man sentenced for "racially motivated sign"

[weekapaugjz]

story here. (http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/592148.html)

i just read this story and i in no way condone what this guy did, but this seems to be a little excessive. o&a talked about this issue a little bit with the drunken negro face cookie guy with a legislator calling for mandatory sensitivity training.

is it the government's job to step in and "train" people how to think?

[NewYorkDragons80]

James R. Curtis admitted putting up a handwritten "whites only drinking fountain" sign in the Niagara Falls public works garage last Aug. 13

Any connection with Fez's fiance???

[Farmer Dave]

Sounds like it goes way deeper than the story can tell. We've all seen work place frustration that goes too far. No harm, no foul. The sign was pulled from the trash.

[SinA]

1. i'm not supporting the guy
2. i kinda just skimmed the article

but... what was the crime?

legally speaking, i mean.

[weekapaugjz]

1. i'm not supporting the guy
2. i kinda just skimmed the article

but... what was the crime?

legally speaking, i mean.

from the article

Curtis originally faced a much more serious felony hate crime charge until last October, when the Niagara County district attorney's office agreed to reduce the charges against him after interviewing his fellow public works employees.

He pleaded guilty Nov. 11 to second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor.

[Slumbag]

from the article

It's a hate crime to make cookies?
Now I'm confused.

[ToiletCrusher]

fuck that shit mutha fucka!!!

[weekapaugjz]

It's a hate crime to make cookies?
Now I'm confused.

no, not about the cookie guy. just mentioned him cause its somewhat relevant to the conversation and people may have heard about it on o&a.

[sailor]

who will run the shop while he's in jail, or will they give him a suspended sentence?

[Slumbag]

no, not about the cookie guy. just mentioned him cause its somewhat relevant to the conversation and people may have heard about it on o&a.

Maybe next time I read the article instead of skimming the original post :lol:

[boosterp]

While wrong, he did say he realized it and took it down. No foul. So why was he charged? It's stupid but stupid is not a crime.

[SP1!]

1. i'm not supporting the guy
2. i kinda just skimmed the article

but... what was the crime?

legally speaking, i mean.

"This is a very racist act which was done for no good reason," Violante told Curtis. "It isn't a joke and it shouldn't be a joke . . . Niagara Falls is a very diverse city. The people in this city shouldn't have to put up with this."

Sounds like his crime was being a frustrated white man, even then it sounds like it was done out of frustration or was a joke and there was no malice behind the act.

Clint was right. (http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090227/906/ten-eastwood-thinks-political-correctnes.html)

[SP1!]

It's a hate crime to make cookies?
Now I'm confused.

Oh no, its a delicious sin to make those cookies, mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Its amazing what gets people panties in a bunch lately, its almost time to blow up this society and start all over.

[TheMojoPin]

Its amazing what gets people panties in a bunch lately,

Wait for it...

its almost time to blow up this society and start all over.

Oh, delicious irony. So succulent.

I always get a kick out of anyone who thinks that the past is where we should look to rational, levelheaded opinions and sound judgement on race and racism. It basically requires someone to completely ignore history.

[scottinnj]

While wrong, he did say he realized it and took it down. No foul. So why was he charged? It's stupid but stupid is not a crime.

Yep, I can see getting fired for that. But to get indicted? Especially a federal charge initially. That DA needs to lighten up and get a blow job. Some people are just zealots who need to to be removed from office.

[TheMojoPin]

Yep, I can see getting fired for that. But to get indicted? Especially a federal charge initially. That DA needs to lighten up and get a blow job. Some people are just zealots who need to to be removed from office.

Yeah, getting charged with anything over this is just dumb. I totally get getting into trouble with your employer and such, but there's no need for him to be prosecuted or charged over this. The legislation regarding hate crimes is way too vague and subjective.

[A.J.]

It's stupid but stupid is not a crime.

Oh if only...

[scottinnj]

Everytime I log on to RonFez.net, I'm risking the wrath of a prosecuter somewhere if this stuff is possible.

[earthbrown]

bad taste, but should have been protected under his 1st amendment rights!!!


Should have lost his job, but not a criminal record!!!!!!!





K

[Tenbatsuzen]

Why the hell didn't the ACLU get involved? If it was just a sign, that's a clear issue with his first amendment rights. Lose your job yes, but criminal charges?

[earthbrown]

Why the hell didn't the ACLU get involved? If it was just a sign, that's a clear issue with his first amendment rights. Lose your job yes, but criminal charges?


he obviously did not get a good lawyer!!!!!


K

[TheMojoPin]

he obviously did not get a good lawyer!!!!!


