Tennessee Considers Bill To Protect Drivers Who Hit Protesters

Tennessee Considers Bill To Protect Drivers Who Hit Protesters
Is Tennessee crazy? I've never heard of a more blatant infringement on protesting rights. Cars are multi-ton vehicles that EASILY seriously injure or kill people and making this bill possible is no different than letting someone off the hook for discharging a fire arm into a group of protesters. This is disgusting on so many levels. Just because you find protesting inconvenient doesn't give you the right to run them over with your car.

The bill, introduced Thursday, was proposed 10 days after a car ran into people at a Nashville rally against President Donald Trump’s executive order banning refugees.

The Tennessee bill, SB944, would shield a driver from civil liability as long as the driver exercised “due care.” The language of the proposal does not define what “due care” means but notes drivers could still be found liable if the “actions leading to the injury were willful or wanton.”

What the hell is "due care"? Running someone over with a car, regardless of the circumstances on why you did it, should come with stiffer penalties not be seeking to give them a slap on the wrist for vague (likely partisan) reasons.

Similar legislation has been proposed in other places with Republican-led statehouses, including Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota ― where a bill nearly identical to Tennessee’s failed Monday.

The bills generally criminalize or otherwise lessen protections for protesters exercising First Amendment rights.

On the plus side, it's not like this bill is going into effect tomorrow. It's likely just one of those waste of time bills that politicians write to make it look like they are honoring their constituents despite knowing it has zero chance of it becoming law.

But in a statement to local WTCV News Channel 9, Ketron said the bill was in the interest of public safety.

“We believe that citizens have the right to protest. There is a procedure for peaceful protests, and the purpose of that process is to protect the safety of our citizens,” Ketron said. “Protesters have no right to be in the middle of the road or our highways for their own safety and the safety of the traveling public.”

What a slime ball... How can you pitch the idea of "protecting safety" while at the same time promoting lesser punishments for running someone over with a car?

a reply to: Krazysh0t

If a person is protesting, they are exercising their constitutional rights. Their right to engage in protest, predates the existence of roads, highways, transport of any kind other than by horse, horse and coach, train, or on foot. Therefore, since their right to protest has existed for longer than the automobile, the automobile will have to just shut the hell up and wait, or turn the hell around.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Plus driving is a privilege, not a right. And protesting IS a right. Right trumps privilege ANY day.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
What a slime ball

With language like this in the OP ... this thread would be better suited for the Mud Pit.

But ... oh ... wait ... There's Already A Thread Like That In There.

Another obvious grasp for Stars and Flags, Krazy? Hmmm??

I don't see a problem with this bill, it states people have the right to protest but that does not give them the right to block traffic. I have seen a protest where the people were disrupting traffic many years ago and they whacked their signs on the cars as they tried to get through the crowd. I haven't been to a protest since then, that was thirty some years ago. The people in those cars were not doing anything wrong. They were trying to get to where they wanted to go. The whole protest wound up being a gripe that someone had with a business, the ones organizing it had sour grapes.

a reply to: Snarl

I do believe it is required for me in the T&C to post my opinion about the OP and I think that a politician defending running people over with a car by using the phrase "protecting public safety" is a slime ball.

Plus I didn't want it to be in the mud pit because I don't like the direction people take those threads.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I don't see a problem with this bill, it states people have the right to protest but that does not give them the right to block traffic. I have seen a protest where the people were disrupting traffic many years ago and they whacked their signs on the cars as they tried to get through the crowd. I haven't been to a protest since then, that was thirty some years ago. The people in those cars were not doing anything wrong. They were trying to get to where they wanted to go. The whole protest wound up being a gripe that someone had with a business, the ones organizing it had sour grapes.

Protesting is about inconveniencing other people. You don't get your message across when you aren't inconveniencing someone so yes blocking a road way is still fair game.

Maybe we can we run over people who open carry too? Since that is not only a right, but also a form of protest.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: rickymouse
I don't see a problem with this bill, it states people have the right to protest but that does not give them the right to block traffic. I have seen a protest where the people were disrupting traffic many years ago and they whacked their signs on the cars as they tried to get through the crowd. I haven't been to a protest since then, that was thirty some years ago. The people in those cars were not doing anything wrong. They were trying to get to where they wanted to go. The whole protest wound up being a gripe that someone had with a business, the ones organizing it had sour grapes.

Protesting is about inconveniencing other people. You don't get your message across when you aren't inconveniencing someone so yes blocking a road way is still fair game.

What happens if someone blocks the driveway to the store your wife is going to and she is cross-way in the other lane and a semi hits her car and kills her. Is it the Semi's fault or your wife's fault because she thought the people wouldn't move in front of her and block her way? Or is it the protestors fault for protesting in a way that endangered someone's life?

I put blame on who caused the accident.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Already a thread here:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: rickymouse

It would be the semi's fault for not seeing a large group of protesters blocking cross traffic. In fact, he'd likely be speeding if he couldn't slow down after seeing such a sight. Though I'd imagine that if a protest is clogging up traffic in one direction at an intersection, there is QUITE a bit of traffic slowing down any cross traffic.

I don't agree with blocking roads, but I don't agree with running people over either.

-Alee

a reply to: DrStevenBrule

I don't want to discuss this in the mud pit. If the mods disagree they are welcome to close my thread.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I don't see a problem with this bill, it states people have the right to protest but that does not give them the right to block traffic. I have seen a protest where the people were disrupting traffic many years ago and they whacked their signs on the cars as they tried to get through the crowd. I haven't been to a protest since then, that was thirty some years ago. The people in those cars were not doing anything wrong. They were trying to get to where they wanted to go. The whole protest wound up being a gripe that someone had with a business, the ones organizing it had sour grapes.

That's exactly what I read as well. I hope it passes, so my rights to freedom of movement aren't violated by protestors violating the law and blocking roads, highways, etc.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Ok.

Then I'll share my thoughts here as well.

This is great news. Tennessee actually cares about the safety and well being of it's citizens.

With any luck other states will follow.

People need to be able to protect themselves from violent leftist "protestors".

a reply to: DrStevenBrule

How are you protecting yourself by running someone over with a multi-ton vehicle?

Protest on a lawn or sidewalk.
You have the absolute right to protest, just not where ever you want to.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
Protest on a lawn or sidewalk.
You have the absolute right to protest, just not where ever you want to.

Regardless, we shouldn't be rewarding people for being careless with a multi-ton vehicle.

originally posted by: WeDemBoyz
Maybe we can we run over people who open carry too? Since that is not only a right, but also a form of protest.

When was the last time you saw 1000's of carrying folks blocking a major interstate highway?

a reply to: DrStevenBrule

What, like the ones who bought guns to a protest?

Oh, no, thats right, that was a right wing individual who shot a lefty, wasn't it?