T-Shirts Banned in Texas

DurangoKid

Man wearing a Pro-Second Amendment T-Shirt in Texas not allowed to vote. Texas law does not allow this.


http://www.kens5.com/news/Hempstead-voter-wearing-pro-gun-T-shirt-turned-away-from-the-polls--246712281.html

Teach

When my brother was a rookie lawyer (first year of his practice) he and his wife (also a legal beagle) had a case before the SCOTUS protesting a similar law in Tennessee. They lost!
Jerry

Make_My_Day

That is considered a political message.....something I believe is banned in Florida as well.

Buford

Make_My_Day wrote: »

That is considered a political message.....something I believe is banned in Florida as well.

That's pretty much the rule everywhere.

Teach

That's why the Supreme Court took my brother's case. Their ruling set a legal precedent nationwide.
Jerry

Fat Billy

Don't like skull emblems. :nono: Later,

samzhere

Make_My_Day wrote: »

That is considered a political message.....something I believe is banned in Florida as well.

Add to this the fact that on the ballot, there's a referendum about concealed carry.

When I voted yesterday, I chose to wear a blank pullover shirt instead of my Montrose Beer and Gun club shirt, ha ha.

Make_My_Day

samzhere wrote: »

Add to this the fact that on the ballot, there's a referendum about concealed carry.

When I voted yesterday, I chose to wear a blank pullover shirt instead of my Montrose Beer and Gun club shirt, ha ha.

Yep, they probably would have turned you out for that.

Make_My_Day

Buford wrote: »

That's pretty much the rule everywhere.

I had never thought a pro-2A shirt would qualify as a no-no at the polls. I learned something today.

snake284

This is totally wrong. How can this be? The Second Amendment is not an issue with this election. Sounds like a bit ol violation of the First Amendment to me. I mean you can burn a flag but not have a constitutional amendment on a T-shirt? Hell it's alreay an amendment and been one for over 200 years. How can that be illegal? And this lady, Tamika Francis, was turned away from a poll for wearing a t-shirt with Obummer on it. Hell, you guys know I'm no fan of his, but for God Sake, he's our sitting Prez!!! How can that be right?

samzhere

Make_My_Day wrote: »

I had never thought a pro-2A shirt would qualify as a no-no at the polls. I learned something today.

Any sort of shirt logo or statement that supports a political view is judged as "campaigning" and that's not allowed in the polling place, distance from the venue is required. An Obama shirt would also be banned (realize that there are both Democrat and Republican poll watchers).

The guy who wore the shirt wan't too fazed by the denial. I kinda think he wore it deliberately to see what happened.

samzhere

snake284 wrote: »

This is totally wrong. How can this be? etc etc

It can be because Tx law forbids any sort of sign, logo, banner, or shirt emblem that is political to be worn near a polling place. If we let the 2A and Obama shirts in, then everybody voting would be wearing pro- or anti- stuff all garlanded around, to get attention. It's electioneering and it's not allowed in the polling place. I think the law is sensible so long as it's enforced equally.

snake284

samzhere wrote: »

It can be because Tx law forbids any sort of sign, logo, banner, or shirt emblem that is political to be worn near a polling place. If we let the 2A and Obama shirts in, then everybody voting would be wearing pro- or anti- stuff all garlanded around, to get attention. It's electioneering and it's not allowed in the polling place. I think the law is sensible so long as it's enforced equally.

I disagree Sam. I think it's a crock. In fact I really have a problem with this law in the first place. It sounds like Libtard Legislation to me.

JasonMPD

snake284 wrote: »

I disagree Sam. I think it's a crock. In fact I really have a problem with this law in the first place. It sounds like Libtard Legislation to me.

I'm on the fence here. While I think I lean more on the side of agreeing with it. Outside the polls, fine. But the polling area should be sterile and free from any political distraction.

If it is EQUALLY enforced, I see no issue with it. If ya didn't sway a vote before they got to the poll, it ain't gonna happen there.

snake284

JasonMPD wrote: »

I'm on the fence here. While I think I lean more on the side of agreeing with it. Outside the polls, fine. But the polling area should be sterile and free from any political distraction.

If it is EQUALLY enforced, I see no issue with it. If ya didn't sway a vote before they got to the poll, it ain't gonna happen there.

And that's my point. If somebody gets swayed by a T-Shirt they don't sound very commited to their cause. I can see people standing around the polls looking threatning like was reported to have happended at a Philadelphia polling area in 2008. That should be illegal and really is. But people wearing a T-shirt displaying something that's not even a political issue in the upcoming election is too controlling for my tastes.

Diver43

Snake it is a law being enforced for both sides. Would your opinion be different if the shirt said something like "ban all guns"?

