Man Charged In Anti-Bush Road Rage

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/10/national/main679334.shtml

A man apparently enraged by a Bush-Cheney sticker on a woman's sport utility vehicle chased her for miles and tried to run her off the road while holding up an anti-Bush sign, police said.

"He told our officers that he just got mad at her, so he went after her," said police spokesman Joe Durkin.

Nathan Alan Winkler, 31, was freed on $2,000 bail early Wednesday on a charge of aggravated stalking, which carries up to five years in prison.

<snip>

Winkler told police he got upset with the woman, 35-year-old Michelle Fernandez, after she made an obscene gesture, Durkin said. Fernandez was taking her 10-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter to a ball field Tuesday when the incident occurred.

<snip>

Fernandez said she is a registered Democrat who voted for President Bush in 2004.

I'm pretty outraged myself and have little patience for war-loving neocons driving SUVs.

Fernandez said she is a registered Democrat who voted for President Bush in 2004.

I called one fellow a liar on the air the other day for just that.

at his home? Uh, sounds to me like she must've been following HIM to get his license number to report it to police.

And why exactly was she using obscene gestures in front of her kids just because the guy held up an anti-bush sign? Nice "moral values" there, lady.

Something does not sound right with her story.

these tactics don't help our side, these tactics don't help our side

Now breathe deeply... as much as they enrage you...

If I saw a car in distress with a Bush/Cheney or any other right wing stickers on it, I WOULD NOT HELP THEM, regardless of the consequences!

:grr:

So would Jesus. It drives your enemies absolutely bonkers when you extend courtesies to them that they wouldn't have given you - makes 'em feel like assholes.

They look on it as proof positive that GAWD is on their side. After all, he made one of them GODLESS DEMOCRATS stop and help a REAL AMERICAN for a change.

who never feel like assholes no matter what - no conscience.

Anyway, what does she care. She probably has some wealthy corporate husband, you know, "Fuck you I've got MINE!!!"

saying "You've been helped by a member of Hell's Angels". Maybe we could carry a bunch of cards that say "You've just been helped by a Liberal Democrat". Or something to that effect.

you are thinking about decent folks

they are evil!

As much as I would like Trogdor to come and burninate the stickers, or at least give them the double deuce, what's so difficult about helping people? Have we forgotten what it is like to get along? Are we stooping so low as to spit at others who don't share our opinions? Let's be honest, that's all that they are... opinions. We see things one way, they see them another. Part of living in a democracy is the open exchange of ideas. And this woman flipping off (I'm assuming it was the ol' rigid digit?) this guy, and them him chasing her, well, it just makes me wonder how the hell we ever got down out of the trees.

They both deserve to be beaten with a wet noodle and sent on their merry way.

~Almost

on edit: spelling

Progressives/Liberals and Democrats are very tired of the bullshit...

(I've THOUGHT about running wingnuts off the road, must admit) ... There is something in me that likes the idea that these rightwing assholes understand that not everyone agrees with their stupidity, and that they can't go around spouting their stupid rightwing crap without possibly suffering consequences ... Leftwingers have been cowed too often, and maybe it's the other side's turn to be cowed a little. (Again, intellectually, I know this kind of behavior is wrong. Emotionally, however ...)

"and that they can't go around spouting their stupid rightwing crap without possibly suffering consequences ... "
It was a bumper sticker- would you feel this way if the political message had been the other side of the coin?

no matter the situation...political, religious...etc

Sad fact of human nature.

Bullies are tough until the kids fight back...

(note: I don't condone violence but there are other forms of "payback")

Does a bumper sticker classify someone as "obnoxious people"?

That's why I said intellectually, I know it's wrong. It's just that our side has been shat upon for so long, I can't help but get a little thrill when the other side gets a little dished their way.

Thrilling to know that this guy was chasing some woman and her kids down the freeway?


