PoliGazette » Equal Rights for Robots

Equal Rights for Robots

Filed under: Legal Matters, Morons — Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief on June 11, 2007 @ 7:46 am CEST

I had no idea, but it seems that carrying a sign that says “Equal Rights for Robots” can get you arrested:

On April 18th, I was arrested. This normally wouldn’t be big news, but the situation arround which I was arrested brings up serious questions. I was arrested at Kutztown University, where I am a student, because I decided to try to liven the mood after the Life and Liberty Ministries began to upset students. They came on campus with signs that featured aborted fetuses, lists of people who will be going to hell, and catchy phrases such as “JESUS OR HELL”. I have friends who are gay, and these people who came onto Kutztown University’s campus without permission or prior notice were upsetting students all over campus.

I decided not to simply let them upset people, so I went to the bookstore and purchased a posterboard and sharpie marker and made my own sign. It said “Equal Rights for Robots”, a saying I thought no one would be able to take the wrong way. The protesters had been on campus for about two hours at this time, and the whole time the police were protecting them from the students. To my knowledge, the protesters at this time had not been asked to leave. With my sign in hand, I walked out and waved my sign in the air.

I had some small support from students around me, as most saw the attempt at humor to lighten a rough situation. However, within about two or three minutes a police officer came over to me and told me to come with him. I was dropped off at the police area, searched and taken to the local precinct where I was held for an hour and a half.

Well, one cannot possibly blame the policeman of course. Everybody knows that civil robot rights activists are an unruly bunch.

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