I found this article about "Scabby the Rat" on CNN.com (before commenting on this blog, I would suggest reading the short article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/05/scabby.rat.free.speech/index.html). "Scabby the Rat" is an inflatable rat which has been used "by labor unions as street theater since 1990 to protest anti-union activities." (www.cnn.com) The police had fined $100 against an official from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers because of Scabby, and ordered for it to be deflated due to the aesthetic and safety issues Scabby presented. The workers protested that they had the right to display Scabby, and that the fine was in violation of their first amendment rights. Conclusively, the judges ruled FOR the union-workers, and the town's restrictions on expressive displays "do not justify a content-based restriction of non-commercial speech." (www.cnn.com)
After reading this article, I realized that, obviously, the United States is utterly and irrevocably BORED. What happened to getting together with thousands of pe
ople and protesting against wars, having peace rallies (a.k.a hippie-fests), burning "the flag" while listening to free-spirited rock music? Protesting for some inflatable RAT seems hardly comparable. Come on America, get back to your angry roots! Let's protest against something really interesting. Enough said!