In this undated photo released by the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, Nathan Alan Winkler, 31, is shown. Winkler, apparently enraged by a campaign sticker for President George W. Bush (news - web sites) on a woman's sport utility vehicle, chased her for miles and tried to run her off the road while holding up an anti-Bush sign, police said. Winkler was freed on $2,000 bail early Wednesday, March 9, 2005, on a charge of aggravated stalking, which carries up to five years in prison. (AP Photo/Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?p=news&g=events/pl/093003election&e=1&tmpl=sl&nosum=0&large=0&t=1110488275

ok....

And my post wasn't meant to be a jab, I just envisioned my wife and kids being chased by some clown for a bumper sticker, any bumper sticker- there is no way I can find justification for that to happen.

yet....we didn't report it..because the assholes got off at the next exit.

on one particular highway, a FEW times, Bushies have tailgated me with their high beams flashing. (I still have my John Kerry sticker on my car). As annoying and unpleasant as it was, I would just slow down to 40 mph (the minimum speed) and one time, the car slowed right down and stayed on my butt. I should have called the cops.

While we can never condone this, we need to ask what it is about the policies of the Bush Administration are that are pushing some people too far.

I'm sorry that this woman was scared, but I'm sure that US troops in military convoys in Iraq are in much more danger every day (a war that she voted to continue). I'm also sure that Iraqi civilians live in much more daily danger than she does too.

saying the same thing this year. My mother even suggested to me that I should 'register democrat' then vote to get the weaker candidate.

I have to wonder if perhaps this 'democrat who voted for bush' woman is one of those.

You wait until the person goes into a store or a bar or a brothel and then take out your black magic marker and color in the letters!

Do I have to teach you guys EVERYTHING?

usually they're the ones chasing me down the highway.

use my color printer and those avery lables to make "terroist" stickers...black letters on a yellow back ground look great, then when I see those fucking W04 stickers all I have to do is peel off the back and apply where nescessary! Oh yah...you still need the black marker so you can add an S to the shrub/chenny stickers because as you all know it fits both of them.

He got pulled over in his beat-up farm truck for "slightly" speeding. He was real nice to the cop as he ran a check on the DL and tags. When the cop comes back, he says to my friend that he's only giving him a warning, but he's asking for trouble with those stickers on the back of his truck. My friend was real nice, smiled and said "Yes, sir."

Imagine finding yourself in that position and not having it end with your ass in jail. What that ignorant cop didn't know is that this hick driving a beat-up truck works for a very prominent Dem in the state. If he was a repug rather than a Dem, I'm sure he would have been using his position to get the bastard reprimanded if not fired. Makes me want to carry a tape recorder around with me in the car.

I think a lot of us at DU can also say that we have been victims of harassment, stalking, vandalism, and road rage or troubling road incidents, at the hands of freepers or Bushistas, similar to the one that this woman experienced.

The thing is, I think their side, because they are always looking for "enemies" and looking for ways to discredit "enemies", deliberately report incidents to the media, who happily oblige them, in order to spread the ludicrous fiction that they are victimized simply for their inner political or religious views.

Not to say that our side does not have its share of idiots who would harass a person in this manner -- but I find it hard to believe that, in reality, left-leaning folks are more inclined to take such action.

But, because we are more "tolerant", I think it occurs to us less to report shit like this. Hell, my Kerry signs were routinely tore down, but I never reported it -- but Republican b****es here got tv time on our idiotic local media reporting that their George W signs had been torn down or tampered with, and just about wet their pants with excitement about how they have been victimized.

It never occured to me to call the media about my Kerry signs -- maybe because i thought that i would be laughed at for being so worked up about something so trivial. Maybe it is only not trivial if the dirty deed is done to Infallible Republicans.

All the shit I had to face in FL in 2000, and all the freepers I have to have in my face everytime I am involved in a political action -- but yet i am told I should get over it, and that it is only natural for patriots to find my views objectionable, whereas if I would even dare to disrupt one of their "actions" I would be dragged before the local media to be scorned.

Go figure.