Jayhawker

I've seen candidates from both sides escorted away from the polling place by the police when they were glad-handing after they voted and hung around too long....this is fine with me, as long as the same set of rules apply to all sides...

snake284

Diver43 wrote: »

Snake it is a law being enforced for both sides. Would your opinion be different if the shirt said something like "ban all guns"?

I get what you mean Diver, but to me it just sounds a little anal. I mean a Tee Shirt? I just feel it's over kill. I would say if it was some hot subject and the election had some issues pertaining to the message on the shirt, I would agree. But the Second Amendment is part of our Constitution and Barak Obama IS our president. I don't get where either one is offensive or would sway any votes. It just feels like a little too much control. But each to his/her own. It's the law and I'm only one vote and one opinion, so whether I disagree or not, I have to live with it. But I can exercise my right to dissension.

Pelagic Kayaker

samzhere wrote: »

I kinda think he wore it deliberately to see what happened.

But it's perfectly acceptable when the Black Panther douchbags block polling places with clubs. God forbid we upset the 'black community'.

DurangoKid

Is the Bill Of Rights a political party statement? Is the 2nd Amendment a Republican intrusion into the right to vote? The Bill Of Rights was written about 90 years before the Republican party was founded. Would it be OK to wear a shirt quoting the 1st Amendment? Does the 1st Amendment stop at the voting booth?

You think he wore it to see what the authorities would say? It seems the Founding Fathers wrote it to see what King George would say. How did that work out?:iwo:

rberglof

I have never seen anyone wear a shirt or have a sign that had anything political on it at a polling place, I could see that in the wrong place this could lead to violence.
As far as the Black Panthers I think that was mostly just OK with this administration (Obama and Holder).

coolgunguy

Jayhawker wrote: »

I've seen candidates from both sides escorted away from the polling place by the police when they were glad-handing after they voted and hung around too long....this is fine with me, as long as the same set of rules apply to all sides...

:that: Much ado about not much. You can argue that the 2A shouldn't be a 'political' issue, but the fact is that it IS an issue, along with just about everything else these days. So long as polling place sterility is equally enforced, I have no problem...

DurangoKid

Once we view the Constitution as only another political bargaining chip it will be just another piece of paper. Do you really advocate that?

NN

I wonder if belt buckles qualify for the ban.

shootbrownelk

The last election go-a-round I wore my PETA (people eating tasty animals) T-shirt, and got a bunch of thumbs-ups and no negativity. The folks running the show didn't seem to notice, or didn't care. There's nothing about guns on it though. But after all, this is Wyoming!

DurangoKid

I expect so. I have seen a number of fellows with pro-gun tattoos on their arms? Is this a prelude to being questioned before being allowed to vote? Bend over and grab your angles. We must check out everything.

olesniper

snake284 wrote: »

This is totally wrong. How can this be? The Second Amendment is not an issue with this election. Sounds like a bit ol violation of the First Amendment to me. I mean you can burn a flag but not have a constitutional amendment on a T-shirt? Hell it's alreay an amendment and been one for over 200 years. How can that be illegal? And this lady, Tamika Francis, was turned away from a poll for wearing a t-shirt with Obummer on it. Hell, you guys know I'm no fan of his, but for God Sake, he's our sitting Prez!!! How can that be right?

Actually......it is.

Quote from the story:

"The Republican Primary ballot includes a proposition asking for a yes or no vote on expanded support for the 2nd Amendment and the places where a concealed weapon can be legally carried. Under the Texas Election Code rule the proposition is a “measure” and Driskill’s pro-2nd Amendment shirt considered “electioneering” or campaigning for his point of view and is treated the same as those yard signs kept 100 feet from the voting entrance at the courthouse."

samzhere

Pelagic Kayaker wrote: »

But it's perfectly acceptable when the Black Panther douchbags block polling places with clubs. God forbid we upset the 'black community'.

Well, of course you're right. But don't forget that I'm in Texas and that makes a big difference. The Panthers were in the liberal eastern states, Pennsylvania (Philly) I think, can't remember where, but certainly not in a "red" state.

btw, when's the move to San Antonio?

Pelagic Kayaker

samzhere wrote: »

Well, of course you're right. But don't forget that I'm in Texas and that makes a big difference. The Panthers were in the liberal eastern states, Pennsylvania (Philly) I think, can't remember where, but certainly not in a "red" state.

btw, when's the move to San Antonio?

Not till this summer Sam. Hopefully before the big summer heat. Have some stupid union crap getting in the way of a seniority swap at work. Company had no problem but the union is flipping a beech about transfering my hire date. God how I hate unions! Entering management is looking better and better ...then the union can kiss my a##!!

samzhere

Pelagic Kayaker wrote: »

..then the union can kiss my a##!!

As one river said to the other, "My sediments exactly."