By William R. Toler

A school district in Ohio has suspended a student for showing support for his favorite NFL team…on his head.

Dustin Reader, an eighth-grader at Garfield Middle School in Halmiton, Ohio was given in-school suspension by the principal for having stripes and a “B” shaved into his head in support of the Cincinnati Bengals, according to the News Journal.

The newspaper reports that Reader had barely gotten off of his bike when he was sent to the office. School officials say Reader violated the school’s code of conduct which bans “unnaturally colored hair, extreme/distracting makeup, haircuts and hairstyles.”

 His parents don’t see what the fuss is about. James Reader, the boy’s father, says it’s about his son’s pride in the team’s 6-2 season. “It’s not racist, not drug-related, not gang-related or anything like that. It’s about football.”

Reader’s mother, Tina Wanamaker, said, “He’s had designs on his head before and no one said anything.” His parents told the News Journal that once he had the word “Lost” buzzed on his head and was told by the school to fix it, but didn’t get into trouble.

His barber, Chris Campbell, said he’s shaved designs for students who attend several schools in Halmiton, but “never has anyone come back to me and said they needed it cut out because they were being harassed in school.”

School officials say he will stay on in-school suspension until it grows back or is fixed.

Reader’s parents are behind him “100 percent” and say they’re not going to fix it.

I think the barber has the situation pegged. The young man is being harrassed. Not by other students picking on him thinking he has a stupid haircut, but by those in charge of educating him for not looking like everyone else.

According to the precedent set in Tinker v. Des Moines, the form of expression must be proven to be a distraction before diciplinary action can be taken. Reader wasn’t even given a chance.

When are the indoctrination centers going to accept that the Constitution applies to everyone, children included?

By William R. Toler

I wouldn’t classify myself as a cop-hater…but several run-ins with law enforcement officials have left me with a less-than-favorable opinion. Two of those occasions happened to be with Jerry’s Brownshirts*. It may be due to my knack for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Just that circumstance seems to infer guilty until proven innocent.

(* A less than flattering term I coined for Craven County deputies under Sheriff Jerry Monette….akin to Jerry Monette and his secret police as described by former Vanceboro Voice publisher Art Manning)

Back in the winter of 2004, I was feeling a little down and decided to take a drive. While meandering through the backroads of northeastern Craven County I felt like being by the water, which usually has a soothing effect on me. Since I didn’t want to go into New Bern, I opted for the Wildlife boat landing just north of Bridgeton. It has a nice open view of the river with a few lights sprinkled about on the other side.

As I drove up I noticed a burgundy Chevy Blazer bearing the markings of the Craven County Sheriff ’s Office. “Hmmm…,” I thought. “I wonder what he’s doing down here.” I decided to stay because I figured turning around would raise suspicion. Since I was doing nothing wrong I pulled up and parked. The view was dark, but nice on the dark December night.

Several minutes later, I saw the Blazer start to move. I figured the deputy was heading to another location. That location, was directly behind my car.

The young deputy, who appeared younger than me, approached my window and we went through the normal drill. When asked why I was at the landing in the late evening, I told him I just wanted to sit by the water and relax. He informed me that the landing was a popular drug spot in the area and asked me if I did drugs. “Just nicotine, caffeine and the occasional alcohol,” I responded. Apparently he didn’t believe me because he repeated the question several times before asking me to step out of the vehicle.

Not being one to start too much trouble I obliged. He then padded me down, reaching in one of my pockets and pulling out an ink pen. One thing I thought was odd was that he didn’t check my boots. Following the search he then asked to search my car. Being ignorant of the Fourth Amendment provisions, I once again allowed a warrantless search. Of course, my thought was, “What’s the big deal? I’ve got nothing to hide.”

After the vehicle search, I was allowed to leave. Although by this point my nerves were shot and I had no chance of getting the peace of mind I had gone there for.

The second incident happened a few months ago when Corey was in town. We had just left a local bar and I was taking him back to his mom’s house. Not being too familiar with the side streets in the neighborhood, I turned too early and then turned the wrong way once I got on the road she lives on. When I turned left I noticed a New Bern Police car down the street on the right.

