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City of Lima, Ohio Bans the Declaration of Independence on July the 4^th

Three threatened with arrest.

“He thinks he’s got rights, but he ain’t got no rights!” shouted Tom Offenbacher, as he summoned three uniformed Lima police officers stop the distribution of copies of the Declaration of Independence in Faurot Park.

Three civic minded members of the local Libertarian Party saw fireworks early on Monday, July 4, 2011.  They passed out copies of the Declaration of Independence at the Star Spangled Spectacular, an annual public event cosponsored by the City of Lima and the Star Spangled Spectacular, Inc.

While fliers for an upcoming 5K race did not attract the ire of the event organizers, the Declaration of Independence did.  Tom Offenbacher of Star Spangled Spectacular, Inc. and officers of the Lima City Police were there to do something about it.

Tom Offenbacher drove his golf cart to Don Kissick, one of the three, and immediately started yelling at Mr. Kissick, telling him that he did not have the right to pass out any literature that is political or religious, especially not the Declaration, because he did not get permission from “the Committee.”

Tom continued screaming at Mr. Kissick, saying, “Hand over the box [containing copies of the Declaration of Independence]!  Give me the box!  Give me the fucking box!”  Tom kept threatening to call the police to deal with Mr. Kissick’s non-compliance.  Tom made belligerent insults such as, “Don’t think a one-legged man can’t take you down!” And, “You don’t know who you are messing with!”

Tom leaned over to grab the box in Mr. Kissick’s right hand, failed, but violently ripped a copy of the Declaration of  Independence out of Mr. Kissick’s left hand.  Again, he threatened to call the cops.  Paul Hinds, another of the Libertarian trio, told Tom, “Call the cops, you’re not getting our personal property, and you have zero rights to do so.”

“Hey, get the police over here right now!  He thinks he’s got rights, but he ain’t got no rights!”  Tom yelled into his radio.  Three Lima City Policemen responded promptly. Tom Offenbacher demanded that the police force Don Kissick and his two companions from the park, because they had been passing out copies of The Declaration of Independence.  Sgt. Holman threatened the trio with arrest and told them to, “…secure those [the Declarations of Independence] in your vehicle.”

Then the trio left the park, and The Declaration of Independence left with them.

Further discussion below:

www.donkissick.com

City Violates Free Speech on the Fourth of July By Thomas J. Lucente, Jr. in his Light of Liberty blog

Political activist angered over treatment at Star Spangled event By Heather Rutz in LimaOhio.com

“They are pushing the envelope [to prohibit political speech on public property during a public event].” – an Allen County Judge

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Website: www.aclpo.org.