A Florida man was arrested for displaying an obscene bumper sticker on the back of his truck, one that either expressed his sexual preferences, or his love for a four-legged animal.
After Dillon Shane Webb was told the sticker was “derogatory,” he claimed his freedom of expression was violated, and the deputy’s office asked if he was using his free speech to express his desire of “eating a donkey.”
Keep reading to learn why Webb was arrested over a bumper sticker!
In 2019, a Columbia County sheriff’s deputy was driving behind a pickup truck when he noticed a vulgar sticker plastered on the middle of the rear window.
Dashcam footage shows Deputy Travis English stopping his cruiser in a parking lot behind the brown pickup, operated by Dillon Shane Webb, 23, with the bumper sticker in clear view.
The letters on the sticker – printed in bold white – reads, “I EAT A**.”
In the video, the deputy approaches the passenger side of the truck and after saying, “hello gentleman,” he explains that he pulled the car over due to “the derogatory sticker” displayed on the back of his truck.
In Florida, law prohibits “any sticker, decal emblem or other device attached to a motor vehicle containing obscene descriptions, photographs or depictions.”
“How’s it derogatory?” Webb asks from inside the car.
The officer replies, “How’s it not derogatory?”
“Some 10-year-old kid sitting in the passenger seat of his momma’s vehicle looks over and sees ‘I eat a**’ and asks his mom what it means,” English says. “How is she going to explain that?”
Sniping back, the driver provides the wrong answer: “That’s the parent’s job, not my job,” Webb says before he’s asked to present his driver’s license and registration.
After stepping out of the vehicle, Webb is searched, and the deputy tells him the sticker is a “misdemeanor violation of Florida’s obscene materials law.”
“I have four kids…if my 6-year-old was to look at me and like, ‘dad what does I eat a** mean?…he’s curious…and the way [you] handled this situation, I’m not pleased with,” English said before offering Webb the opportunity to explain his sticker to the court system.
Next, the deputy suggests Webb remove one of the letters from the word “A**” to read “AS.” But Webb refused, citing his constitutional right to free speech.
A few minutes later, things take a nasty turn for Webb.
After confirming with his supervisor that he had reasonable rights within the law, English steps out of his cruiser and approaches Webb, who’s leaning against his car, looking at his cellphone.
“All right Mr. Webb. Place your hands behind your back,” Webb is told. When he asks “why?” he learns “because you’re going to jail.”
Asking “for what?” English explains that he was given “the option to take that off” the window, but he “refused.”
He was then arrested and charged with the additional offense of “resisting an officer without violence.”
‘Perverted mind’
“They’re just words,” Webb later told First Coast News. “If that’s how they feel, if they have a perverted mind, that’s on them.”
But according to Sergeant Murray Smith of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, it wasn’t just the words on the sticker that Deputy English determined was illegal.
“It was the obscene phrase depicting what the deputy thought was a sexual act, which is obscene by definition,” said Smith. “What would a reasonable citizen think? Is the guy eating a donkey or is he doing a sexual act?”
The incident captured the attention of a lot of social media users, the majority who defended Webb.
“So what if he eats donkey. What’s the big deal?” asks one netizen. Another, referring to English speaking of his child’s potential reaction to the sticker, says, “Since when are a cop’s feelings deserving of an arrest?”
“I live here and as soon as we heard he got arrested we all went and got the sticker and put it on [our] trucks,” pens a third.
Another adds, “He better keep his kids off the internet. They will see far worse than this.”
The State Attorney’s Office cited the First Amendment and the charges against Webb were dropped. Later, Webb sued for alleged violations of his First Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights, but U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard of the Middle District of Florida ruled that the arrest was “arguably justified under Florida’s obscenity law,” giving the officer and his supervisor “qualified immunity,” which means they are protected from the lawsuit.
This case underscores the ongoing debate in the U.S. over free speech and its boundaries, especially around expressions some might find offensive or derogatory. It also reflects how the First Amendment remains a contentious issue, with some insisting their right to free expression is under threat, while others argue for consideration that certain messages will have on the population.
What are your thoughts on this story? Please share your thoughts with us and then share it with your friends so we can get the conversation going!
Four boys singing in church is the funniest thing I’ve seen. Keep your eyes on the boy in the vest
I must say that this was one of the funniest funny videos I’ve ever seen. and trust me—I’ve been here! Bravo to the gifted boys that assembled this.
I must say that this was one of the funniest funny videos I’ve ever seen. and trust me—I’ve been here! Bravo to the gifted boys that assembled this.
The Christmas scene is set against the perfect backdrop of a nicely adorned stage. Every audience was anticipating what they thought would be a fun, but conventional, holiday church service.
The four lads show up on stage dressed to impress in white shirts, black slacks, and ties. Then it takes place! Comedy follows! It’s not like you could miss the guy wearing the vest and his entertaining actions, so keep an eye on him!
Every minute that goes by, this traditional gospel song gets hilarious. It’s clear the boys are having a blast. The crowd is giggling uncontrollably. These four lads brought the church to tears of laughter with their exuberant entertainment and worship!
A lot of people think that funny clean comedy is extinct these days. These children, however, are not. They’re fantastic. My day was truly made by them. To join in on the fun, watch this funny Christmas performance. utterly wonderful! It was hard for me to stop giggling!
YouTube:
To be quite honest, my friend, there’s just nothing quite like good, clean humor. the kind that captures the pure joy and spontaneity of life instead of depending on cheap tricks or nasty jokes. Watching these boys perform is like traveling back in time to happier, carefree days when fun was unrestricted and laughing was abundant. These boys truly nailed it.
Now, I really do mean it when I say that the performance was hilarious. The boy wearing the vest is the main attraction; he appears to have no boundaries between his physical appearance and his sense of humor. He is nothing short of brilliant in the way he combines earnest worship with lighthearted pranks.
Imagine a stage with the calm background of a Christmas scene, and then all of a sudden… A hilarious turn of events that leaves everyone clenching their sides. The collective gasp that occurs when the guys’ performance takes an unexpected turn is nearly audible.
Not only are the kids’ antics funny, but the audience’s and the choir’s response makes this a very memorable moment. The room exudes an authentic warmth and happiness that connects with visitors on a personal level. Isn’t it wonderful when comedy can unite people in such a way?
Let’s also discuss the video itself: amazing! This type of material is the kind that gains popularity for all the right reasons. It’s cheerful, invigorating, and ideal for the holidays. Watching these boys bring joy and happiness into a traditional atmosphere makes you grin.
There’s no disputing that these days, it’s uncommon to find this kind of amusement. It serves as a lovely reminder that the most profound happiness can occasionally come from the simplest things. So, believe me when I say that this video is just what you need if you’re having a bad day or just need a good laugh.
These four lads are a brightness in a world when pessimism and doom frequently triumph over comedy. They serve as a reminder of the healing, uniting, and uplifted effects of laughter. See how much fun life can be when we don’t take ourselves too seriously? Just keep an eye on that boy wearing the vest.
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