FTA: 'I asked the officer, 'Do you know what abort means?'" Harrison said. "He said, 'Yeah, it means to kill.' I said, 'No, it means to remove or terminate.'"

So, the cop agrees with your definition that abortion is murder, and then you wonder why he thinks your sign is a threat towards the president. Good job, English major.

Yeah, if by "anti-Obama", you mean "death threat".

Go ahead, search my car and see if I care. When you find the booger vault you'll be sorry.

I understand the concern, even though this particular guy was harmless. When you mention violence of any sort in connection with any President, you have to figure the Secret Service will notice. With Obama they're probably on pins and needles.

As much as I don't agree with the guy's politics, I do agree that his treatment was out of line.

R.A.Danny: As much as I don't agree with the guy's politics, I do agree that his treatment was out of line.

Yeah, they probably shouldn't have taken his sign.

St_Francis_P: Yeah, they probably shouldn't have taken his sign.

They gave it back. He wasn't arrested, and it sounds like the Secret Service took it seriously enough to check him out. Guess what? if you had a bumper sticker that said "Abort George Bush" the Secret service is gonna check that out as well- as they should!

I've got stickers of lovely dancing bears, one that says 420 and another that says legalize it. Cops are stopping me ALL THE TIME and each time they ask to search my vehicle. Does this happen to any of you?

'We always try to do the right thing and in the end we believe we did the right thing by returning the sign," McCool said.

I feel so much better.

/cough

what_now: St_Francis_P: Yeah, they probably shouldn't have taken his sign.

They gave it back. He wasn't arrested, and it sounds like the Secret Service took it seriously enough to check him out. Guess what? if you had a bumper sticker that said "Abort George Bush" the Secret service is gonna check that out as well- as they should!

Not in Portland Oregon...lol.

what_now: Guess what? if you had a bumper sticker that said "Abort George Bush" the Secret service is gonna check that out as well- as they should!

This is true, but there would be a lot more shrieking about the Patriot Act.

GaryPDX: Not in Portland Oregon...lol.

Dude...I live in Cambridge and that shiat wouldn't fly. Impeach Bush? Worst president Ever? War Criminal? fark Bush? I've seen all of these, but never anything that could be construed as harming the president.

I've *heard* people talking about it, but you don't write it down and stick it to your car. That's just asking for trouble.

what_now: GaryPDX: Not in Portland Oregon...lol.

Dude...I live in Cambridge and that shiat wouldn't fly. Impeach Bush? Worst president Ever? War Criminal? fark Bush? I've seen all of these, but never anything that could be construed as harming the president.

I've *heard* people talking about it, but you don't write it down and stick it to your car. That's just asking for trouble.

THIS!!!

Gimme a farking break. If someone had a sticker like that about Dubya, I would have applauded a thorough cavity search on them by the boys in blue. You just don't fark around with that stuff these days. If he'd had one of those lame "1/20/13" stickers, yeah, he'd have been a douchebag, but that's not illegal.

LarryDan43: I've got stickers of lovely dancing bears, one that says 420 and another that says legalize it. Cops are stopping me ALL THE TIME and each time they ask to search my vehicle. Does this happen to any of you?

I have a friend who used to have long hair and a POS car who would get pulled over all the time in the small town he was living in -- always searched, never got a ticket. After the 7th time, he raised such hell he got a personal apology from the police chief. Of course, he was pulled over the next week.

It finally stopped when he got a nicer looking car.

I don't know what the moral of this story is.

LarryDan43: I've got stickers of lovely dancing bears, one that says 420 and another that says legalize it. Cops are stopping me ALL THE TIME and each time they ask to search my vehicle. Does this happen to any of you?

Yep, but they never get to search it.

Shostie: what_now: Guess what? if you had a bumper sticker that said "Abort George Bush" the Secret service is gonna check that out as well- as they should!

This is true, but there would be a lot more shrieking about the Patriot Act.

and if someone had a bumper sticker that said it about George Washington then there would have been jokes about wooden teeth.

and if...

Oh, wait. Maybe we can just be outraged about real events instead of speculating on what might have oppressed us.

what_now: GaryPDX: Not in Portland Oregon...lol.

Dude...I live in Cambridge and that shiat wouldn't fly. Impeach Bush? Worst president Ever? War Criminal? fark Bush? I've seen all of these, but never anything that could be construed as harming the president.

I've *heard* people talking about it, but you don't write it down and stick it to your car. That's just asking for trouble.

Of course it is but some people strive to win Darwin awards. That's why they were born.

This is why I refuse to put any bumper stickers on my car. I like being nice and anonymous.

