Florida man arrested for vulgar sticker on truck

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!

Hidden Smartphone Tricks That Will Change How You Use Your Phone

Smartphones come with many useful features that make life easier, but some of these features are hidden or overlooked.

From quick shortcuts to helpful settings, these tips can make using your smartphone faster, easier, and more fun.

Below are a few simple tricks to unlock your smartphone’s hidden abilities!

Smartphones are a big part of daily life, helping with everything from staying in touch to tracking fitness, scheduling, and entertainment. But many of us don’t know everything they can do.

Here are some hidden smartphone features and tips to help you make the most of your device.

**Silence in Seconds**
Everyone’s been caught in a place where phones should be silent, only for it to start ringing. You can quickly silence calls or notifications by pressing the volume down button. Your phone will go quiet without ending the call or dismissing the alert, saving you from any embarrassment!

**Quick Camera Access**
Special moments happen without warning, and there’s no time to search for the camera app. You don’t need to unlock your phone to take a picture. On iPhones, swipe left from the lock screen to open the camera. Android users can double-press the power button to open the camera instantly. This way, you’ll never miss an important shot.

**Widgets**
Widgets have grown from simple displays to tools that can make smartphone use even easier. Adding widgets to your home screen lets you check important info, access apps, and complete tasks without scrolling through menus. Popular widgets include calendar, email, weather, notes, and health. For smart home users, widgets can control devices directly from the screen.

**Reduce Eye Strain**
Spending long periods looking at screens can cause eye strain. To help with this, activate dark mode. It looks sleek and saves battery on OLED screens, plus it’s easier on the eyes at night. Many popular apps also have dark mode. Also, try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to give your eyes a break.

**Reduce Battery Drain**
Nothing is more frustrating than a phone that loses power without use. Modern smartphones come with battery-saving settings that help stretch battery life. Here are some ways to preserve battery power:
– **Activate low power mode (iPhone) or battery saver (Android)**: This mode turns off non-essential functions to conserve energy.
– **Auto-brightness**: The screen uses a lot of battery. Lowering the brightness or using auto-brightness can save power.
– **Limit background refresh and sync**: Many apps refresh in the background, draining the battery faster. Limiting this can save energy.
– **Close or uninstall battery-draining apps**: Social media, gaming, and streaming apps often use more power. Close or uninstall apps you don’t often use to save battery.

**Keeping Your Phone Running Well**
To keep your phone running smoothly, it’s important to maintain it. Over time, your phone can slow down due to heavy use or software updates. Here are some tips to keep your phone fast and efficient:
– **Clear cache regularly**: Apps save temporary data, but too much cache can slow your phone.
– **Limit background apps**: Apps running in the background use memory and battery. Limiting background activity helps improve performance.
– **Free up storage space**: Low storage can slow your phone and cause apps to crash. Clearing storage boosts speed and stability.
– **Update apps and software**: Updates include bug fixes and improvements to keep your phone functioning smoothly.

These smartphone tips are just a start. Exploring these tricks can make your device a more helpful part of your daily routine, from staying organized to simplifying tasks.

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