumper sticker that says " I Hate Police", you get pulled over.

If you have a bumper sticker that says " I Love Police", you get pulled over.

You would have thought the founding fathers would have thought to put something in The Constitution about Freedom Of Speech or The Right To Be Secure In Yourself And Your Possessions ....

You remember The Constitution, right?

Is that old thing still around?

Also, paranoid much?

How about a bumper sticker down the middle?

"Police...Love 'em-Hate 'em...Makes No Difference. YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!"

Nah, that's suspicious as well.

Jude

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
While the courts ruling on air fresheners is at the very least arguable, the notion that you can pull someone over for having a rosary hanging off their mirror is not only a problem with religious freedom, its also blatant and obvious racial profiling.

I wish this was the country I grew up thinking it was.

Magic Beads!!! She's a witch!

I live in NY. I have been pulled over only one time, and it was for an air freshener. The cop was nice enough, but the whole situation was bizarre. This was over a year ago. I was told it was illegal to have one hanging from the rearview mirror. I had known that having several things on the rearview mirror was considered hazardous because it hides the drivers view, but one tiny freshener seemed a non-issue to me.

The whole "I love cops" bumper sticker being added as a reason to pull someone over, says a lot about our current state. Right now people are finding it very hard to like and respect cops. Clearly the judge knows this to be true, so anyone who would say otherwise must be a liar. That is not true though, but I can almost understand the reasoning behind it. They will look for anything, anyway, any reason to pull people over when business is slow. What will it be next?