1st Amendment, DOWN! Evil sidewalk chalk, DOWN! Score: Asshats 1 - Democracy 0

[haele]

7. Judge Howard Shore....

The city was warned about this guy when election time came up, he proudly indicated he was a "Godly" Conservative, and strict law and order type. A true Prosperity Gospel, "if you're rich, Ghod wants you to rule, if you're poor, Ghod wants you to be punished" sort of guy.

Which means of course, "Letter of the Law, Who Cares About the Constitution". Unless, of course, the Constitution can be used to make the point he wants it to make.

Very few other Judges in San Diego would ever toss the First Amendment to punish someone for "felony vandalism" that did no damage and was completely temporary.

The fine looks to be the cost of two or three hours of the B of A lawyers and a penalty for causing poutrage to a corporation - I doubt any customers of those banks were more negatively affected by the chalked complaints and comments - the public knew about the bail-out, and those customers already had opinions.
Actual "damage" would probably have been a total of $120 for the time and water it would take to remove whatever remnants of chalk were left by the time the branch got to cleaning their sidewalks.

Y'know, if he had defecated on the sidewalk, it would have caused more monetary damage as the bank would have had to pay to disinfect the area.

But what it really comes down to is that to those who worship the Prosperity Gospel, Mr. Olson - just a mere activist - shouldn't have questioned the authority of those "above his station".

Haele