No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

Yeah, that's a direct threat saying that you want to kill the President. That should be taken seriously. But stuff like this is why I don't have a bumper sticker on my car at all, even though I really wanted to put an Obama sticker on starting last January. I didn't though, because I'm convinced that if I did, it would get cops to pull me over where they may have let me go, i.e. for low values over the speed limit.

gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

Yeah, there's just no way that could be misconstrued. You're absolutely right. Heck, I'd like to abort the hell out of you right now. I'd like to abort you with extreme prejudice. I'd like to abort you right in the face.

gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

How is "abort" used for the previously born?

he's doing it wrong. he needs to make huge paper-mache puppets of Obama with blood dripping from his fangs. that's okay

BigSnatch: How is "abort" used for the previously born?

ted bundy aborted many co-eds
/fail, abort, retry

ragekage: gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

Yeah, there's just no way that could be misconstrued. You're absolutely right. Heck, I'd like to abort the hell out of you right now. I'd like to abort you with extreme prejudice. I'd like to abort you right in the face.

I don't think you can abort me. You are not my boss.

BigSnatch: gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

How is "abort" used for the previously born?

It typically is not.

gustakooka: BigSnatch: gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

How is "abort" used for the previously born?

It typically is not.

I didn't ask if it is typically used, I asked you to use it in a sentence for the previously born.

gustakooka: In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

Never is such a definite word, it gets people in trouble. Yesterday, for instance, in a thread about Paris Hilton someone recommended a "retroactive abortion", which I'm fairly sure would involve homicide of some sort and most likely a violent one.

BigSnatch: gustakooka: BigSnatch: gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

How is "abort" used for the previously born?

It typically is not.

I didn't ask if it is typically used, I asked you to use it in a sentence for the previously born.

You didn't ask me that. Please read your post.

Newsflash: Having a bumper sticker with "kill the president" on it will get you noticed by the police. Film at 11

timujin: gustakooka: In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

Never is such a definite word, it gets people in trouble. Yesterday, for instance, in a thread about Paris Hilton someone recommended a "retroactive abortion", which I'm fairly sure would involve homicide of some sort and most likely a violent one.

I suppose I should not have said "never".

When I read "abort obama", it means fire him from his job as our president. Is that just me?

gustakooka: You didn't ask me that. Please read your post.

You get his point, though, right?

There are two meanings of "abort":

The extremely neutral "stop, abruptly call to a halt,", which is used for non-human things-- like missions, attempts, etc.

But also, specifically, "To terminate a pregnancy, to (if one believes in a certain way) end a human life."

If this guys point is that abortion is ending a human life-- which it is, then how the hell can he claim he doesn't mean "ending a human life" when applying it to Obama?

gustakooka: When I read "abort obama", it means fire him from his job as our president. Is that just me?

only the mind-numbingly sensitive would see it as advocating the assasination of the president. maybe the cops are now hyper alert (but to the point of absurdity)

gustakooka: When I read "abort obama", it means fire him from his job as our president. Is that just me?

Maybe. But when you add "not babies" to it you're making it pretty clear that:

- You think abortion is murder
- You want to "abort" Obama

By the way, I'm not saying that the guy actually wants to kill Obama, but it is absolutely reasonable of the Secret Service to interpret this as a threatening message, as I described above.

Obdicut: If this guys point is that abortion is ending a human life-- which it is, then how the hell can he claim he doesn't mean "ending a human life" when applying it to Obama?

Because Obama is currently not in a womb? I just think it was a terrible use of a pun.

a·bort (-bôrt)
v. a·bort·ed, a·bort·ing, a·borts
v.intr.
1. To give birth prematurely or before term; miscarry.
2. To cease growth before full development or maturation.
3. To terminate an operation or procedure, as with a project, missile, airplane, or space vehicle, before completion.
v.tr.
1.
a. To cause to terminate (a pregnancy) prematurely, especially before the fetus is viable.
b. To cause the expulsion of (an embryo or fetus) before it is viable.
c. To give premature birth to (an embryo or fetus).
2. To interfere with the development of; conclude prematurely: abort plans for a corporate takeover.
3. To terminate before completion: abort a trip because of illness; abort a takeoff.
4. To stop the progress of (a disease, for example).
n.
1. The act of terminating an operation or procedure, as with a project, missile, airplane, or space vehicle, before completion.
2. Computer Science A procedure to terminate execution of a program when an unrecoverable error or malfunction occurs.

[Latin abortre, frequentative of aborr, abort-, to disappear, miscarry : ab-, away; see ab-1 + orr, to appear; see er-1 in Indo-European roots.]