As I drove back out to Simmons Street, I decided that I would just make a big circle back. The police car followed me onto Simmons and then when I turned right onto MLK Blvd. After staying behind me for about a quarter-mile, the car went around and pulled in front of me. It just so happened that as I decided to turn down Fort Totten Road, so did the cops. I joked that they probably thought I was trying to be a jackass.

Not to raise suspicion, I gave my signal to turn right before they did. I followed them with a right turn onto Trent Road where they eventually pulled off to the side. I kept going, keeping sight of them in my mirror until they were out of sight.

Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, I waited and turned right onto Simmons before turning onto the correct side street. I noticed the cops were behind me again. I was careful to stop at all stop signs. When I pulled up by the willow tree at his mom’s house, the blue lights came on. “Oh great,” I said as I turned to Corey.

The two police officers got out and came to the passenger-side door, shining their Mag lights in our faces. Again, I went through the usual rigamarole. This time, they asked to see Corey’s license. He politely asked why, since because he was a passenger doesn’t have to carry one. They informed us that there had been some vehicle break-ins in the area. Since they were investigated, he played along.

About that time, backup arrived. We probably would have been there longer if not for the backup officer, who had been campus police at Craven Community College while we were there. She recognized and vouched for us and the area was soon clear. Thanks Trish.

The most recent encounter happened Nov. 10 between 1:30 and 2 a.m. while on my way back home from getting groceries after work. I was driving through Bridgeton when I noticed a deputy up ahead checking out a parking lot of a local business. I wondered what was going on. I kept driving and noticed the deputy pull behind me.

He was keeping a close distance as cops usually do when they drive behind you. I tried to stay unintimidated thinking he would just keep north on the highway after I turned off to take the backroads home. I assumed wrong, as I usually do. Immediately following my turn, he turned behind me and put on his lights. “Is my turn signal out,” I wondered.

I pulled over, shifted to park and turned off my car. About a minute later he came walking up to the window. “Hey William, how ya doin’,” he asked. “Pretty good,” I replied, shocked that he knew my name already. Apparently he had already ran my plates.

“Got your license on ya?”

“Sure do.” I handed it over.

“You live right up the road here, don’t ya?”

“Yeah…” I started looking at him trying to read his badge, which was impossible from the glare. “I’m tryin’ to figure out who you are since you know so much about me.”

“You don’t know me.”

He then said there had been a report of someone driving careless and reckless through Bridgeton, and I was the only one around. After that he took my license back with him to his car, leaving me to sit and think for several minutes. “Did you see me driving careless and reckless?”

He then came back and half-heartedly apoligized and said a car the “looked just like this one” had been called in, and let me go.

To quote the band Corporate Avenger, “I don’t fault the police.”  I know they’re just “trying to do their job.” But it does upset me when I’m involved in an altercation for being completely innocent.

By William R. Toler

A North Carolina congressman is writing a book about his regret in a controversial decision.

Walter B. Jones Jr. (R) is penning a book called “My Daddy’s Not Dead Yet” chronicaling his remorse for casting his vote giving former President George W. Bush the go-ahead to invade Iraq in, according to NationalJournal.com.

The title of  the book comes from the quote of a little boy in a school at Camp Lejeune whose father was a Marine serving in Iraq in 2007. “My daddy’s not dead yet,” the boy repeated, which made Jones even more uneasy about the decision he came out against in 2006. “I didn’t vote my conscience,” Jones said.

“We’re trying to police the world,” Jones said. “Every great nation prior to America that tried to police the world has failed economically. That’s why I tell people that I’m a Pat Buchanan American. I want to stop trying to take care of the world and fix this country. Our problems are so deep that there is no easy way to fix them.”

Jones has been a huge supporter of the military, rightfully so with several bases in his district.  

“The American people have no idea of what’s coming as it relates to taking care of those veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Jones said.

Any proceeds from his book will go toward those helping the wounded soldiers in the current war zones.

By Richard C. Evey
Libertarian/Patriot

The platform of the Libertarian Party states “We support restitution of the victim to the fullest degree possible at the expense of the criminal or the negligent wrong doer.”

To this end, if someone takes, damages, harms or destroys my property, they, the wrong doer, owes me restitution. That restitution would be payment, return of property or making the property whole again, if possible.

