Marines censor base bumper stickers

By Corey Friedman

The latest military casualty won’t come home in a flag-draped mahogany casket. Instead, it’s on display beneath marble pillars at the National Archives.

Marine Corps officials aboard Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville treated the Constitution like a dead letter when they rescinded a civilian worker’s base motor vehicle decal this month. Jessie Nieto’s car was banned from the base after he refused to remove anti-Islamic bumper stickers and window decals, the Jacksonville Daily News reported.

Aided by attorney Wally Paramore and the Thomas More Law Center, Nieto is suing the base in U.S. District Court for violating his First Amendment right to free speech.

A Camp Lejeune base order bans “extremist, indecent, sexist or racist messages” on private vehicles, but the rule itself is clearly unconstitutional.

Corrupt Craven clerk of court?

By William R. Toler

It’s been six months and Kenyatta Burrus is still trying to figure out why she was arrested…and fired.

The former deputy clerk of court was arrested April 23 and charged with second degree trespass. The arrest report states that she was told to vacate the premises and not to return by Jan Cahoon, clerk of court for Craven County.

But Burrus tells a different story.

Burrus explained to the Independent Register that she had a good relationship with Cahoon and the rest of her coworkers. However, she had a slight problem with her supervisor, Tami Cahoon Thomas.

Dr Pepper extends offer

By William R. Toler

In a show of customer satisfaction, soft drink giant Dr Pepper extended its coupon registration for a free single serving another 18 hours.

The orignial offer was to allow everyone in the U.S. (with Internet access) the opportunity to register for a free Dr Pepper on Nov. 23. The offer is a result of a challenge made to Axl Rose to release the long-awaited new Guns n’ Roses album “Chinese Democracy” before the end of this year.

Due to the overwhelming response and trouble on the Web site, Dr Pepper extended the offer, which was supposed to end at midnight, until 6 p.m. on Nov. 24. The company also made availabe a toll free number for those who had difficulty registering online.

Coupons will be mailed to those who registered within six weeks and must be redeemed by the end of February 2009.

“Chinese Democracy” is the band’s first studio release of original material since the double-album “Use Your Illusion 1” and “Use Your Illusion 2.” A collection of punk and rock covers was released on “The Spaghetti Incident?” in 1993.

“Chinese Democracy” is available in the U.S. exclusivley at electronics superstore Best Buy on CD and vinyl.

Putting words in Washington’s mouth

By Corey Friedman

Money talks, and with the simple scrawl of a permanent marker, yours could make a bold statement about the United States’ sagging economy and moribund monetary policies.

A freethinking friend of mine, “David” (not his real name) has begun marking his paper money before spending it. On one bill, he wrote, “Since the establishment of the Federal Reserve in 1913, the dollar has lost 97 percent of its value.”

Another dollar bears the message, “This is the fiat currency of a bankrupt nation.”

“David” explains that it’s absolutely legal to customize your cabbage. To ensure that the altered bills are accepted, however, I’d confine my commentary to the thin white borders around each bank note.

College, media need re-educating

By William R. Toler

A twin cities television station reported today about “swastikas” being found on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

Police say they were done in marker on Halloween and were probably just a prank, according to KSTP Eyewitness News 5.  Police also said there is no indication specific students were targeted.

The station reported that students were sent an email from the school warning about hate crimes.

No fundraising needed

From staff reports

Organizers of a fundraising mission for troops say they won’t be soliciting donations this year.

“We are pleased to announce that we will not be raising funds for our Wounded Warriors Christmas Leave Program this year,” a press release stated. “Your donations were so generous last year, that there is enough money for this year’s program. The release also mentions that more that $200,000 was raised last year.

Organizers went on to say, “We thank you for your generosity…[and] hope and pray that there will be no need for funds in 2009.”

Local GOP stands by embattled Harper

By William R. Toler

When asked if the Craven County Republican Party intends to support Bill Harper, who is facing accusations of voter intimidation, chairman Michael Speciale said, “I intend to stand by him.”

By showing his support, Speciale sent a letter to the Sun Journal and the Independent Register criticizing the actions taken by Sheriff Jerry Monette and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Here is that letter:

Ranting on the republic

By Andy King

Let me tell you how I feel about elections. They don’t matter. We are voting to make ourselves feel better. We are not solving problems based on our core belief systems by supporting a candidate who is our avatar in Washington. If you think you are, please take a go at Russian roulette with a semi-automatic.

If they in Washington were your avatar, how much would they make a year? Does an associate at Walmart get to retire after four years of poor performance and pull a pension? Every time I hear a candidate say they are for Joe the Plumber, I wonder how much of their salary or retirement will be diverted to support social programs.

Police ignore law on receipt checks

By Corey Friedman

It’s hardly asking too much of law enforcement officers to understand and obey the laws they’re sworn to enforce. So, it’s with more than a little frustration and outrage that I report two incidents where police ignored the law and ordered shoppers to show their receipts before allowing them to leave Walmart stores.

Widespread and increasingly controversial, the practice of store employees checking customers’ receipts post-purchase is legal only if it’s voluntary. Merchants cannot detain someone suspected of shoplifting without meeting the necessarily high legal burden of probable cause or reasonable suspicion (depending on your state). Some customers find receipt checks and bag searches offensive and routinely decline the inspections.

On Saturday, a woman bought a microwave from Walmart Supercenter 605 in Savannah, Ga. and was prevented from leaving after she politely refused a store greeter’s request to check her receipt. Managers were summoned, and she asked repeatedly if she was suspected of shoplifting. They replied she wasn’t, but insisted that they see her receipt, as it’s store policy to verify all unbagged purchases.

The woman, who identified herself as Hayden on the Standuptowalmart.com message board, called police, informed them she was being detained illegally and asked for charges to be filed against the assistant managers who prevented her from leaving.

In direct defiance of Georgia law, police allegedly took the store’s side.

Gun sales go up

By William R. Toler

Sales aren’t down for all items.

Firearms are starting to see a dramatic increase in purchases, according to the Associated Press. The election of a Democratic president and a congressional majority of Democrats have been said to be the cause of the upswing.

The Washigton Post reported late last month that sales of firearems and ammunition are up 8 to 10 percent this year.