Illegal Protest

I received this email from Terry today regarding his upcoming *jury* trial for CURSING in South Carolina. Yes, you read that correctly. In 2008, when you can turn on just about any cable channel and hear the same thing, this man is being tried for cursing. The South Carolina courts apparently have nothing better to do with their time and the money of the taxpayers of that state.

You can find his personal blog at this link if you want to know more about the background of this story. You can also find info here in my Terry Funderburk category. Below is some contact information. If you care about the rule of law and common sense, I URGE you to take 5 minutes and call some of these numbers before his jury trial on Feb 20th, just to let these idiots know that AMERICA is watching them and we aren’t going to let them get away with this nonsense!

Columbia, SC Mayor Bob Coble 803-545-3075

Chief of Police 803-545-3510

Prosecutor’s Office 803-737-4242 Fax 803-737-4250

Lone Protester- Guaranteed A Fast and Speedy Trial? 02/13/08

A few years ago I remember reading about this judge sentencing a defendant to 30 days in jail for something or other. The stupid guy jumps up, starts laughing and says “ 30 days? Heck, I can do 30 days standing on my head.” The judge slams his gavel down again, says, “and another 30 days to get yourself back up again.” I feel like that guy sometimes, how can I do something so stupid as to say a curse word and get arrested for it? How can I be so stupid as to request a trial by jury? How can I be so stupid as to refuse to plead guilty to something that I have already admitted to?

Well, I will tell you why I am so stupid. It is because that according to the United States Constitution, I have the right of free speech. Seems like the last time I checked, it said that the right to free speech will not be abridged. Unless somebody edited it out. I am so stupid that I believe in the rule of law. Even though I was never read my rights, even though I spent 22 hours in jail, even though I have been to court 5 different times, even though I am facing 30 days in jail for saying a bad word, I believe in the rule of law.

I read about a roofer in Massachusetts that was busted for being an illegal alien, he lived in a half million dollar house. Same line of work that I am in. But instead of living in a half million dollar house I am struggling to pay my bills. I hear George Bush say that we are a nation of laws, and at the same time I look out my window and see 15 illegal aliens breaking those laws. I see 3 contractors and 3 subcontractors knowingly breaking those laws at the same time. And I think about my situation at the present time. There are 21 people breaking the law within 200 feet of me and here I am currently facing the entire weight of our vaunted criminal justice system. For saying a bad word.

Here I am facing jail and 21 people get a free pass. Here I am facing jail and the guy I called a bad word gets a free pass. Here I am facing jail and the contractor and subcontractor gets a free pass. And that is not the worst. I look out the window of my truck and see my future. And that future is not in the construction industry, because sure as hell, those guys I am looking at are going to continue breaking our laws because they know almost for sure that they will never be brought to account for their crimes, like I was. And sure as hell, a year from now, maybe two, and I will no longer have a construction business. All because I have faith in the system and believe in the rule of law.

And that is why I am stupid. I am not playing the system, I am trying to abide by the rules. That is why I am going out of business. If I hired illegal aliens to work for me, like those fine upstanding Americans outside my truck are doing, then I could be making money just like they are. If I just forget about the rule of law and conduct business like those fellows do day in and day out I could be getting ahead just like they are. I could just flagrantly break our laws like they are doing without ever having to pay for it. But I can’t do that. I love this country. And I don’t like what I see out my truck window. And it makes me angry, because simply, this is supposed to be a nation of laws. We are supposed to be ruled by justice and fair play. Aren’t we?

And that is why I took the stand I did. I might be the defendant in a criminal case but I have also succeeded in putting the justice system on trial also. The prosecutor might want to keep my case to about whether I said a bad word or not but I will tell you one thing. From the amount of telephone calls his office has received since October he knows damn well that this case is about one hell of a lot more. So does the mayor, and the chief of police. They have received hundreds of calls from people all over the country giving them hell in my benefit. So, next Wednesday, Feb. 20th, they, themselves will be on trial also. They might put me in jail for saying that word, they can do their damnedest to me. But their system of justice will be tried also. The same system of justice that gives so many people free passes will be trying me because I did not get a free pass. The same corrupt, system of justice, that has enabled millions of people to break our laws is going to slam the hell out of little old me.

But I believe in the rule of law, and that in the end I am going to win. And if you stand behind me please call or fax the following people. Explain to them that they are like most politicians everywhere. That they have forgotten that they are supposed to represent the American people and the rule of law. Let them know that they and their justice system is on trial also.