That being said: someone takes my life, my property, that person owes me restitution. I may be dead but do I not deserve restitution for loss of my property, my life, my right to live? It will not return me to life but they took my life, should they not give up their life?

People take property, destroy property to the point that it could never be returned to it’s original state. Restitution must be paid, one way or the other.

If the wrong doer is slam dunk guilty of the crime of depriving me of my property, my life, does not that person owe me restitution, their life? When that form of restitution is made then the guilty should and must suffer the same fate that their victim suffered. To call it state-sanctioned revenge, is like calling a drug dealer an unlicensed pharmacist. Confusing the issue with double speak is not facing the issue of restitution to the victim.

There are people who’s conviction can, should, could and must be looked into for the possibility of a miscarriage of justice. The justice system is very flawed. The people who committed the crime and those who facilitate the justice system must be held accountable.

I have always though that if there is a miscarriage of justice, the person or persons who took part or had dealings in that miscarriage, should have to make restitution to the victim and be held accountable. That restitution could be the same fate that the accused faced.

If a person is slam dunk guilty of a crime they must give restitution to their victim. That includes their life if they took a life.

The United States Constitution states in the Eighth Amendment: “nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” The type of punishment inflicted on people back when our founders set up the constitution was unforgivable. Compare the criminals of today, they are having a church social. The opinion that the criminal should not have to suffer (prison or death) is bleeding heart CRAP.

Those that preach that criminals should not be in prison, we should not have the death penalty or prison should be a place of reeducation/ relearning are you identifying with the criminal element. Many people in prison are better off than most people on the outside.

People must look inside of themselves and look to the victim. Make themselves the victim. In short make the crime personal. Would you want the person who killed your spouse/ child walking the street, living near your home so you can help them? Would you want a rapist, one who raped you, your spouse, your child, walking the street, living next to you?

These criminals are lower than snake spit. There is little to nothing that can help them. They are just plain evil and they deserve nothing except prison or giving of their life for what they took.

If you are in favor of restitution but against the death penalty than you are very hypocritical.

Restitution must be paid!

By William R. Toler

Last week, WCTI-12 reported on a group of Muslims in Pitt County who are against the H1N1 vaccine.

“It’s a vaccination that has been placed out and not been fully experimented and may cause injury to those who are injected with that vaccination,” Remonia Muhammad told the New Bern-based television station. She believes that the vaccine was contrived purely for profit. “The question needs to be asked how much money are the pharmaceutical companies making off producing the vaccination…of course it’s a money making business.”

Muhammad is not alone in her assessment. Dr. Len Horowitz and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny have both issued their concerns about the swine flu vaccine as well as vaccinations in general. Nurses have also expressed concern over mandatory vaccinations and being threatened with their jobs should they refuse.

For years, Dr. Horowitz has researched and claimed that many viruses of the past 60 years have been created using the “Problem, Reaction, Solution” scenario in which a larger force creates a problem, causing panic and then creates the solution…and profits.

Ever since I first learned what a vaccination really was, I’ve been skeptical of them. Over the past year I have heard the two doctors on Coast to Coast A.M., especially since the recent HINI “outbreak” earlier this year, and have become even more skeptical of vaccines and western medicine in general.

On her Web site, Dr. Tenpenny lists several ingredients of the regular flu shot which include: egg proteins, sucrose, resin and thimerosal (mercury).

Back in May, she published an article on the recent flu stating about the “outbreak ” in 1976:

The absolute belief in the effectiveness of vaccines resulted in the disability of 532 people who contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a life-threatening form of paralysis. While many recovered in the ensuing months, at least 33 died and up to 10 percent remained paralyzed to varying degrees for the rest of their lives. While vaccine manufacturers reaped the rewards of government handouts to make vaccines, and secured legislation to protect them from liability (the Swine Flu Act of 1976), more than $1.3 billion of tax payer dollars were released to compensate those who had been injured by the swine flu vaccine.

Of course you have the public health shills who contend that vaccines are safe and recipients “may experience minor side affects such as soreness or redness at the site of the injection,” as Joey Huff of the Lenoir County Health Department told Newschannel 12.

