Posts: 604
Threads: 148
Joined: Jul 2007
The news is they blocked the "zealot" today. They now have a closed group to coordinate starting time. We've been ignoring him for what 4 or 5 years - hasn't worked & he's upping the ante by displaying obscene visuals.
Also, this from the organizer: "If you do ONE thing today call Jessica at public works and make a complaint about the signs 961-8488. Jessica has forms printed out ready to go. She is super nice and will walk you through the process! Took all of two minutes!
If you are excited and have time to do TWO things call councilman Aaron Chung and file a complaint with him as well. 961-8272. Amy is also very nice and is waiting to hear from you."
Posts: 1,930
Threads: 71
Joined: Jun 2012
Hawaii does have a Nuisance Abatement statute. County prosecuting attorney can file suit. One definition of nuisance behavior is images or words used in public places that can cause moral harm (moral meaining good for the community).:
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/histatutes/5...V/712-1271
"(1) Whenever there is reason to believe that a nuisance as defined in this chapter is in existence, kept, or maintained in any county, the attorney general of the State or the prosecutor or prosecuting attorney of the respective counties shall, or any citizen of the State residing within such county may in the citizen's own name, or any organization, including, but not limited to a tenant organization within such county may in the organization's own name, maintain a suit to abate and prevent the nuisance and to perpetually enjoin the person or persons causing, maintaining, aiding, abetting, or permitting the nuisance, or the owner, lessee, or agent of the building, premises, or place in or upon which the nuisance exists from directly or indirectly causing, maintaining, aiding, abetting, or permitting the nuisance."
"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
Posts: 1,163
Threads: 32
Joined: Aug 2009
...or we could just change the allowed parking period at the park to 2 hours and step up parking enforcement
Posts: 103
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2012
"...maintain a suit to abate and prevent the nuisance..."
Most likely this will end up in court. If the guy doesn't have or can't afford a really good lawyer who is willing to go the distance on this First Amendment issue, this will stop, and I suppose he will be restrained, either by house arrest or jailed.
Question: Isn't the guy loitering by spending the whole day, or several hours in one location day after day? Just curious.
Posts: 4,270
Threads: 98
Joined: Mar 2014
Question: Isn't the guy loitering by spending the whole day, or several hours in one location day after day? Just curious.
------------------
Being in a public park even all day long, doesn't qualify for loitering.
Posts: 14,126
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
in a public park
Street and sidewalk are outside the park perimeter.
Posts: 1,858
Threads: 46
Joined: Apr 2015
quote:
Originally posted by KeaauRich
...or we could just change the allowed parking period at the park to 2 hours and step up parking enforcement
Do you mean work that one Hilo meter maid to death? Or hire more meter maids? Ever go to the old Hilo Post Office? Look for the new people - they are the ones putting money in the meter!
Posts: 103
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2012
What if he moved to another street, away from the park, would that resolve the matter? Or is the message the problem?
What if he stayed where he is, but completely changed his message? Let's say for argument sake that he had a picture of two lesbians in wedding dresses entitled 'Support gay marriage', would that be OK? Or a picture of a jihadist entitled 'Allahu Akbar', would that work for you?
I ask because most of you, if not all, have really trashed this guy. He has a right to free speech, just like you. I am truly grateful we have this right. Are you grateful? Should we let our govt take away this right? Is it worth it?
Has anyone asked this guy (nicely) to move to another street? Ignoring him and continuing to get angry about what he is doing seems wasteful to me.
Posts: 11,103
Threads: 756
Joined: Sep 2012
He has a right to free speech, just like you.
His photos are not free speech. In fact they are not speech at all. He doesn't use them to get his message across, he abuses them in order to shock.
What if during his "lunch hour" people brought photos of the inside of a meat packing plant to show the reality of the burger he's about to eat? Would he understand and appreciate their right to free speech and their right to educate him while he's hoping to enjoy his lunch?
In fact, maybe he would decide to join them, and bring a "Meat Reality Roadshow" to the citizens of Hilo. He could park in front of restaurants and food stores with more photographic proof of what their steaks have gone through before they made it to their plates or the neat, clean, packaged trays inside? People love the truth.
Hopefully, on this holiday weekend one of his supporters will invite him to their 4th of July barbecue. He could park his van in their backyard to educate the party goers and their children, and bring Truth! Freedom! Fireworks! to the citizens of this great nation even while others take the day off.
Or... NIMBY?
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
Posts: 1,219
Threads: 52
Joined: Dec 2014
quote:
Originally posted by SuperGu
What if he moved to another street, away from the park, would that resolve the matter? Or is the message the problem?
What if he stayed where he is, but completely changed his message? Let's say for argument sake that he had a picture of two lesbians in wedding dresses entitled 'Support gay marriage', would that be OK? Or a picture of a jihadist entitled 'Allahu Akbar', would that work for you?
I ask because most of you, if not all, have really trashed this guy. He has a right to free speech, just like you. I am truly grateful we have this right. Are you grateful? Should we let our govt take away this right? Is it worth it?
Has anyone asked this guy (nicely) to move to another street? Ignoring him and continuing to get angry about what he is doing seems wasteful to me.
The right to free speech is the right to not have GOVERNMENT control expression of ideas through any medium, including images. It does not give people the right to express what ever they want without a response from their fellow citizens.
This guy has chosen to put his opinions on a wide variety of issues in people's faces at a very prominent site. His fellow citizens have responded to him in a many different ways, including the current effort to displace him from a family park. They are within their rights to get up early and take those parking places so he cannot present his message there. He can either get up earlier or find a way to offend fewer people, but he has no right to do what he does and expect to be protected from repercussions from those who are offended that are within the law. If someone punches him in the nose because he offends them he can reasonably expect the government to prosecute. I think some of the people just don't want their children exposed to him and his followers, and would like to be able to use the park without having to explain this guy to their kids, others would object to his message anywhere.
Borden has a right to not be limited BY THE GOVERNMENT in what he says based on content, but everyone else in this country has an equal right to be offended and express that to him, including all the opinions expressed about his sanity, personality, and the chances of him turning his weapons on those he deems to not be living according to his religious dogma. The guy shows signs of a narcissistic personality, combined with religious zealotry and intolerance of any belief system other than his own, which can be a dangerous mix. Jim Jones, Charlie Manson, and the Wacco cult are just a few examples that come to mind where that combination has had tragic results.
|