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun 1. abort - the act of terminating a project or procedure before it is completed; "I wasted a year of my life working on an abort"; "he sent a short message requesting an abort due to extreme winds in the area"
ending, termination, conclusion - the act of ending something; "the termination of the agreement"
Verb 1. abort - terminate before completion; "abort the mission"; "abort the process running on my computer"
terminate, end - bring to an end or halt; "She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime"; "The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I"
2. abort - cease development, die, and be aborted; "an aborting fetus"
croak, decease, die, drop dead, buy the farm, cash in one's chips, give-up the ghost, kick the bucket, pass away, perish, snuff it, pop off, expire, conk, exit, choke, go, pass - pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life; "She died from cancer"; "The children perished in the fire"; "The patient went peacefully"; "The old guy kicked the bucket at the age of 102"
3. abort - terminate a pregnancy by undergoing an abortion
miscarry - suffer a miscarriage
eject, expel, release, exhaust, discharge - eliminate (a substance); "combustion products are exhausted in the engine"; "the plant releases a gas"

Hope that helped (new window)

gustakooka: BigSnatch: gustakooka: BigSnatch: gustakooka: Lionel Mandrake: No anti-Obama signs threatening the President on your car, citizens.

FTFS

In no way did that threaten the President, however. "Abort" is never used to describe homicide, at least not to the previously born.

How is "abort" used for the previously born?

It typically is not.

I didn't ask if it is typically used, I asked you to use it in a sentence for the previously born.

You didn't ask me that. Please read your post.

Yes I did.

How =/= How often

here's bush lynched in effigy at a protest (won't hot-link it)

http://www.zombietime.com/hall_of_shame/120-2044_IMG.JPG

do we interpret this as the protester advocating bush be lynched, and therefore treat it as a murder threat?

or do we recognize it as yet another traditional form of rhetorical expression that generations of americans have used to express opinions?

albo: do we interpret this as the protester advocating bush be lynched, and therefore treat it as a murder threat?

I think the Secret Service would have been justified for looking into it.

albo: he needs to make huge paper-mache puppets of Obama with blood dripping from his fangs. that's okay

You're correct. It is ok. It's stupid and overly dramatic, but I wouldn't be construed as a threat.

albo: do we interpret this as the protester advocating bush be lynched, and therefore treat it as a murder threat?

Yes. I would. Look, I hate George Bush, and would ultimately like to see him serving time in a federal prison, but he was our president and needs to be dealt with by the justice system. Advocating the violent overthrow of the US government is a crime.

We had our chance to get rid of him in 2004, and we failed.

Now, saying "I hope Obama dies" (which I'm sure someone will) is tasteless, but not a threat. Saying "Kill Obama" is.

How far do you think anyone would have gotten with a "lethally inject Bush, not the death row inmates" bumper sticker?

dillenger69: How far do you think anyone would have gotten with a "lethally inject Bush, not the death row inmates" bumper sticker?

good question.

a lot of this stuff is situational and subjective--depending exactly on what is said, when it's said, and who is intepreting and enforcing the statute. because of that, there's no bright line and there never will be.

but in our tradition of free political speech and how important that is to us, i think we should defer to the least constrictive interpretation possible. me, i would have let the lynch bush guy and the abort obama guy alone.

gustakooka: Because Obama is currently not in a womb? I just think it was a terrible use of a pun.

I do too-- I am not saying the guy meant "kill Obama". I thought that was very clear.

However, given that Obama is a human, and not an abstract, the other meaning of 'abort' can't apply to him. So, if you have two objects in a sentence and you use "abort" to refer to something that can happen to both of them, it is reasonable to assume it is the same thing-- in this case, termination of life.

This is a tempest in a teacup. The dude said something stupid, which worried the SS, who checked him out politely, and everything, in the end, is alright. What, exactly, is the kerfluffle?

albo: because of that, there's no bright line and there never will be.

Which is why I think this was the best possible outcome. The cop was concerned, but that concern turned out not to be justified so the guy got his sign back. In the meantime, the secret service checked him out, and determined that he was just an idiot with an agenda (my view) not a threat.

what_now: albo: because of that, there's no bright line and there never will be.

Which is why I think this was the best possible outcome. The cop was concerned, but that concern turned out not to be justified so the guy got his sign back. In the meantime, the secret service checked him out, and determined that he was just an idiot with an agenda (my view) not a threat.

What's unnerving is that all that had to happen in the first place. Now there's a snoop record on the guy..a "history". For no reason accept ignorance on the cops part. It's little things like this at cause people to distrust government and authority because they don't trust us. Our whole Constitution is designed to trust The People. They do this kind of thing all the time with SWAT teams and just say.."ooops, our bad" after tossing some poor guy.