Today, I have to go down to the Toledo Municipal Court and pay my fine and court costs of $149 for “illegal posting” of Justice for Danny Brown stickers and Julia Bates WANTED posters all over downtown, surrounding the Lucas County Courthouse, where Julia Bates, Lucas County Persecutor, holds the fate of Danny Brown within her poor judgment, blocking his exoneration and access to civil compensation for over 19 years of wrongful imprisonment. Ms. Bates has stated that at this point it’s really about the money. Maybe she should run for treasurer rather than prosecutor. As an act of poetic justice in the face of her intransigence, I will pay my fine and court costs with bills marked with “Justice For Danny Brown .com”, as pictured below:
I couldn’t resist adding my two cents, as a tip, in case my main plea for justice is declined. Typically, I write “Money is NOT Free Speech!” on my paper bills, but in this case, since it is “all about the money”, I will pay for my not-so-free speech this way.
For better or worse, my stickering may not be a gateway crime (simply an escalating misdemeanor) — I see a lot of stick-ups in my future…
POSTSCRIPT: With three armed guards protecting my lone self entering the Toledo Municipal Court, a fortress of law, I knew that evildoers would scatter from their inevitable cross-fire should freedom get out of hand. When I handed to the clerk my stack of marked bills topped off with my shiny two cents, she proferred a blank look, as if a 5 gram copper monkey wrench had been thrown into the works. Apparently, in the give and take of life, the court is adept at take, but unfamiliar with give. With all the tender that is legal, she rendered another blank look when I added, “I prefer to offer my two cents, literally and figuratively, in these types of transactions.” I saved her from further trauma by re-claiming the two cents. A wiser guy might open an IRA or something, but I’m going to continue searching for venues where my two cents is welcome.
I have now paid my debt to society, though my rent of activism for living on this plant is still overdue.
Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream has started a campaign to amend the Constitution to overturn Citizens United. It’s called Stamp Stampede. You can buy rubber stamps that say “Corporations are Not People Money is not Free Speech”, and “Stamp Money out of Politics”. I’ve been stamping every bill that comes into my possession and then using them to pay for my purchases. Low information voters[?} seem baffled, but some do get it. The stamped bills will be seen by over 700 persons before being taken out of circulation. The only time someone refused to accept a stamped bill was at the Post Office.
Thank you for your inspiring subversive action!
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