Sheriff investigated for using Obama's full name

[DougMD]

Hands up! You're under arrest for saying 'Hussein Obama!'
Posted by Bobby Eberle
October 9, 2008 at 5:57 am
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We have seen many changes in this great nation which have been brought about by left wing activists. As kids, we used to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Now, it's being attacked in the courts. We used to say a prayer in the morning before school or at football games. Socialists in America have deemed that "offensive" and the practice has all but disappeared. Christmas displays honoring the birth of Christ trigger convulsions by the Left, who say that we shouldn't make people feel "uncomfortable" with our manger scenes.
Now, we can't even say what we want to say in public because not only will the thought police be on patrol, but, using a recent event in Florida as an example, saying "Hussein Obama" in public might just get you a visit from the FBI. Just ask Florida's Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott who is under fire -- and investigation -- for referring to Obama at a campaign rally by his -- gasp -- full name. What is going on with America?

At a rally in Estero, Florida on Monday for Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the pre-rally speakers was Sheriff Scott. Now, anyone who has been to a political rally knows that the job of the warm-up speakers is to do exactly as the name implies: warm-up the audience. Whether the audience is cheering wildly or booing loudly, the pre-rally speakers are there to wake them up and get them going. So... according to ABC News, Sheriff Scott stepped to the podium and said, "On November 4, let's leave Barack Hussein Obama wondering what happened."
Oh, the shock of it all! Speaking someone's full legal name in public! When asked about the "incident," Sheriff Scott responded by saying:
[blockquote]
"œI absolutely, unequivocally don"™t regret saying it,"� Scott told the News-Press on Monday. "œIn order to be a speaker at this event, I had to give my full name "” Michael Joseph Scott "” to the Secret Service, even though I"™m the sheriff of Lee County. So why would I apologize? Is there some kind of double standard here where I have to give my full name, but I can"™t use his?"�
"œUnless he changed his name, my position hasn"™t changed,"� said Scott of Obama. "œIt seems very clear to me that people have one of three stances on this thing: There are those who dislike it, there are those who like it, and there are those who think it"™s a whole big deal about nothing, which is where I stand."�
[/blockquote]
As noted in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze, the Palin campaign responded by issuing the following statement:
[blockquote]
"œWe do not condone this inappropriate rhetoric which distracts from the real questions of judgment, character and experience that voters will base their decisions on this November."�
[/blockquote]
Fair enough. If Palin or anyone else wants to say the usage of Barack Hussein Obama is inappropriate, he or she has a right to do so. But Sheriff Scott also has a right to say what he wants to say without fear of reprisal by the government. However, according to a local Florida NBC affiliate, Sheriff Scott's remark has now earned him an investigation by the federal government.
The NBC station reports that officials with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel have started an investigation of the Sheriff under the question of "did he use his position as sheriff to influence an election? If so, he could be in violation of a federal election law called the Hatch Act." The basis the Feds are using is whether Scott was campaigning while on duty and in uniform.
Sheriff Scott responded to the NBC story with the following statement:
[blockquote]
"I am on duty 24/7 and 365 whether in or out of uniform. Like every other elected official, I am aware of from President to Governor to State Representatives, etc. We engage in political activities whether for ourselves as candidates or for others. As of this writing, I am unaware of having done anything to generate all this attention other than using the senator's full name."
[/blockquote]
The question is this... If Sheriff Scott had not said "Barack Hussein Obama," do you really think he would now be under investigation? If you answered "no," then that should send a shiver down your spine, because it means that the government is imposing pressure and creating a public example of Scott for simply saying someone's name.
Whether the investigation leads to charges or legal action is not the point. The point is that government intimidation is being brought to bear for someone exercising his first amendment right to free speech. This is wrong, regardless of whether you think his usage of Barack Hussein Obama was appropriate or not. This is still America, isn't it?
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[wahoohunter]

The only reason it was being looked in to is because the way in which he said it was to insinuate that Obama is Muslim. Had he cordially said the full name, nothing would have been made of it, however, from what I've read, he emphasized "Hussein." And, while this really shouldn't be a big deal, in a professional environment, its not the correct way to act.

