you gotta flight for your rights

Awesome college kid Aaron Tobey was one his way to a family funeral and took the time to protest the overreaching searches by the TSA. He printed teh Fourth Amendment on his torso which was revealed as he stripped for an unreasonable search after passing the x-ray and metal detectors at the Richmond airport. He caused no disruption to the process nor of the peace, yet the over-zealous airport agents arrested him for "disorderly conduct." I'm sorry, but nothing says "Police State" more than being detained for whatever some jackboot considers "disorderly." He was arrested, detained, but had the good sense to make enough time that he actually still made his flight.

Once brought to the light of judge, the charges were of course dropped. Really, displaying the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution is not illegal, even when it is being violated. Tobey is now filing a suit—naming Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the head of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, the Richmond airport authority and several security officers there— seeking "vindication of the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights of Aaron Tobey, who ... was arrested without probable cause, falsely imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted." All of which seem true in a prima facie way.

The New York Times has the story, and the Henrico County Sherrif's Department has this awesome photo. I wondered if I would be likely to protest in such a manner if I had a similar torso. I mentioned on Facebook that I would also like to secure Aaron's right to take his clothes off in public places other than airports. Many comments followed, but the prize goes to DJ John Hoffman who wrote: "If he were at my house, he'd be unduly seized."