Civil Rights Attorney Needed Marathon FL

[440sailor]

So, one FWC boat harasses the boaters at night? Strength in numbers my Boot Key friends. Organize yourselves to monitor the FWC and it's nightly rounds. Maintain VHF communication between yourselves to alert the harbor of its presence. Even a hailer, air horn, or conch would suffice. Once he lights up a boat, he too can be lit up in return, from every angle and from every boat. Getting blinded from multiple angles will force the operator to come to a complete stop for safety. And if the agent does board, continue to illuminate the boarded vessel and FWC boat - for support and to ensure there are no "miscommunications" while aboard. I also recommend that those boarded display their defiance if front of the agent by being completely naked. That's right, in your birthday suit. The whole crew if possible, understandably if children are aboard, this may not be possible. It's your home, you can dress as you please... I could go on with endless forms of civil disobedience, but you get the idea. Have fun coming up with your own!

[440sailor]

How quickly those in the Keys forget the heavy handed and oppressive tactics used by the federal government. Do you even remember how the Conch Republic came to be? Do yourself a favor and refresh your memory. And learn.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by 440sailor

So, one FWC boat harasses the boaters at night? Strength in numbers my Boot Key friends. Organize yourselves to monitor the FWC and it's nightly rounds. Maintain VHF communication between yourselves to alert the harbor of its presence. Even a hailer, air horn, or conch would suffice. Once he lights up a boat, he too can be lit up in return, from every angle and from every boat. Getting blinded from multiple angles will force the operator to come to a complete stop for safety. And if the agent does board, continue to illuminate the boarded vessel and FWC boat - for support and to ensure there are no "miscommunications" while aboard. I also recommend that those boarded display their defiance if front of the agent by being completely naked. That's right, in your birthday suit. The whole crew if possible, understandably if children are aboard, this may not be possible. It's your home, you can dress as you please... I could go on with endless forms of civil disobedience, but you get the idea. Have fun coming up with your own!

:-) :-)
And after that one wonders why the European consider us American as overgrown kids.... :-)

[440sailor]

Ahh, but if you can't make fun of the absurd with the absurd, then you may not be alive... That's what makes us Americans. Besides I've seen Brits. French, Germans, Italians, etc do things even crazier. Does it make it right? Maybe, maybe not. But as Americans IN the US, we're allowed to freely express ourselves. Try it sometime, the Constitution will thank you.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Believe me! if there moorings are almost empty, and the ancorage is mostly empty, the Idea will get across to the shoreside money makers !! and this style of law inforcement will be discontinued!! Money talks and it will make a change real quick!! The only way to fix this is through media and lack of money being spent by cruisers!! Again why put up with this stuff when theres other places to moor or anchor!! Ive been anchoring for a long time, and if I don't like a place I move!! I don't feel I need to fight the good fight !! If everybody but the liveaboards left, they would have a lot less to do and maybe the folks at the top will get the idea that we are Mobil and we can leave and not return till something gets done to cure this problem !!

+A1...
Work to rule/Boycott tactics can work and are often surprisingly effective... only problem is getting folk to think outside themselves and instead for the greater good..

[JusDreaming]

This is the response from the FWC. If more of us contact them it may have an effect!!!
http://myfwc.com/contact/fwc-staff/report-misconduct/



Dear Mr. and Mrs. Deranek:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Office of Inspector General (OIG) received your email concerning FWC officers in Marathon, i.e. harassing boaters in Boot Key Harbor. We will look into the allegations and inform you of the outcome.

Sincerely,

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Office of Inspector General
620 S. Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
(850)488-6068 (office)
(850)488-6414 (FAX)

[Vasco]

Great Denny,

If more of those in Boot Key write it might get some action.

[ontherocks83]

Nice to hear you got a response. Should be interesting to see what their investigation leads to. Hopefully you can get more boaters from boot key to submit complaints and get something done.

[READY2GO]

The fwc has agreed to a meeting at the marina on the evening of the 18th. We will all be there. Should be an interesting night. I believe that a great deal of the problem is new young officers. They wrote one guy a warning for not having an anchor light on his dingy that was tied to his anchored boat with a six foot line. (His sailboat did have an anchor light) It really has reached the point of supidity. We are paid up till the 2nd, thinking of leaing then and spend the rest of the season in Islamarada.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by READY2GO

The fwc has agreed to a meeting at the marina on the evening of the 18th. We will all be there. Should be an interesting night. I believe that a great deal of the problem is new young officers. They wrote one guy a warning for not having an anchor light on his dingy that was tied to his anchored boat with a six foot line. (His sailboat did have an anchor light) It really has reached the point of supidity. We are paid up till the 2nd, thinking of leaing then and spend the rest of the season in Islamarada.

Really sad and ridiculous if this is the case. Good luck with the meeting. Hope you get a good turnout.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Custom30

I tend to agree, and am contemplating skipping Marathon later this month, but that means giving in to these tactics, and setting a precedence to be used in the next mooring field, until there is no place left.

Quite a dilemma.

A dilemma indeed. Every time another cruiser skips Marathon, the FWC wins another victory.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Alecadi

What are your sources?
I think you are misinformed
For example
Norway 0.6 for 100 000 inhabitants
France 1.1 for 100 000
Germany 0.8

Etc..

The USA is at 4.4

So around 4 to 5 times higher than in Europe.

But this is not the topic of this thread.

See thread for link to the study, http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...usa-95921.html

[Coops]

That study was highly discredited in that thread both on statistical information and relevance to this forum.

Coops.

[familycruisers]

Spoke with Sean from the municipal marina. He was speaking with the fwc captain. He stated the spotlights were just used for navigation. I asked "through anchorages? He stated " to see anchor lines and such"
We had planned to go to Marathon. Up in the air now. Maybe just head to the islands instead.

[ElGatoGordo]

Originally Posted by READY2GO

The fwc has agreed to a meeting at the marina on the evening of the 18th. We will all be there. Should be an interesting night.

NOW you're getting somewhere! I expect you'll have a good meeting, concerns will be aired, and a resolution will be reached. Then coffee will be drunk and the discussion will turn to fishing.

This assuming the folks who use terms like "Jack Booted Thugs" and other childish phrases and actually believe the majority of law enforcement personnel are personally out to get them stay away!

I have a propensity to come into contact with the law, usually for negative reasons (speeding, head light out, boat not "technically" lit correctly, registration expired, falling asleep at the wheel, a guy hit my car in my driveway, a solicitor wouldn't leave my property, witnessed a hit and run, reported a drunk driver, wife ran a red light....and that's just the last couple of years! And DOEN'T include those I deal with in my job as a pediatric burn ICU nurse) and I've met ONE...yes ONE disrespectful officer. One in 45 years of life. And HE was reined in by his own partner. AND I was dead wrong and busted in that situation. So when anyone says they see these bad cops all the time...I call BS! I suspect at least one of these guys in this thread believe the CIA killed Kennedy and 9/11 was a government plot.