The bumper sticker flap

[wordsmythe]

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The anti-war bumper sticker displayed on a state employee's car wasn't subtle.

Neither was the reaction by one of the Legislature's leading Republicans upon reading the two-word sticker in the underground parking garage at the Statehouse.

House Majority Leader Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, said he demanded removal of the sticker containing the four-letter "f' word followed by the word "war."

If the owner declined, Merrick suggested Ashley Holm be fired from her job at the Kansas Legislative Research Department. The agency provides policy analysis for House and Senate committees and individual legislators.

Holm, the department's legislative fellow with assignments to the House and Senate education committees, declined to comment for this story when contacted by The Topeka Capital-Journal.

Merrick felt no such restraint. "I'm all for people expressing themselves, free speech and all that," Merrick said, "but I don't appreciate offensive language being on a bumper sticker in a public garage that's owned by the people of the state."

Merrick decided about two weeks ago to dispatch Alan Conroy, director of the research department, to inform Holm the sticker had to come off the car.

Holm was told the request was from the No. 2 Republican in the House.

Initially, Holm agreed to remove the sticker. She later changed her mind, which triggered a second meeting with Conroy. This time it was made clear her job was on the line. She was reminded of a work agreement prohibiting staff members from joining in partisan political activity.

Holm refused to back down, and the sticker was still on her car at the end of work on Friday.

In a brief interview, Conroy said he couldn't discuss details of Holm's situation because it was a personnel matter.

Conroy said he wasn't aware of any state lawmaker other than Merrick to have urged dismissal of a research department employee in reaction to a bumper sticker.

"It was a first," Conroy said.

Merrick, a veteran of the Marine Corps, said he wasn't satisfied.

Motorists continue to be assaulted by the offensive message on Holm's car, he said. Holm's assigned space in the garage is in a high-traffic area. Visitors to the Statehouse searching for a spot on the first floor of the garage and every member of the House and Senate approaching a ramp leading to reserved spots on a lower floor drive past the sticker.

"I just don't think the ladies here need to see that word," Merrick said.

Merrick said legislative employees should know this type of in-your-face message was unacceptable.

"I hope the word filtered down," he said.

At this point, Merrick said, Holm's employment future was "for people other than me to decide."

Other legislative leaders said they weren't convinced dismissal was an appropriate response.

"I don't know what I'd do about that," said Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said the use of profanity on any sticker was of questionable taste. However, he said, the First Amendment protects this brand of expression. Dismissal of Holm would be unwise, he said.

"The worst speech imaginable is protected," Hensley said.

He said anti-war bumper stickers shouldn't devalue the military service of patriotic Americans. However, he also said he admired Holm for standing her ground.

"We shouldn't get into the business of censuring what people put on their automobiles," he said.

[mommiedearestx3]

Taken from the Topeka Capitol-Journal Online


Gov. Kathleen Sebelius says a state employee shouldn’t be fired for having on her car which she parks in the Statehouse underground garage an anti-war bumper sticker that contains an expletive.

“I’m a big believer in free speech in and around the Capitol,” Sebelius said Monday morning during a brief and impromptu press conference in the Statehouse rotunda where she had just introduced an exhibit of Flint Hills photography.

Last week, House Majority Leader Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, suggested Ashley Holm, who works for the Kansas Legislative Research Department, be fired if she didn’t remove from her car a two-word bumper sticker. The sticker has the four-letter “f”word followed by the word “war.”

Merrick said his objection wasn’t about the sticker’s political message, but rather his beef was over the “offensive language being on a bumper sticker that’s owned by the people of the state.”

Holm, who staffs the House and Senate education committees, declined comment on the controversy, as did Alan Conroy, the head of the research department. Conroy said he couldn’t comment on personnel issues of employees of his department.

__________________________________________________ _____________

"You're just jealous, because the voices only talk to me."

[BroncoFan]

Free Speech. Be sure it is free for all. Don't agree with the employees sticker, but she has a right. A right with a cost.

[Highwayman]

I wonder how the Gov would feel about free speech rights if the sticker insulted a politically correct minority.

A couple of years ago there was a similar thing in Colorado. A government employee was told he couldn’t have a sign on his truck or wear his cap with a logo. He had a part time lawn care business and his sign had an American flag and proclaimed that he spoke English. His cap said “Border Patrol”. Care to guess who he offended?

[BroncoFan]

Yet we must let political correctness infringe on our rights to free speech.

You can say what you want as long as it will not cause some wimp to be offended

[Army_of_One]

There should be a line between free speech and offensive stuff. Personally I wouldn't want my kid seeing a F*CK anything bumper sticker on a car...

[TheWizzard]

I feel the same way about the window decals that have that little cartoon boy "releaving himself" on the American Flag. People call it free speech but i call it offensive. Again... guess who drives around with that in their windows.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by TheWizzard

that little cartoon boy "releaving himself" on the American Flag. People call it free speech but i call it offensive. Again... guess who drives around with that in their windows.

um....Liberals?

[TexKan]

This whole thing is stupid! What if a visitor comes to the garage with that on thier car - they gonna not let them in???............ just dumb

[Detector]

Accountability come to mind. Obviously the sticker reflect on this persons character and character is an important part of any job. Especially when it reflects on others you may work with/for.

Bad taste is one thing but this person apparently doesn't care what people think. Should this person be working for the state? When people drive by and see the sticker won't that bad taste reflect on all the employees?

If I happened to drive by the police department and see a personal vehicle with a sticker saying Serve and protect my ass I'm in it for the paycheck. My guess is it would reflect on the PD as a whole and cause some internal problems with those it offends.

America just loves to defend our right to be jerks.