Here is Terry’s first post on his blog for a little backgrounder:

My name is Terry Funderburk. I live in Columbia, SC and have a small business in the new home construction industry here. I install copper on new homes. I have been in business for almost 20 years now and always had plenty of work lined up. Usually, I had 20 to 30 jobs lined up for the next few weeks. Last year my company grossed 176 grand. I have 2 employees and a partner. (my son). This year though, things have gone to hell in a hand basket. Here we are almost into August and my business has grossed so far this year 18 grand. (by this time last year we had grossed 110 grand). So what’s different between this year and last year? Right, the illegal competition.

Let me tell you a little story that actually happened to me this week (it still seems surreal). But it begins about a month ago. Then I stopped by a home that was being rebuilt due to a lightning strike last year I knew the homeowner, I have done 2 different copper jobs on his house before it burned down. I asked him if he was planning on installing copper on the front and rear porches and he said yes, to please give him a bid on it. He said that he had an international team of roofers to install the shingles on the roof and that if I wanted the copper job to be sure to give him a low bid. He said that the international roofers got paid 4 to 5 dollars an hour for the shingles. (thats what American roofers were making in 1970). Well, I turned in a bid to him for 5 grand on the copperwork. A fair price.

So this past Monday morning was when my adventure began. (and it ain’t over by a long shot). I drove by that house early Monday, the international roofing team was hard at work installing the copper. I saw red. I got enraged. I went home, made up 2 picket signs, one said illegals, stop stealing our jobs and the other simply said Enforce our laws. I told my wife that I probably wasn’t coming home that night because I was going to protest until I got arrested and taken to jail. In route to the job I called my son and told him what I was planning to do. I asked for his support, gave him my digital camera and had him park his truck across the intersection from the job with the camera and take pictures of me protesting that job. I got my picket sign and started marching up and down the street yelling. I brought out all of the homeowners neighbors told them exactly how cheap their friend was. Every vehicle that came by I made sure they slowed down, read my sign and saw how mad I was.

After about 30 minutes of doing this a single cop showed up. He pulled over, came up to me, grabbed my sign, threw it down on the road and told me to come to his patrol car with him. I asked him if I was under arrest, he said no that he just wanted to talk to me. I told him no, I wanted his hands off me, my sign back and that I wanted to keep expressing my first amendment rights. He grabbed me forcefully then, trying to steer me to his vehicle but I immediately sat down in the middle of the road. I was still yelling because I was madder than hell at that homeowner. He cuffed my hands behind me then he real forcefully tried to pick me up so I yelled to my son, Police brutality, take a picture, lol, That cop took his hands off me then and called for a backup. The other cop arrived after 30 minutes or so and the entire time I am so pissed I yelled at everybody that came by. A lot of them gave a thumbs up. Once the cop was talking to the homeowner so I reached over and picked up my sign with my hands cuffed and yelled for my son to take a picture, (nice one too).

Well, both cops came over to me, I asked them if I was under arrest they said no. They picked me up (no help from me) and shoved me in the back of the patrol car. I looked at the homeowner while they were doing this and he had a smirk on his face so I called him a cheap bastard. I asked both cops again if I was under arrest, they both said no so I demanded to be released. Then the first cop sat in the front seat and began to write a ticket. I asked him what was the charge he said cursing. lol. I started laughing then, it was just so damn funny (and tragic). I asked him, tell me, which crime is worse, cursing, that homeowner knowingly and admitting to employing illegals or the illegals breaking the law by being here illegally? Well, I certainly found out which crime is the most serious because I spent the next 22 hours in jail for cursing. When I got out of jail Tuesday afternoon I called and emailed 8 different law firms. I went to criminal court yesterday morning (for cursing mind you). The judge asked me how did I plead. I told him I wanted a jury trial. That’s what the lawyers had advised me. Every word in this story is true. I got the pictures to prove it. And the ticket for cursing too of course. My trial should be within the next 3 to six weeks, I’m just about bankrupt because of all the illegal competition, but I swear to God if I am found guilty of cursing I will take it all the way to the supreme court. I listened to Michael Savage the other evening and he said that there were 30 illegal Hispanics outside his studio protesting something he said over the air. He said that they sounded like they were offended and then he said that there are 180 million Americans offended by the millions of illegals flooding across our southern border but of the 2 groups who is our politicians and government listening to. The 30 illegals of course.

But I tell you what, it is way past time for the American people to put their feet down, to get rid of most of the bums in Washington and locally and get this country back to the way it was before it became politically correct. The way things are going these days I fear for the future of my kids and grandkids. Is there anybody out there with me or can offer me any advice? Thanks for reading a tragic story from a very outraged patriot. Terry Funderburk

PS Almost forgot, but I am not one of Senator Lindsey Grahams bigots(this fellow is gone come Nov 08). I am married to a beautiful lady from the Philippines. It cost 15 grand in visa and lawyer fees to get her here LEGALLY. The process took 2 years. She didn’t have a border to just stroll across like our southern neighbors love to do all the time. Terry Funderburk, lone protester.