An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Police Target Memphis Blogger
I have to tell you, when I saw this story on the news last night, my jaw dropped. A blog, MPD Enforcer 2.0, that has been critical of the Memphis police department is now the target of a law suit? I don’t suppose the director has ever heard of the First Amendment? Let me help you out here Mr. Godwin:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Guess what! The internet, and blogs are the new PRESS!
Police director sues for critical bloggers’ names
Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin and the city of Memphis have filed a lawsuit to learn who operates a blog harshly critical of Godwin and his department.
The lawsuit asks AOL to produce all information related to the identity of an e-mail address linked to MPD Enforcer 2.0, a blog popular with police officers that has been extremely critical of police leadership at 201 Poplar.
The Appeal is running a poll asking the question, “Do you think the city should sue to find out the author of a blog critical of the Memphis Police Department?” At this point in time, the NOs are in the lead, with 92%.
“In what could be a landmark case of privacy and the 1st Amendment,” the anonymous bloggers write on the site, “Godwin has illegally used his position and the City of Memphis as a ram to ruin the Constitution of the United States.
I wonder why Mr. Godwin fears this particular blog? Is he afraid the blog has actual information that would put him, and/or the department in a bad light?
“Some members of the Enforcer 2.0 have contacted their attorneys and we are in the process of filing a lawsuit against Larry and the City of Memphis. What’s wrong Larry? The truth hurt?”
I would suggest the Institute for Justice. They do a lot of this type of work, battling weasels who tend to forget we actually DO have a Constitution that is suppose to protect our rights.
“You can complain about the government, and you should be able to do that without fear of retaliation or threatening actions on the part of the people in these positions,” said Lillie Coney, associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a Washington-based watchdog group. “I guess they’ve kind of annoyed them at some level, but you really don’t want to see law enforcement or government resources spent in this way.”
No, you don’t. If Godwin is suing for the records for himself, he has to pay the fees. If he’s using taxpayer funds to violate the 1st Amendment, then he’s got some serious problems.
Perhaps Mr. Godwin took issue with this post? Although there appears to be other posts critical of the department. I don’t know. If the man is such a bungler, I’m fairly sure there are other blogs in the Memphis area that points out his short comings. Why target this one particular site?
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Big Brother’s watching…
@Chaim:
Pfft! They aren’t just watching, they’re invading! Sleezeballs!
Guess I better better not bash obamanation to loud. humm. There must be a lot o dirty laundry about to be hung out to dry.
The Memphis PD Chief needs to put on his *big boy* pants and STFU…
If we sued every time someone said something about us that we didn’t like, we’d be suing *Dickless* sons a bitches every day…
@TexasFred:
The jackass might want to take a good hard look at his department, himself, and the crime rate in Memphis before he get his knickers all in a twist about a blog post. I’d think he could spend taxpayer money in much wiser ways….like actually freakin’ cleaning up the streets, slapping the thugs behind bars, and doing his bloomin’ job!
Ok, rant over.
@Old Soldier:
Oh yeah….that slime ball gets in the WH, I see much more of this type of thing happening. Memphis is a very Dhimmi city, y’know.
Yeah, I guess just because his last name’s Godwin he thinks he can act like a Nazi.
I sure hope Mr. Godwin gets taught a lesson here! I’d echo Texas Fred’s sentiment and recommend he find his “big boy pants.”
@Sam Pierce:
From what I’ve read, he ought to remove his head from his hind end before he gets into his “long pants”.
@Rustmeister:
Is that name suppose to be important?
It’s an old Internet thing called “Godwin’s Law”.
“As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.”
At which time, the person using the Nazi reference loses the debate, and the thread comes to an end.
But, in Larry’s case, I’d like to think it’s fitting.
@Rustmeister:
Ooooh….ok. Well, ya know, anyone who uses their position to force a company to give up identities for no other reason that his feelings were hurt……DAMN! Sounds like a lefty. Thin skinned, whiner! Hmmm…