With the increasing negativity in the McCain campaign, I think this by itself would be that big of a deal. But, then again, in a recent McCain campaign when Palin was speaking of Obama a member of the crowd went uncorrected in yelling above the crowd "KILL HIM!" speaking of Obama. All this stuff is just starting to give McCain an even worse rep

[cr422]

This emphasis on Hussein is nonsense as far as I'm concerned. If he were a conservative Republican we wouldn't care what his name is. What I dislike about Obama is his Marxist politics, not his name.

On the other hand, the sheriff was politicking, just like all politicians do. What's the difference between emphasizing "Hussein" to those who are moved by that silliness and "McSame" or "lipstick on a pig?"

[Arthur P]

This IS still America and we've got laws. The sheriff might have broken the law by participating in a campaign rally while in uniform. The fact it was a Republican rally is neither here nor there. It's the DOJ under a Republican administration that's investigating.

If he'd just introduced Palin at the rally, nothing. By mentioning Obama's name, particularly emphasizing Hussein - which you can see being thrown around even here on the forum as an insult to Obama and inferring he's a islamic terrorist - he actually did make a political comment, on stage, before national media cameras, and in uniform, lending the official power of his office to his comment. He didn't once refer to either Palin or McCain by their full names.

After some of the reactions that have been shouted from the crowd at Palin rallies in the past week, the Secret Service is getting pretty nervous. The sheriff had to know that because I assume he was briefed before the event. So, he goes up there and makes that comment. I knew right then he was in trouble. Pretty stupid play on his part.

[DougMD]

It's a one-way street. Sounds like censorship against republicans to me. Where is the ACLU?

[cr422]

ORIGINAL: Arthur P

This IS still America and we've got laws. The sheriff might have broken the law by participating in a campaign rally while in uniform.

It doesn't say he's getting jacked up for participating in a campaign rally in uniform. The focus is on his use of the word "Hussein" with the campaign even saying that his comment was "inappropriate."

But if he's not allowed to campaign because of his office, the campaign should have kept him off the podium.

[ipscshooter]

ORIGINAL: Arthur P

If he'd just introduced Palin at the rally, nothing. By mentioning Obama's name, particularly emphasizing Hussein - which you can see being thrown around even here on the forum as an insult to Obama and inferring he's a islamic terrorist - he actually did make a political comment, on stage, before national media cameras, and in uniform, lending the official power of his office to his comment. He didn't once refer to either Palin or McCain by their full names.

Is there something in the article where it says he was "particularly emphasizing Hussein"?

[wahoohunter]

How is it censorship against Republicans? Obama doesn't run around saying McSame or anything else that as used as insult on this forum. Just because the dems take the higher ground when dealing with their vernacular doesn't mean that republicans are subject to censorhip, it means they make poor word choices.

[Arthur P]

Is there something in the article where it says he was "particularly emphasizing Hussein"?

I'm retired and don't have anything better to do than watch this stuff. I've turned into a political junkie. So, I watched it while he was doing it. That was my take on what I saw. MY opinion of the actual event, not from reading an article.

I didn't know what he was doing was illegal at the time, but I knew it was an awfully stupid thing for him to do. That little salute he popped off when he got the crowd reaction sealed the deal.

[cr422]

ORIGINAL: Arthur P

I'm retired and don't have anything better to do than watch this stuff. I've turned into a political junkie. So, I watched it while he was doing it. That was my take on what I saw. MY opinion of the actual event, not from reading an article.

I didn't know what he was doing was illegal at the time, but I knew it was an awfully stupid thing for him to do. That little salute he popped off when he got the crowd reaction sealed the deal.

Was he in uniform?