In what may be a poor choice of events to lead up one’s 15 minutes of fame, a Florida man finds himself in the limelight over a questionable bumper sticker.
A bumper sticker that proudly declared: “I eat *ss.”
Dillon Shane Webb, 23, was stopped after a Columbia County deputy noticed the sticker on the rear window of his pick up truck, according to the Lake City Reporter.
Claiming the sticker violated Florida Statute 847.011, which deals with possession and distribution of obscene material, the deputy charged Webb with possession of obscene material, a first-degree misdemeanor, the paper reported.
Webb was also charged with resisting arrest, also a first-degree misdemeanor, after he cited his First Amendment rights in refusing to remove the sticker.
When questioned by the deputy about the message being portrayed, Webb responded by saying they were “just words,” according to the police report.
Also asked how “a parent of a small child would explain the meaning of the words,” he replied that it would be “up to the parent.”
Speaking with the Associated Press, Webb claimed that the deputy seemed angry from the start of the traffic stop.
Webb told the AP that he plans to defend his First Amendment right to free speech for the sticker that was on his truck for less than a week when he was pulled over.
“I’m tired of police forces thinking they are above the Constitution, the Bill of Rights,” he said.
While not aware of the state’s obscenity law, Webb said what’s seen as offensive can differ from one person to the next.
What’s vulgar to me might not be vulgar to somebody else,” he told the news agency.
Florida Statute 847.011 prohibits “certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty.”
The statute reads like lawmakers on an all-night bender:
Never mind that for the rabid left, “F–k Trump” merchandise, be it bumper stickers, t-shirts or coffee mugs, are all the rage now.
And while there are important free speech issues at stake here, social media users also had a little fun over the story.
Here’s a sampling of some of the responses from Twitter:
I still see Bernie Sanders bumper stickers and that’s essentially the same thing
— Ryan Moses (@RMoses10) May 8, 2019
Land of the Free … almost
— AJK LATO (@AjkLato) May 8, 2019
— Salvatore Climenti (@SalClimenti) May 8, 2019
— AbeBeame (@BeameAbe) May 8, 2019
That’s the exact guy I picture when reading the headline. Can’t script this stuff. #floridaman
— WAHOOWA (@FBCBEER) May 8, 2019
— #SamwellHive (@AmariBetter) May 8, 2019
Not all heroes wear capes.
— JAV #futureDATAanalyst ? (@TheJavcore) May 8, 2019
Florida has bigger fish to fry.
— John Smith (@JSmithpolitics1) May 8, 2019
Bullshit, free this man, and let him eat ass in peace ! https://t.co/cYaVqbOI4V
— TeanaBrooke (@TeanaBrooke) May 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/DSmythTheMyth18/status/1126136457092055041
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Tom@bizpacreview.com
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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