June 5, 2014

by Scotty Boman

Brighton-MI. The Libertarian candidate for Michigan’s Eighth Congressional District has been in the headlines as the result of a protest he organized. James Weeks II organized a rally to protest the fact that a teenager, Colin Anderson, was fined $200 for saying, “This is fucking bullshit” in earshot of a Brighton police officer. Weeks named the rally after the phrase Anderson was punished for saying.

In the days leading up to the May 31st protest, Weeks was featured on mainstream radio and television newscasts. This, in a market where libertarian campaigns are typically ignored. Regional print news articles were published in the Livingston Daily, Brighton Patch, the Lansing State Journal, the Fenton Patch, and The Detroit Free Press. Michigan radio stations also covered Week’s involvement in the event. They included WHMI and Michigan Radio. Weeks appeared on some of Michigan’s local television stations including WNEM, WXYZ, and WDIV.

However, the story didn’t stop in his home state. It was also picked up by publications in other states including the East Idaho News, Inquisitr, and Political Moll. Radio stations carrying the story in other states included KMBZ, WPRO, and WMAL. However, the largest audience was reached when ABC News picked up the story.

Peaceful Protest Receives Mixed Response

While the planning of the rally was well-publicized, reports on the rally were limited. WXYZ and WNEM reported protests by teenagers, but failed to mention the Libertarian component, WHMI reported small attendance. According to Weeks, the Livingston Daily was there as well.
Weeks told the Michigan Libertarian that, “We had around 60 protesters, an average of 30 at any time. From grandmothers to teenagers.” He said that while many of the protesters practiced “civil disobedience” there was at least as much swearing by hecklers who disapproved of the protest: “We had a mixed reaction, everything from support to people swearing at us.”

Brighton Visitors Can Be Ticketed and Fined for Saying Anything

While protesters, park officials and journalists have focused on the words Colin Anderson used, the law in Brighton does not prohibit the utterance of “fucking bullshit,” nor does it prohibit any other words or phrases. After repeatedly calling the Brighton Police Department on June second and asking which words were prohibited, the Michigan Libertarian reached Sergeant Bradford who said that the ordinance didn’t specify any particular words. When asked to identify the ordinance he said he couldn’t get to it saying, “My hands are full of fingerprint powder right now.”