Cop 'tries to convert' pagans during arrest

[LynneSin]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45008

A traffic stop in Greer, S.C., this month is turning into a holy war of sorts, as a practicing Druid couple claim they were targeted by a Christian police officer who tried to convert them away from their pagan belief.

Debra and Tony Gainey say they were pulled over because they had a bumper sticker reading "It's A Druid Thing." Druid couple believe this bumper sticker prompted traffic stop


Tony Gainey was driving at the time of the stop June 10 and was taken into custody on charges of driving with a suspended license, operating a vehicle with an improper tag and failure to have proof of insurance.


"The reason they were stopped was the tag was improper on the vehicle," Greer police Lt. Cris Varner told WHNS-TV.

But Debra Gainey, a minister at the local Emerald Sanctuary Druidic Church, believes it was the druid sticker that prompted the traffic stop, as evinced by the conversation with officer Tony Stewart.

", 'Did those bumper stickers come on the car or did you put them on?' and I said I put them on," Debra said.

She says the officer asked if she knew what they meant.

"So he started talking to me about God and Jesus Christ. ... I just felt like he was really getting into it, I had never expected to actually follow-up with a letter or anything."

According to Mrs. Gainey, the officer sent a card and letter to her home address days later.

[jmm]

1. This person handled it better than me

I would've made a smart-ass comment about all the Pagan symbolism in Christianity and have gotten myself arrested or in serious trouble.

[youspeakmylanguage]

2. The cop was out of line, but...

...the best way to not get taken into custody on charges of driving with a suspended license, operating a vehicle with an improper tag and failure to have proof of insurance is to not drive with a suspended license, have a proper tag on your vehicle and have proof of insurance.

[havocmom]

4. True enough. And the best way for a cop to not get fired is to NOT USE

a badge and information gathered via department resources to hound citizens about religions the cop does not approve of.

Stopping a car due to outdated tag is OK. Writing up a driver who is operating the car while on a suspended license is OK. Taking the owner's home address home from work and using it to preach at them because their spiritual path might be offensive to the cop SHOULD be an offense for which the cop gets fired, then sued.

The cop was a bit further than 'out of line'. Let us hope the cop is soon out of the blue line.

[youspeakmylanguage]

5. You don't know South Carolina...

The cop will most likely get a certificate of appreciation and a promotion.

Of course the cop was wrong and unprofessional, but my point is that if you make yourself a potential target for harassment, however unfair that may be, you have to make sure you don't give the authorities a reason to bust you.

[havocmom]

6. I didn't miss nor dispute your point. And I am from the bible belt

so I have some understanding of the cultural context. I am also an advocate of picking one's fights more carefully and not borrowing trouble. That said, my addition to the discussion stands.

The cop needs to be busted for abuse of position. Period.

[LynneSin]

7. I totally agree with you

it's unfortunate thought that in some parts of the region it will not happen.

In NW Maryland, a few years ago there was a plague of racial-profiling pull-overs. It wasn't until it went to the state government that something was done to address this.

Then about a year ago a coworker told me how he was pulled over as he was returning from BWI airport (baltimore). The cop even said that he hadn't clocked how fast my co-worker was going and asked questions about where he was coming from and wanted to check the trunk of the car.

Oh, the co-worker was african-american. He and his wife were returning home a vacation. And btw, NW Maryland is Meth Labs & clan gatherings. It's not uncommon to pass a few homes along 95 that have the Confederate Flag flying from them (ask GOPisEvil - even he saw it).

So even though the state government of MD made efforts to crack down on racial profiling, in an area like NW Maryland they'll still do it because they can and because the odds are no one will do anything about it. But my co-worker did take the ticket to court and I armed him with plenty of information about the illegalities of what happened. He got the ticket dropped but nothing else was done to follow up on the issue. Somewhere out there on 95 driving through NW Maryland that cop is still pulling over cars where he sees african americans driving in them. :scared:

[havocmom]

9. I dunno, they made a judge in AL take down his 10 commandments

Guess I still see the glass as half full. And I work my ass off to make die hards behave according to rule of Constitutional Law. Just a silly thing with me. I won't accept the status quo when it is wrong.

I also have lots of cops in the family ;)

[Deja Q]

8. I must agree. Any fascist society will use any means to force its beliefs

regardless of the law.

Such harassment by the copy is way out of line.

Won't stop 'em, though.

[havocmom]

3. So Should I carry the 10 Commandments to shield me from meddlesome

agents of the government? They sure don't seem dissuaded by the Constitution anymore.

[khashka]

10. The cop shoulda kept his mouth SHUT

The druid couple did break the law (ah druids - big on trees, not so big on traffic laws) but their religion is their business, not his. I don't want to make sweeping generalizations here, but a lot of (so called) Christians seem to think they have a right to harass people about religion. And if you complain they start whining about how terribly you're discriminating against them.

I live in the Bible Belt and as a gay man and a pagan (and a few other things) I get harassed all the time. I'm sick of it.
And I don't think Jesus would be very proud.

Khash.