Our nation's highways are adorned by advertising billboards and all things that can distract drivers. As long as there have been paved highways, someone has been trying to get your attention for what they can sell or convince you of. So when a couple of activists in suburban Chicago hung a sign that calls for Bush and Cheney to be impeached, they got charged with crimes.
From The Downers Grove Sun:
Jeff Zurawski, 39, of Downers Grove and Sarah M. Hartfield, 45, of Naperville were initially charged with disorderly conduct for displaying a banner that read "Impeach Bush and Cheney - LIARS" on May 6 on the Great Western Trail above Interstate 355.
But more charges were brought against the two war protesters last week in DuPage County Circuit Court in Wheaton: reckless conduct and unauthorized display of a sign in viewing of a highway, both misdemeanors.
The new charges each carry a penalty of up to one year imprisonment, while the original charge was up to a three-month sentence in the county jail.
"This is political prosecution," said environmental rights attorney Shawn Collins, who has taken on Zurawski and Hartfield's case pro bono.
State officials claim that the penalties were assessed because of the location, not the message. That is complete bullshit. If that were the case then the jails would be full of advertising executives. Hopefully the judge in this case uses some common sense, but then you never know when you get one of those 'activist' judges appointed by George Bush and his kind.
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