From Time Killer

The Wikileaks-triggered popular revolt in Tunisia has sent shock waves through the authoritarian régimes in the Middle East. Dictators throughout the area have been nervously wondering “Where will the revolt go next?” even as demonstrations started in Egypt (where among the last rumors before the Mubarak dictatorship cut off internet access late Wednesday was the story that régime operatives were throwing gasoline on cars prior to a planned fire-setting yesterday that was to be blamed on the protesters) and Yemen.

Hearing about these revolts, and the people willing to risk everything they have for them, makes for a sharp contrast between these brave persons and the frothing conservatives common in the US, particularly the pro-establishment John Bircherite “revolutionaries” that make up the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party. The people in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen are fighting for basic freedoms we here in the US take for granted. The teabagger types and their fellow travelers riled up by their rhetoric are fighting against things like — traffic laws:

When the jack booted thugs gave Ray Wolfe citations for traffic violations, he used his rights as an American to go to court to fight them. As often happens, there were some scheduling issues that didn’t sit right with Mr. Wolfe. When he sent some pointed letters to the court requesting a continuance of his hearing, Mr. Wolfe took the opportunity to inform them that he was on to their dastardly communist plot:

To let you know I use the word “Judge” lightly in your case. Your asshole (traffic cop) wrote me that ticket, committing constructive treason, and perjury of his oath, as you are about to do. If I come down there you damn sure won’t want me in your courtroom. I know you have people in the courthouse guarding your sorry “Communist” ass. I told you I am currently “Out OF STATE” and I demand a continuance. This is no longer a request!

The gentleman continued to provide the court with other examples of their treason, but the judges didn’t take too well to the letters. He was eventually tried and convicted of tampering with a judicial officer in violation of Missouri law.

You must read the judge’s opinion on this case. There are more examples of Wolfe’s wit, along with his poor attorney’s doomed efforts to argue that the doofus didn’t really mean it, and besides, he was just following the rhetorical examples set by various great American heroes:

These are words, that Jeffersonian style words which have been used to inspire people. However, this was not the purpose. This is for shock.

These things like liberty, tyrants, blood, this is just firing language that’s used to shock and awe people. It’s the type of language that gets Americans to stand up and throw British into the ocean. It’s the type of language used by Martin Luther King because you’ve talked people into walking from Selma, Alabama all the way to Montgomery knowing that the highway patrolmen were going to beat the crap out of them when they hit the bridge.

The prosecutor’s response to this argument was priceless:

I might have missed some days in history class in high school, but I don’t remember Thomas Jefferson ever telling you, “You can take that arrest warrant and shove it up your Communist ass.”

Indeed. By the way, here’s Mr. Wolfe’s website.