ACLU Right For Once in Tennessee - Free Tristan Rettke

by Lewis Loflin

My motto: Liberty overrules political correctness. The Constitution is the Law of the Land, and our rights come from our Creator and Natural Law, not the State.

Black Lives Matter is often a de-facto political and racist terrorist organization. Not only have they advocated violence against police, but have been direct participants in violent demonstrations, attacks on the press, and racial attacks on white bystanders. Yet the police and local governments refuse to protect the civil rights of their victims, or charge BLM thugs with hate crime charges they deserve.

As of November 10, 2016 this hate group has been once again involved in political violence in several cities over the election of Donald Trump. Same thing in Charlotte, etc. they were joined by Nation of Islam racists, and Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) a Muslim Brotherhood affiliated Islamist' hate group. One person (black) was killed by another black.

While BLM violence and racism is ignored, what was the incredibly violent act of Tristan Rettke that brought down the jackboot of the PC police? What was the violent offense Tristan committed? He wore a gorilla mask and handed out bananas at a BLM protest.

While even the press noted that he presented no form of physical intimidation or threats, he was still charged with "civil rights intimidation". In reality, he was exercising his civil rights guaranteed under the Constitution. It's not a civil rights violation to peacefully express an opinion, regardless of political correctness or how one's feelings might be hurt.

This ridiculous law is defined as, "a felony that criminalizes behavior that 'injures or threatens to injure ... another person with the intent to unlawfully intimidate another from the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured by the constitution or laws of the state of Tennessee."

His actions in no manner threatened anybody. Nor could one person, who was completely unarmed, intimidate a crowd of people. This entire charge is beyond reason, which political correctness always is.

This is so absurd that normally left-leaning civil rights organizations have come to his defense. This includes the ACLU Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. (FIRE)

From the press:

In the analysis, attorney Adam Steinbaugh argues the prosecution of Rettke is almost totally unjustified and that his conduct is almost certainly protected by the First Amendment. Steinbaugh also argues the prosecution of Rettke is based on ideas of provocation that were previously used to suppress civil rights protests:

"Police officers characterized Rettke's statement to them as evidencing an intent to 'provoke' peaceful protesters. Yet seeking to provoke others is generally protected speech, and similar prohibitions on "intimidation" have been struck down on First Amendment grounds as vague and over broad.

In Armstrong v. Ellington, for example, a federal court struck down a law prohibiting disturbance of the peace "for the purpose of intimidating or terrorizing [...] any citizen [...] to do or not to do any lawful thing[.]" This statute was used during the civil rights era, both in that case and as a matter of routine, to suppress black protesters peacefully protesting in Memphis."

FIRE isn't standing alone. The ACLU of Tennessee has gotten into the game as well, saying Rettke broke no laws even if his behavior was contemptible.

"While the student in this instance clearly intended to mock and provoke people, from video of the incident he did not appear to be making a targeted threat or to be creating a real fear of bodily harm," President Hedy Weinberg said in a statement over the weekend. "Particularly in a public forum space where First Amendment protections are at their height, even this kind of contemptible racist speech is protected by the First Amendment."

Hans Bader, an attorney with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, joined the chorus of voices denouncing the arrest.

"The government can't ban insulting speech as 'civil rights intimidation,'" he told Liberty Unyielding. "Being offended doesn't mean you were threatened, much less constitute a "true threat" the government can criminally prosecute."

There was nothing racist with Rettke, while BLM racism is ignored. Until local governments start applying civil rights violations against Black Lives Matter violence and intimidation, spare me your political correctness whining. It is time to crush political correctness and restore our basic civil rights under the Constitution, including free speech and freedom of Association.

Let's end campus fascism or pull their tax-exempt status. If a public institution such as East Tennessee State University, then lawmakers need to impose direct protections of students' free speech and end political correctness.

Ref. http://dailycaller.com/2016/10/03/free-speech-advocates-team-up-to-defend-arrested-anti-blm-protester/