The perpetrator in this case is a hotheaded asshole and I offer him no defence or shield. But I strongly suspect the "Poor Victim" in this case is a Republican activist -- despite her claims to be a Democrat. As someone pointed out above, it is one of their stupid Brown shirt strategies to claim that they are Democrats who have seen the light that George W is God and freedom.....

I have a Democratic Underground sign on the back of my little old Toyota and damned if I didn't come out one morning(8 unit small apts.) and someone had raked their keys across the Driver Side Window.

:)

And I WONDER about the "running off the road" allegation.

You're right, of course.

Wagar Hasan Age 46 Pakistani descent Muslim
September 15, 2001 Dallas, TX AP Wires (10/10/01)
Waqar Hasan was shot in the face while cooking burgers in his grocery store. The assailant apparently ignored what police described as a “considerable amount” of money in the cash register. Waqar is survived by four daughters, his mother and wife who were all dependent on him. They are now facing foreclosure on their home. The murderer, Mark Anthony Stroman, claimed he killed Hasan and another man and shot a third out of revenge for the terrorist attacks. All three victims were of South Asian descent.


Adel Karas Age 48 Egyptian descent Christian
September 15, 2001 San Gabriel, CA AP October 10, 2001
Grocery store owner Adel Karas was shot to death while at work. After a confrontation between him and two customers, the two men shot him and sped off leaving the money in the cash register intact. He is survived by his wife and 3 children, ages 10, 12 and 13. Mr. and Mrs. Karas came to the U.S. to practice Christianity in a country that would be tolerant of their religion.


Saed Mujtahid Pakistan descent Muslim
September 15, 2001 Dallas, TX
Saed Mujtahid was working as a clerk in a convenience store when he was shot to death.


Jayantilal Patel Age 45 Indian descent
September 17, 2001 Haines City, FL
Jayantilal Patel was found gagged, bound and beaten at the motel he owned and operated. A month later, police arrested Patel's murderers -Sean Russell, 23 and Kimberly Williams, 20. The pair confessed to killing Patel.


Ali Almansoop Yemen descent
September 19, 2001 Lincoln Park, MI
Ali Almmansoop was shot in the back and killed while fleeing his attacker. He had lived in America for 32 years. Brent Seever, who was convicted of the shooting in June, told the police, “I was motivated by all this terrorist activity.” 26 year old Saleh Almansoop said of his father’s slaying, “Same terrorists. This is the same. Same as in New York. The same killed me dad. I lost everything.”


Surjit Singh Samra Age 69 Sikh
September 19, 2001 Cerces, CA Modesto Bee (10/18/01)
The body of Surjit Singh Samra was discovered 2 days after he had left his home for an evening walk. His body was found beneath about 5 feet of water in a nearby irrigation canal. Samra was still clothed, but his turban and glasses were missing. His wallet was in his pocket, money still intact.


Abdo Ali Ahmed Arab descent
September 29, 2001 Fresno, CA The Fresno Bee (10/02/01)
Abdo Ali Ahmed, a store employee, was shot several times and killed while at work. Witnesses told detectives that they saw four men speed from the store in a white four-door sedan. No merchandise or money was stolen. Ahmed had received threats since mid-September. He is survived by 8 children.


Abdullah Mohammed Nimer Palestinian descent
October 3, 2001 Los Angeles, CA AFP (10/09/01)
A clothing salesman, Abdullah Mohammed Nimer, was killed while making his door-to-door rounds. There were no witnesses, but Mr. Nimer's family is convinced that the killing was a hate crime because neither money nor goods were stolen.


Vasudev Patel Age 49 Indian descent Hindu
October 4, 2001 Mesquite, Texas
Vasudev Patel, gas station owner, was shot to death. The 32-year-old murderer, Mark Stroman told police that he was motivated by vengeance for the terrorist attacks. The gunman alleged that he had lost a relative in the World Trade Center. Mrs. Patel is now working 16 hour days, 7 days a week, to try to maintain the service station her husband ran for 10 years. She is also the mother of two children, aged 11 and 13, and the sole supporter of two disabled parents.


Ali W. Ali Age 65 Somali descent
October 14, 2001 Minneapolis, MN Pioneer Press
Ali W. Ali was beaten unconscious while waiting at a bus stop. He later died in the hospital from head injuries. His son believes the assault was the result of an article written the night before in the Minneapolis Star Tribune which reported that local Somalis may have inadvertently donated to an organization now linked to Osama bin Laden.


Ramez Younan Syrian descent
October 18, 2001 Los Angeles, CA The Daily News of Los Angeles (10/19/01)
A convenience store owner, Ramez Younan was shot to death behind his cash register. Police report they have no suspects and no clear motive for the shooting. No money was stolen from the cash register.


Sukhpal Singh Sodhi Indian descent Sikh
August 4, 2002 San Francisco, CA
Sukhpal Singh Sodhi, brother of Balbir Singh Sodhi who was murdered on September 15 in Mesa AZ, was shot in the head, at close range, while driving a taxi. He was left with over $300 in his wallet.


Yasser Al-Ghurazy Yemeni descent
Clovis, CA
A Yemeni man, Yasse Al-Ghurazy, who owned a mini market and gas station was shot and killed outside his store in Clovis, CA.


Nirmal Singh Gill
Vancouver, BC Canada
Murdered by Lee Nikkel and Radoslaw Synderek.


Ibrahim Mohammed Palestinian descent Muslim
Chattanooga, TN
Ibrahim Mohammed was shot 4 times in the back and killed in front of his grocery store. Although the store was open and unattended, he had cash in his wallet and nothing was stolen.


Mohammed Omary Bengali descent Muslim
Denton, TX
The family reports that Mohammed Omary was opening his car door getting ready to go home after work when he was shot and killed.


Amar Singh Sachdeva Age 46 Indian descent Sikh
Connecticut Post West Haven, Connecticut
Amar Singh Sachdeva was working alone behind the counter of his Mobil station around 8 p.m when he was shot in the chest with a handgun, police said. There were no signs of a struggle and it is unclear if any money was taken.


Jawad Wassel Afghani descent Muslim
Early October 2002 Queens, NY
Jawad Wassel, a Muslim Afghani film maker, was murdered after an argument in early October with Mr. Powell about the origin of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

http://www.sikhnet.com/s/OtherHCVictims

We know this type of stuff has happened the last few years, but seeing the whole long list altogether made me sick to my stomach.

When I think of some of my co-worker friends who are Indian, or Pakistani, or other Asians, I really worry about them at times.

This is disgusting.
FSC

Now that I know it will cost $2G, I'll check myself next time.

pain. I despise any Republican who espouses Bush and company rich man's contempt for the disenfranchised. I f you are against that come out and be counted. Don't be wishy washy, they sure as hell aren't!

I was driving down the freeway, and I pulled from the slow lane into the fast lane. Belatedly, I realized that there was a truck sort of close behind me. I was like "Oh no, I hope he doesn't think I just cut him off!" :o

The back of my car has a Dean sticker and a MoveOn sticker, and the area I live in is very conservative, so I try not to piss people off.

I pulled back over into the slow lane, and the dude in the truck pulled up right next to me. I looked over at him, and he grinned and waved at me. :hi:

He pulled ahead of me, and I saw that his truck had a Kerry sticker. So I got in the fast lane and pulled up even with him and waved back. Good times. :pals:

And besides, some of these jerks have guns.

Holy Sh*t!

That is the one of the main reasons I will never vote for any republican, good or bad, ever.

:kick:

anger

Usually these stories are always about supporters of Bush.

This is only the begining...

There were kids in that vehicle. The guy's behavior was unacceptable. I don't care if this sort of thing has happened to Democrats as well, that's no excuse. It's wrong when it happens to us, and it's wrong when it happens to them.

DTH

It just gives the Republicans an excuse to say: "Just another crazy Democrat."

RL

Unacceptable criminal behaviour.