K

Pretty much. There's nothing stopping this guy or his lawyer(s) from seeking out the ACLU.

[earthbrown]

Pretty much. There's nothing stopping this guy or his lawyer(s) from seeking out the ACLU.

well not even seeking the ACLU, but getting the case tossed, IT IS HIS RIGHT TO ACT LIKE A RACIST!!!!

He should have been fired or forced to retire, but not processed as a criminal.


K

[TheMojoPin]

well not even seeking the ACLU, but getting the case tossed, IT IS HIS RIGHT TO ACT LIKE A RACIST!!!!

No, it's not.

Like I said, hate crime legislation is pretty poorly thought out, but nobody has the general "right to act like a racist" across the board.

[sailor]

hey look, he's channeling reeshy!!!!!!1

[King Imp]

o&a talked about this issue a little

Let me guess, Anthony was probably all for that sign being put up?

[Tenbatsuzen]

Five years probation plus random drug/alcohol testing?

Holy crap did he get a bad lawyer. Seriously, he's a total idiot. Not just for the sign, but just seriously, I would get a new lawyer and get that shit overturned because it's totally, 100% completely unconstitutional.

Yes, the guy should lose his job. Racist behavior should not be tolerated in the workplace. But he is still protected under the first amendment.

[TheMojoPin]

Yes, the guy should lose his job. Racist behavior should not be tolerated in the workplace. But he is still protected under the first amendment.

He's arguably not if he's successfully shown that he violated the civil rights of those around him. I'm not saying he did, but it's not so open and shut that he's "protected by the Constitution" since there are specific things in the same document that work specifically against him doing something like this.

[Tenbatsuzen]

He's arguably not if he's successfully shown that he violated the civil rights of those around him. I'm not saying he did, but it's not so open and shut that he's "protected by the Constitution" since there are specific things in the same document that work specifically against him doing something like this.

If no one saw the sign as it was posted, and it was picked from the trash, then I don't necessarily think someone's civil rights were affected.

Let's say Anthony Cumia decides to completely renounce his current ideology. So much so he's dating a black woman. He decides to get rid of all his Nazi memorabilia. One of his Jewish neighbors finds hist stuff in the trash.

Granted, there's a lot of shades of grey... but five years probation, and booze/drug testing that if he fails he goes to jail? What he did was no worse than what Don Imus did.

Seriously, I'm all for the community service and the sensitivity training. That's fine. But the five years probation is something I'd have a serious problem with.

[TheMojoPin]

If no one saw the sign as it was posted, and it was picked from the trash, then I don't necessarily think someone's civil rights were affected.

Let's say Anthony Cumia decides to completely renounce his current ideology. So much so he's dating a black woman. He decides to get rid of all his Nazi memorabilia. One of his Jewish neighbors finds hist stuff in the trash.

Granted, there's a lot of shades of grey... but five years probation, and booze/drug testing that if he fails he goes to jail? What he did was no worse than what Don Imus did.

Seriously, I'm all for the community service and the sensitivity training. That's fine. But the five years probation is something I'd have a serious problem with.

I agree that prosecuting the guy is way overboard. I'm just pointing out that the blanket "he's protected by the Constitution" statements aren't necessarily applicable.

Plus the Anthony analogy doesn't really work. This guy created the sign with a crystal clear intent. Anthony's collection is something who knows how many people do because they want to collect historical memorbilia. Yes, there's the larger issue of Ant's "persona," but there's zero in his collecting or use of it that indicates he's trying to make a statement about or intimidate someone of another race or ethnic group or religion.

[SP1!]

Wait for it...



Oh, delicious irony. So succulent.

I always get a kick out of anyone who thinks that the past is where we should look to rational, levelheaded opinions and sound judgement on race and racism. It basically requires someone to completely ignore history.

No I never ignore history, it would have been a lot better if people werent so mobile as to move to other nations or cities. The sooner they quit trying to force people to get along and just admit that people will not like someone the better off we will be, no amount of sensitivity training will change this man or people in general. It actually breeds more resentment than brings anyone together, I dont hate black people, I do hate the ones that bitch cause I refuse to give change that I dont have, only to have them yell "All yall alike!" Fuck that shit, I may have a job but it doesnt mean I have money on me all the time.

I used to go see a local band here in atlanta called stuck mojo and they would perform in front of a rebel flag quite a bit, which is confusing because their lead singer and quite a few of their fans are black. The lead singers rationale was that you can take down the flag(they were trying to remove it as the state flag at the time) but it will not change whats in a mans heart.