Saturday, February 23, 2008

More From The Lone Protester

Terry Funderburk, fresh off of his court victory, has learned a few things from his journey. Here, in his words, is his "Lessons Learned."

In the last few months I had gotten completely disgusted with our criminal justice system. They tried with everything that they had to get me to plead guilty. They said, come on plead guilty and you will get no jail time and no fine. Then they got tired of me being hardheaded and said plead guilty or we will level another charge against you. And I told them to kiss where I can’t. So they did, trying to threaten and scare me into pleading guilty. But I stood my ground. Some of my friends said that maybe I should plead guilty just to get it over with. One of them even suggested that I should get into another line of work. Another, bless his heart, got fired from his job of 27 years trying to make a stand like I did. But I stood my ground. And it paid off!

I have learned a major lesson in all the bullcrap I have put up with the last eight months. And that is, don’t listen to them. If you believe that you are in the right, then do not give up. Take it as far as they want to take it. And further if need be. My case might have been about a simple cuss word, like the judge said, but in reality it was about much more than that. Judge Dennis said, when my trial started that it would not be about nothing but whether I uttered a fighting word or not. But he was wrong! One hundred per cent wrong. My trial had everything to do with illegal immigration. If it wasn’t for the flood of illegal aliens into South Carolina then I wouldn’t have protested, wouldn’t have been jailed and wouldn’t have had a trial. If it wasn’t for all the businesses employing illegal aliens then I wouldn’t have been arrested. And if it our criminal justice system did it’s job, as specified under our Constitution, then I wouldn’t have been forced to do what I did.

My trial had everything to do with illegal immigration and the jury understood that from the outset. When I got on that witness stand and started talking, I got the jury to believe what I was saying. That is one hell of an experience, to see that jury really listening to what I had to say. And agreeing with me. My business is really going to hell, my bills are getting so far behind that it isn’t funny anymore. The prosecutor asked me if my business was bankrupt and I told him like it was. That this week I did not have one job lined up and my profits would more than likely be zero dollars on Friday. And I told them the reason why. Criminal companies employing illegal aliens because they know they will never be forced to answer to their crimes like I was. I wanted to ask prosecutor Overture Walker so bad, one thing, if he had ever prosecuted anyone for employing illegal aliens. But I was not allowed.

In one part of the trial they had sequestered the jury in a back room and the judge and prosecutor and my lawyer were arguing about something. I raised my hand to say what was on my mind but the judge wouldn’t let me. They were arguing about me walking up and down that road exercising my first amendment rights. My question, to the judge was, I remember May 1st 2006, I remember watching 5000 illegal aliens gathering in Finlay Park in Columbia, , to march in our streets and protest for things that were not due them because they were not American citizens. And I also remember them yelling at the top of their lungs, but strangely enough, none of them were arrested like I was. I wanted to ask those two cops that arrested me if they had arrested any of the illegals for protesting. Even though my right to protest is guaranteed under the United States Constitution , I was arrested and those 5000 illegal aliens were given a free pass. Why? That is what I wanted to ask Judge Dennis. Why were my rights violated so willingly by the cops but why did they gave 5000 criminals a free pass. But I wasn’t allowed to ask that question. I wanted to ask if those two cops that arrested me if they were there on May 1st 2006 directing traffic for all the illegal aliens that were marching in our streets. I wanted to ask if they had arrested any illegal aliens for yelling and cursing. But I was not allowed to ask that question. That is our justice system at work. A system that millions of Americans Patriots have given their lives for.

But I won in the end, because the jury, composed of Americans , saw through their bullcrap. And that is the number one lesson that I have learned from what I have went through the past eight months. Don’t listen to their bullcrap. The United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights is on our side. Do not let them threaten you, scare you or anything else, if you are in the right, then do not give up because if you elect to have a trial by jury then you will be judged fairly and the truth will come out. And that is something we never use. I want what happened to me to be a learning experience to all the Patriots out there. We can use our system of justice of justice and beat this crap they are trying to force on us. We can use our justice system for our own benefit .

So anybody out there, in a position similar to mine, do not back up, do not be scared, if your business is going to hell, or your job, fight back, force the issue, bring it to the courts, request a trial by jury, exactly like I did. Do not be scared if they call you a racist like they did with me. Do not be scared if they try to force you into pleading guilty. Because, if you request a trial by jury, composed of American citizens, then you will be judged fairly, just like I was. Do not give up. Fight to your last breath if you have to, because it is worth it. The satisfaction I got when they came back with a not guilty verdict was overwhelming. I actually had tears in my eyes. And there were 18 of my supporters in the court room that was as happy as I me. It was overwhelming.

I am not a hero, or anything else similar, I am just a simple American citizen, a small businessman, that does not like,in the least, the path that my country is currently travelling on. And I am doing everything within my power to put her back on the right path. And I hope that a lot of you out there listen to me. I do not like the idea that it is okay that millions of illegal aliens invade our country. I do not like the idea that our justice system is aiding and abetting them, and the businesses that employ them. I have found a way to fight them, and that is through our justice system. And I encourage every one of you, in positions similar to mine, to force them to do the right thing like I did. Because, if you do, it will put this country back on the right path. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Lone Protester

No comments: