In my blog on Sunday 16 August 2015 I criticized a Maine State Trooper for using social media to attack the character of the driver of a truck that was not inspectable by Maine safety laws.

Many people criticized me for attacking the cop, and thought that the cop did the right thing in taking the vehicle off the road.

In addition to criticism: my intelligence was called into question, my political status was theorized, I was shamed, and accused of holding a grudge against the Maine State Police.

Apparently many people missed the point of my blog! The state police are responsible for, among other things, finding and removing vehicles that are not safe to operate on Maine roads. In this instance they did that. Well done! If they wanted to use that vehicle stop to point out the numerous faults with the vehicle, they could simply have listed them.

But our police officers are not like some Hollywood futuristic cybernetic super cops who are tasked to dole out justice as well! The trooper implied that the driver spoke words he likely did not. Further he passed judgment on the driver’s frame of mind, and moral character!

Without ever knowing the guy hundreds of you have contacted me, agreeing with the trooper 100%. That trooper’s remarks automatically have you believing that driver, and every other driver like him is self centered.

THAT IS NOT THE TROOPER’S PLACE TO DO THAT! We have people within our judicial system that are tasked with judging people…Oddly enough they are called JUDGES!

If the trooper that wrote that facebook article walked into the driver’s court hearing and said,

“Your honor, this man is going to tell you he is just a poor unfortunate soul, down on his luck, doing all he can to get by.” Yeah, whatever, pull my leg and it plays “Jingle Bells” too. This is a guy that has said, “To heck with the rest of you, I’m going to do what I dang well please because I’m the center of the universe.”

The defense counsel would likely have several objections, and the judge would likely sustain them all!

If a St. Lois County police officer can make a statement about spending his annual Michael Brown bonus for a vacation, on his own personal facebook page and face an investigation, why is a state police officer allowed to make statements like this on the Maine State Police-Headquarters official facebook page?

THAT is my issue with the trooper’s facebook post! What will happen if the driver of that truck comes forward with a lawyer and files a defamation of character suit? I know I would, if I was the driver of that truck!

I am ALL ABOUT the rights of individuals! I fully agree 100% that the trooper writing that article has every right to say whatever they want about ANYBODY, but on their own facebook page, and not in an official capacity!

When you officially represent the Maine State Police, and you imply that any driver driving a vehicle without an inspection sticker is somebody who feels they can do as they please you have crossed the line.

Did you know there are only SEVENTEEN states out of fifty that require inspection stickers??? Where are the cries for justice in the name of the people killed by what the trooper calls rolling chariots of death in other states?

Also, I want to point out that I am NOT an employee of Bangor Daily News as many of you seem to believe. The folks at Bangor Daily News have provided me with a place to exercise my freedom of expression, and my views are my own only.

Bangor Daily News has yet to tell me what I should, or should not write, and if I defame anybody’s character, you can rest assured, I am ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ON MY OWN!

If the Maine State Police are accused of defamation in a law suit…who do you suppose will foot the bill for that??

I should go to sleep now.  In a few hours my family and I are embarking on a camping trip, followed by a trip to Splashtown…Maybe when I get back, I will have more material for the REAL blogs I like to write!  I want to thank all of the readers who supported me in comments, and defended me against the attacks of other folks.  I encourage healthy debate, but PLEASE keep it civil!