NYCLU Sues NYPD Over "Enforced Patriotism" at Yankee Stadium

As expected, the NYCLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a man who says two NYPD officers forcibly ejected him from the old Yankee stadium last summer when he attempted to use the restroom during the seventh inning stretch, during a broadcast of insipid jingoistic jingle "God Bless America." You'll recall that during a game on August 26th an officer stopped Red Sox fan Brad Campeau-Laurion on his way to the bathroom, telling him that he must wait for the song to conclude. When Campeau-Laurion replied, "Look, I don't care about God Bless America," the cop allegedly grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind his back.

A second officer then twisted Campeau-Laurion's left arm behind his back, and the two officers marched him down to the stadium’s exit, refusing to loosen their grips, even though Campeau-Laurion says he wasn't resisting them. He insists the incident ended with one of the officers telling him to "leave the country if he didn’t like it." When his story made headlines last year, the NYPD issued a statement claiming that the officers observed Campeau-Laurion "standing on his seat, cursing, using inappropriate language and acting in a disorderly manner while reeking of alcohol, and decided to eject him rather than subject others to his offensive behavior." (Campeau-Laurion counters that he drank two beers during the game and derides that statement as "ridiculous. That's completely false.")

After the September 11th attacks, Yankee stadium began requiring spectators to remain in their seats while "God Bless America"—and the pre-game national anthem—were played, in some cases extending chains to block the end of the aisles. The NYCLU argues that the policy, when implemented by the NYPD, amounts to enforced patriotism and "a violation of the constitutional principles that our country is founded on." Below, a video of the pinko America-hating hippie terrorist himself explaining why he wanted to empty his bladder right when God was blessing our nation:

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By John Del Signore in News on April 15, 2009 2:36 PM

Comments [rss]

maatthias

Who's up for a 7th inning piss-in at the new stadium?

goaliegirl

If god bless America is so goddamn important to the Yankees, then REPLACE the anthem with it & sing it BEFORE the game!

Enough is enough already! Take me out to the ballgame IS the anthem for baseball & it's about time the Yankees get with the program!

The Yankees need to stop being a tool for the gov't!!

Jack D. Ripper

Achtung! Ve vill now pleadge allegiance to der Homeland.

Danka.

angry_pickle

Sorry but as a citizen of a country, you should pledge your allegiance to said country. Maybe not to the govt but absolutely for the country. Otherwise emigrate out or jump into the Gowanus canal.

angry_pickle

Sorry but as a citizen of a country, you should pledge your allegiance to said country. Maybe not to the govt but absolutely for the country. Otherwise emigrate out or jump into the Gowanus canal.

nycnewsjunkie

Besides the obvious point of this guy being a drunken fool looking for a quick buck...

If you don't like the rules,

don't go to the game.

Its as Simple as that.

nycnewsjunkie

Besides the obvious point of this guy being a drunken fool looking for a quick buck...

If you don't like the rules,

don't go to the game.

Its as Simple as that.

Homer2323

Jaycjay, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the yankees can throw you out for no reason at all. They dont need a reason. It is private property. Like a restaurant. They can walk up to you and say 'get out', and if you dont leave, you can be arrested for trespassing. Yankee stadium is not a public place, it is a private place where the public in invited, there is a big legal difference. The Yankees can demand that every fan wear a yankees hat if they felt like it.

And what law did the government make exactly restricting his speech? What LAW...did the GOVERNMENT make? Oh thats right...none.

aspiringrapper

"Invited" at a cost of what? $300 a ticket?

Spirit of 76

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the yankees can throw you out for no reason at all. They dont need a reason. It is private property. Like a restaurant. They can walk up to you and say 'get out', and if you dont leave, you can be arrested for trespassing.

And then they can be sued for breach of the contract implicit in the exchange of funds for a ticket. If you take my money and don't hold up your end "for no reason at all," you're definitely going to lose in court. Any contract attorney would tell you that would be an exceptionally stupid thing to do.

And what law did the government make exactly restricting his speech? What LAW...did the GOVERNMENT make? Oh thats right...none.

