this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2024
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Vermont has agreed to pay $175,000 to settle a lawsuit on behalf of a man who was charged with a crime for giving a state trooper the middle finger in 2018, the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday. 

The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by the ACLU of Vermont on behalf of Gregory Bombard, of St. Albans. It says Bombard’s First Amendment rights were violated after an unnecessary traffic stop and retaliatory arrest in 2018.

Trooper Jay Riggen stopped Bombard’s vehicle in St. Albans on Feb. 9, 2018, because he believed Bombard had shown him the middle finger, according to the lawsuit. Bombard denied that but says he did curse and display the middle finger once the initial stop was concluded.

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[–] [email protected] 86 points 4 months ago (4 children)

This is settled law. It's been this way for a long time. Multiple people have had huge monetary settlements in multiple states for being arrested for flipping off a cop.

[–] [email protected] 57 points 4 months ago (1 children)

My father-in-law smiled and waved at a CHP cop when driving through California and got pulled over and told that was illegal, but was let off with a warning. Which I always thought was bullshit. Sounds like it is.

But the guy liked cops. He was literally just saying hi to a cop because he liked cops.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 40 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

He was a white evangelical (but never preachy) Republican from Indiana who was born in 1931. So not even a boomer, someone who had kids who were boomers. He died loving cops. He didn't even hold it against that guy because he assumed he'd broken the law and was glad the nice cop let him off with a warning.

He was an old man and had some very archaic ideas about the world. When he was home, he watched old Westerns, sports, or Fox News. I assume he voted for Trump in 2016. But he was also super nice to everyone no matter who they were. He was just not a judgmental sort of guy on an individual level. He was the sort of person who would would have a friendly conversation to find out when the restaurant waiter got off their shift and what they were planning to do that day and said he hoped they had a good time doing it.

So he probably (I never asked) believed in the "gay agenda," but would also be happy to have a friendly chat with some people hanging outside a gay bar if he happened to walked by and saw that people were standing there. Even if he knew it was a gay bar.

[It's his birthday today, so he's been on my mind.]

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That's really nice.

We've also lost a lot of this, which is a shame.

I'd love to be part of bringing back being able to disagree with people on issues but still treat each other well. Like people.

I do try to remember to try. We all should.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (3 children)

That's the biggest thing this country is missing right now. It's OK to disagree with other people, but for some reason, people seem to think they are enemies because they disagree. We are all individuals, with our own views on everything. There isn't a single person in the world that I agree with 100% on everything. To assume that anyone I disagree with is somehow evil, or my enemy, is insane.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

for some reason

Definitely one major reason has been that there's been an incredibly effective propaganda machine constantly telling people that's the case. It started taking off in the 90s.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Part of the problem, and I don't remember who summed it up this way but it's as accurate a description as I've ever seen, is that the conservative mindset is exactly this: "I'm allowed to tell you what to do, but you are not allowed to tell me what to do."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

You mean the conservatives trying to make me and others illegal and shined from society? I should just agree to disagree?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Happy Birthday, Flying Squid Sr (in-law). 🎂

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

In-law. Not my dad. Although they were both born in 1931 coincidentally. Both no longer with us unfortunately.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

"Idk because you're butthurt?"

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago
[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Yeah but cops don't care about the law.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Cops are government employees, and hopefully the government cares about losing $175k over bullshit their employee did.

Yeah, they can afford to lose one or two, but if we all start flipping off cops and start getting charged, it's going to add up.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Historically? No, not really. Arpiao was losing millions of dollars for his contracted cities before they started dropping contracts with him and forcing Maricopa County Sheriff's Office to operate only in unincorporated areas.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Ironic how if something is your job to care about, that it often leads to the opposite reality. Sure, cops are especially shitty but I have a lot of lax coworkers. Feels very common

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Imma gonna go flip off some cops and get rich

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Or die trying. Be careful you dont get the road rage ranger.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Gotta keep my kin fed