Welcome to the Obamessiah's America

Courtesy KETV 7 in Iowa, via Michelle:

OMAHA, Neb. -- An Iowa State trooper who was investigated after it was shown that he forwarded an e-mail showing mug shots of people wearing Obama t-shirts has been suspended for 30 days.

Sgt. Rodney Hicok was at home and off-duty when he forwarded the e-mails, said an official with the Iowa Department of Public Safety Bureau and Professional Standards.

The e-mail made disparaging remarks about 15 people in the photos and referred to Obama as having "quite a fan base."

Hicok was not making a racial statement, the official said, but, rather, a political statement.

In a statement, Hicok said, "I am deeply sorry for my actions … I apologize to anyone this e-mail may have offended, as well as my family, citizens in my community and Iowa taxpayers."

Hicok ended his statement by saying he guaranteed "nothing like this will ever happen again."

"I regret what happened and wish I could take it back," Hicok said in the statement.

He violated the department's policy and his permanent file will reflect the suspension, the official said.

The 27-year veteran, who has no prior offense on his record, will also attend DPS training on policies and procedures.

There's some key words and phrases in that report: "at home", "off-duty," "Hicok was [making] a political statement."

Just who in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks do these people think they are? To discipline an OFF-DUTY officer who was AT HOME on his OWN COMPUTER? Because he disparaged the Obamessiah's supporters? Where's the ACLU? You'd know they'd have proactively jumped on the case if it had involved disparaging remarks about President Bush.

I am really, really concerned - maybe even a little fearful - about what the next 4 years are going to bring. This trooper's case was not an isolated incident. Add to all these the whole revival of the anti-First Amendment "fairness doctrine" and you've got the makings of a totalitarian society.

And to think people thought (and some still think) Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty Four" would come to life via the right-wing.