There doesn't have to be a new law. It's a violation of an existing law. Namely, the officers violated his First Amendment rights when they used him saying, "Look, I don't care about God Bless America," as an excuse for ejection. The 1st gives him the legal right to say that. I suggest you not look for a job in the legal profession. In fact, looking at your posting history, it's fairly obvious you're not suited for that. Everyone you don't agree with is in your words a retard, moron, idiot, etc. In fact, judging from your strident defense of NYPD in every visible post about them and one sentence that says, "This is when its fun being a cop," for getting to beat on student protesters, I dare say we have our own NYPD mole on Gothamist. Which explains a lot.

Spirit of 76

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the yankees can throw you out for no reason at all. They dont need a reason. It is private property. Like a restaurant. They can walk up to you and say 'get out', and if you dont leave, you can be arrested for trespassing.

And then they can be sued for breach of the contract implicit in the exchange of funds for a ticket. If you take my money and don't hold up your end "for no reason at all," you're definitely going to lose in court. Any contract attorney would tell you that would be an exceptionally stupid thing to do.

And what law did the government make exactly restricting his speech? What LAW...did the GOVERNMENT make? Oh thats right...none.

There doesn't have to be a new law. It's a violation of an existing law. Namely, the officers violated his First Amendment rights when they used him saying, "Look, I don't care about God Bless America," as an excuse for ejection. The 1st gives him the legal right to say that. I suggest you not look for a job in the legal profession.

Wait, NYPD not caring about civil liberties? Stop the presses! Oh, never mind. It's not news.

Guest

So since the new stadium is private property funded by public funds, can i walk in and piss wherever I please to?

Kevin Walsh

>>>during a broadcast of insipid jingoistic jingle "God Bless America."

Well, John, I can see where _you're_ coming from.

You shouldn't have to participate, sing, etc if you don't want to at the 7th inning stretch --me, I just stretch and I _have_ gone to the men's room at Shea, where they played "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Lazy Mary" during the 7thIS.

The coppers shouldn't be twisting arms, the Yankees should not be imprisoning people in their seats, and I hope the guy wins his court case.

To some, though, patriotism equals jingoism. I suppose you are one of them. Millions of Americans who consider "God Bless America" patriotic and not emblematic of the bad ol' USA, imposing its will on the world.

www.forgotten-ny.com

Spirit of 76

Patriotism isn't jingoism. Nationalism is. Patriotism means being proud of a nation's strengths without turning a blind eye to its weaknesses. Nationalism means thinking one's home country is better than all others, usually for no reason other than you're in it.

A reminder of how ironically stupid those cops were (and I do believe the story) came just today as MLB honors Jackie Robinson. Too many nationalists go around saying, "America. Love it or leave it." Where would MLB be today if Jackie Robinson had just left it after being shunned and spat on?

officeninja

Forget jingoistic; it's just a terrible song. Insipid, and hard to sing along to. They'd be better off switching to "America the Beautiful" (which, yes I know still includes God but far less prominently).

John Del Signore

Yeah, when done right, America the Beautiful can be transporting. Far better than God Bless Blahmerica or the national anthem.

schizofriendly

You can feel a collective knee-buckling throughout the stadium when that one high note is not quite hit. Time to bring on the more melodic and less bombastic "America the Beautiful", a song about the land itself.

GoToHell

"After the September 11th attacks, Yankee stadium began requiring spectators to remain in their seats while "God Bless America"—and the pre-game national anthem—were played, in some cases extending chains to block the end of the aisles."

You have GOT to be KIDDING. Don't tell me if I don't want to sing God Bless Fucking America, I don't appreciate the United States. it's MY RIGHT, to not sing or WALK AWAY, if I so choose.

Spirit of 76

We heard you the first time. And the second time. And the third time.

Homer2323

Ive gone to the bathroom and seen other people and nobody cared. I just wasnt acting like a drunken asshole.

And idiots, you can be kicked out for any reason they want, its a private business, they dont need any reason other than not wanting you to be there. The police are off duty, working for the yankees privately and being paid by the hour. Officers outside are on duty and assigned there by the city. Ummm...you have to prove damages. What are his damages? This price of the ticket? Ok...he gets $20.