Fined for Displaying the First Amendment on Private Property

by Van Helsing | March 6, 2009 12:56 pm

More government is intrinsically bad. With every law that passes, petty tyrant bureaucrats become a little more powerful, and the rest of us have a little less air to breathe. As an example of how awful it’s gotten already[1], a bait shop in Clearwater, Florida has been fined for painting this tasteful mural on its wall:

The mural allegedly constitutes “extra signage” — which is forbidden. Never mind that it includes no words or logos, or that the store sells bait, not fish, much less that it is none of bureaucrats’ business whether a business advertises its wares on its own property anyway. The point seems to be to prove that Clearwater’s homegrown Politburo can make people do whatever it says.

The owners complied with orders to cover the mural with this banner featuring our precious First Amendment:

Apparently, authorities think they’re being baited. They want to levy a fine of $500 for every day the banner is displayed.

The ACLU has actually made itself useful for once, taking this to court on behalf of the owners, who can’t afford to buy justice on their own.

On a tip from The MaryHunter. Cross-posted at Moonbattery[2].