I’m not telling anyone whether or not to get vaccinated. Do your own research and make your own decisions. Do not just blindly take the hype and help thrown at you by the mainstream media and governmental health officials.

Four years ago, something new came to the “Bear City.”

House Ad on the back page of the first issue.

Four years ago, the dream of three young men came true.

Four years ago, the first issue of the Independent Register hit countertops, wire racks and crude news boxes across Craven County.

It was the result of a college camaraderie, several months of planning and an entire weekend with almost no sleep.

It was a small paper: Eight pages-two sections with color fronts. But in this case, size didn’t matter.

The three-man staff of Corey Friedman, Eric Voliva and William R. Toler took every picture, designed every page and wrote every article, with the exception of a short article from friend and frequent house guest Danelle Wylder,  a front page story by CCC student Charlotte Bird about a visit to the college from Frank Capra, Jr. and a pro-marijuana op-ed by New Bern High School senior Amanda DaSilva.

At the time, it was one of Craven County’s two alternative newspapers, the other being the Vanceboro Voice which served as an inspiration to the aspiring publishers.

Through its 9-issue print run, the Independent Register consisted of coverage of local festivals, snappy editorials and topics not touched by the mainstream daily. It even followed the New Bern Bears varsity football team to the state championship game. It was community journalism at its best.

Other contributions to the content included photos by friends Evan Brinkley and Jessica Simpson and the witty writings of columnists Sandra Ervin Adams and Stephen Lewis. The only letters to the editor ever received were from Richard C. Evey, who is now a frequent contributer to this blog. More acknowledgements can be found on the “Thanks” page.

Though it was a costly venture and didn’t survive, the three founders don’t regret any minute of the experience.

When recalling the decision for choosing the picture that was used above the fold on the front page (for a story on the damage from Hurrican Ophelia), Toler and Friedman will quote, “Nothing says ‘New Bern’ like a big-ass bear!”

By Corey Friedman

Sometimes, explained Sigmund Freud, a cigar is just a cigar. And sometimes, it’s the First Amendment.

Craven Community College recently banned all tobacco products on campus.

Craven Community College sneaked an unconstitutional prior restraint rule in its tobacco-free campus policy this spring, and administrators appear unwilling to revise the problematic provision.

Included with the college’s ban on cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco on campus property is a declaration that student publications may not publish ads for tobacco products and student groups can’t accept money or gifts from tobacco companies. While this arrangement may sound palatable to some antismoking advocates, it violates students’ First Amendment right to free speech and free association.

Student newspapers are shielded from administrative censorship by an impressive and ever-growing body of constitutional case law. Colleges may not choose which advertisements their campus papers may accept. Federal courts have struck down a Michigan community college’s ban on ads for a nude dance club in its student paper and ruled that state officials in Pennsylvania couldn’t oust ads for alcoholic beverages.

As a former CCC student and former college newspaper editor, I was appalled to learn that a public health initiative had been misused to prohibit protected speech. I wrote to Dr. Catherine Chew, the college president, and Kathy Beal, a vice president, on Aug. 26.

“While Craven Community College may choose as an institution not to endorse tobacco use,” I wrote, “as an extension of the state of North Carolina, it cannot prevent student newspapers from accepting advertisements simply because it wishes to discourage adult citizens from using the products those ads promote.”

In my message to Chew and Beal, I pointed out that no student publications at Craven currently accept advertising. The Communication Club publishes a monthly newsletter and meets its expenses without ad revenue. While no present publications are affected by the tobacco ad ban, its existence remains a threat to free speech. A group of students could choose next week, next semester or next year to start a newspaper or magazine, and they would be subject to this needless, meddlesome and unlawful restriction.

Unfortunately, Craven has a reputation of recalcitrance when it comes to acknowledging student press rights. In October 2004, then-President Scott Ralls seized a shipment containing every copy of that month’s issue and refused to release the papers until student editors agreed to blot out the address of an arrested student with correction fluid. Months later, a controversial sex column led Ralls to propose a censorship panel that would review and approve content before the paper could be printed.

First Amendment watchdogs and student press groups intervened, and the college quickly backpedaled, passing an agreement to respect the Campus Communicator’s editorial independence in June 2005. Just four short years later, amnesiac administrators have forgotten the valuable lessons learned when they fought the law and, as the song goes, the law won.

