Court to decide if dog poop is protected by the First Amendment
Is it a misdemeanor to send someone dog poop or is it an act protected by the free speech amendment? That is the decision a Colorado court will decide this coming spring.
Could I make this stuff up?
The sender, a retired professor, Kathleen Ensz, was angry at receiving too many politcal mailings from Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave. And so to display her disgruntlement she sent one of the mailings back to Musgrave’s office wrapped around excrement from a dog.
Ensz’s lawyers are arguing it was a form of political protest, although they acknowledge that it was probably “crude and boorish.”
Personally I would have just written a gracious note to the professor emeritus, thanked her for sending the contents of her mind, and removed her from the mailing list. Wouldn't that have saved a lot of time, trouble and court costs?
The case comes up in May
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Are you kidding me? This is too much. Well at least we know she picks up after her dog!
Posted by: EnergyPaws | January 20, 2007 at 03:05 PM
It's crass and tasteless but it gets the point across. I say lets call it free speech.
Posted by: Laura | January 20, 2007 at 03:43 PM
Hehe, I say call it free speech too. But wow, the things that'll go to court. :p
Posted by: Cynthia Blue | January 21, 2007 at 09:04 AM
Sorry, but I can't help but laugh! Sometimes a person just gets pushed too far.
Posted by: schnoodlepooh | January 21, 2007 at 10:07 AM
Sheesh...even the politicians are sue-happy. It just doesn't get any more ridiculous than this.
Posted by: Stacy | January 21, 2007 at 05:56 PM
I don't think the court will see it as an act of Free Speech. My reasoning is that it leaves the law open for lots of other things to be sent through the mail that might not be nearly as "innocent". Dead chickens, anyone??
I say it should not be allowed, because of sanitation and disease prevention issues. I sure wouldn't want to be the mail carrier who handled that package, would you?
Posted by: Dirty Butter | January 21, 2007 at 06:41 PM
Hrrmmm... good point... I like my mail carrier and wouldn't do that to him.
You aren't supposed to mail anything "hazardous"... I do wonder if dog poop would be considered hazardous to people who don't have to pick it up on a regular basis?
Posted by: EnergyPaws | January 22, 2007 at 07:47 AM
What a load of crap. :-)
Posted by: Coll | January 22, 2007 at 08:56 AM
oh man...i wish i had thought of that...oh what a great idea....even if you get some jail time out of it...it would be worth it..
Posted by: jackie | January 22, 2007 at 09:25 PM
well at least she got the point across.
Posted by: Teri Salvador | December 24, 2007 at 10:12 PM