Beal defended the unconstitutional ad ban in a Sept. 16 response to my letter, arguing that the 1998 Big Tobacco settlement — which prevents tobacco companies from targeting minors in their ads — somehow allows the college to prohibit tobacco advertising in a newspaper written by and for adult college students.

“The College’s current policy is carefully founded upon a historical basis for regulating tobacco products, the Master Settlement Agreement of which North Carolina is a settling state, the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund, and the regulatory grid to which tobacco products and smoking are currently subject,” Beal wrote.

While tobacco companies are subject to the terms of the 1998 settlement — which include restrictions on advertising — newspapers, magazines and other media are not. Of course, pre-emptive bans on lawful ads constitute prior restraint of the press and are in clear conflict with the First Amendment.

I explained this to Vice President Beal and suggested she seek guidance from the college’s legal counsel or request an advisory opinion from the state attorney general. I hope the policy will be revised and the unlawful portions stricken, but I fear Craven will again ignore its legal and moral obligation to preserve student rights.

Repressive policies such as Craven’s tobacco ad ban are based in fear and mistrust. Many student newspapers allowed to operate freely choose to reject cigarette and smokeless tobacco advertisements. Why don’t you let future student editors make that decision, President Chew?

After all, it is legally their choice to make — not yours.

By William R. Toler

It seems there have been a number of scams in order to rip off the public in the past several months. But these scams are actually encouraged and promoted. The government even had its hand in one of them.

During the Cash for Clunkers scam, motorists were encouraged by the government and the mainstream media to turn in their older vehicles for up to $4500 cash for the purchase of a new, fuel-efficient car. There were several problems with this deal.

First off, dealerships had to pay the cash out of their own coffers, to be later reimbursed by the government after filling out convoluted paperwork. As of Sept. 11, only 40 percent had been paid back.

Second, it was just unneccesary government spending that created a false spike in the economy. I guess Congres decided to follow the old adage, “You have to spend money to make money.”

Third, it wasn’t worth it for the public. Those who had their cars paid for added to their debt with a new car payment and now have to pay more for insurance. It also created a shortage in cheaper used cars for those who can’t afford a new car, as the old “clunkers” were crushed.

Another scam that the public is being bombarded with daily is the “turn your gold in for cash” tripe. Fly-by-night companies, pawn shops and local jewelry stores are getting in on this deal…which is a deal for them…not you.  Earlier this month, the price of gold reached more than $1000 per ounce.

I’m not knocking pawn shop owners. They’ve been hip to this concept for years.

Prior to President Nixon’s action in 1971, the United States currency was measured on the gold standard. At one time, all of the bills floating around were backed up by gold. Not anymore.

The fiat currency we pass off nowdays isn’t worth much more than the paper it’s printed on…if it’s even worth that much. And because of that, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury can print up billions of dollars, not backed up by anything but the imagination of the government and the bankers, causing massive inflation.

Precious metals have always had value. Paper money isn’t as fortunate. For an example…do you happen to have any left over Confederate currency? Try seeing how many current Federal Reserve Notes you can get for that.

However, hoarding gold isn’t safe from the clutches of the government either. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order requiring citizens to turn in most of their gold to the Federal Reserve (which, by the way, is a private not government institution) with the threat of a $10,000 fine.

But for now, our gold is safe, if you are/were fortunate enough to own or buy it. Just don’t hand it over for wothless paper.

By William R. Toler

As anyone who reads this blog knows, I am completely against school uniform policies.

Courtesy: WRAL

Supporters of these stringent policies that turn all of our children into look-alike robots, purport that uniforms help keep order and children behave better.

Pat Whitford, the head football coach at Pamlico County High School once told me that he could see a difference in the attitudes of students with the policy in place.

While I respect Mr. Whitford and his opinion, I will have to respectfully disagree with him on that point.

While I was wondering the halls of the labyrinth that is Pamlico County High School today, to drop off the fee of my upcoming class reunion, I was the recipient of some rather lude comments made by students waiting for the final bell to ring.

To me, this only proves one thing: put khakis and a solid-colored polo shirt on a jerk…and he’s still a jerk.