Lone Protester

Saturday, July 21, 2007 8:16:24 AM Subject: Lone Protester. My name is Terry Funderburk. I live in Columbia, SC and have a small business in the new home construction industry here. I install copper on new homes. I have been in business for almost 20 years now and always had plenty of work lined up. Usually, I had 20 to 30 jobs lined up for the next few weeks. Last year my company grossed 176 thousand. I have 2 employees and a partner. (my son). This year though, things have gone to hell in a handbasket. Here we are almost into August and my business has grossed so far this year 18 thousand. (by this time last year we had grossed 110 grand). So whats different between this year and last year? Right, the illegal competition. Let me tell you a little story that actually happened to me this week (it still seems surreal). But it begins about a month ago. Then I stopped by a home that was being rebuilt due to a lightning strike last year I knew the homeowner, I have done 2 different copperjobs on his house before it burned down. I asked him if he was planning on installing copper on the front and rear porches and he said yes, to please give him a bid on it. He said that he had an international team of roofers to install the shingles on the roof and that if I wanted the copperjob to be sure to give him a low bid. He said that the international roofers got paid 4 to 5 dollars an hour for the shingles. (thats what American roofers were making in 1970). Well, I turned in a bid to him for 5 grand on the copperwork. A fair price. So this past Monday morning was when my adventure began. (and it ain’t over by a long shot). I drove by that house early Monday, the international roofing team was hard at work installing the copper. I saw red. I got enraged. I went home, made up 2 picket signs, one said illegals, stop stealing our jobs and the other simply said Enforce our laws. I told my wife that I probably wasn’t coming home that night because I was going to protest until I got arrested and taken to jail. In route to the job I called my son and told him what I was planning to do. I asked for his support, gave him my digital camera and had him park his truck across the intersection from the job with the camera and take pictures of me protesting that job. I got my picket sign and started marching up and down the street yelling. I brought out all of the homeowners neighbors told them exactly how cheap their friend was. Every vehicle that came by I made sure they slowed down, read my sign and saw how mad I was. After about 30 minutes of doing this a single cop showed up. He pulled over, came up to me, grabbed my sign, threw it down on the road and told me to come to his patrol car with him. I asked him if I was under arrest, he said no that he just wanted to talk to me. I told him no, I wanted his hands off me, my sign back and that I wanted to keep expressing my first amendment rights. He grabbed me forcefully then, trying to steer me to his vehicle but I immediately sat down in the middle of the road. I was still yelling because I was madder than hell at that homeowner. He cuffed my hands behind me then he real forcefully tried to pick me up so I yelled to my son, Police brutality, take a picture, lol, That cop took his hands off me then and called for a backup. The other cop arrived after 30 minutes or so and the entire time I am so pissed I yelled at everybody that came by. A lot of them gave a a thumbs up. Once the cop was talking to the homeowner so I reached over and picked up my sign with my hands cuffed and yelled for my son to take a picture, (nice one too). Well, both cops came over to me, I asked them if I was under arrest they said no. They picked me up (no help from me) and shoved me in the back of the patrol car. I looked at the homeowner while they were doing this and he had a smirk on his face so I called him a cheap bastard. I asked both cops again if I was under arrest, they both said no so I demanded to be released. Then the first cop sat in the front seat and began to write a ticket. I asked him what was the charge he said cursing. lol. I started laughing then, it was just so damn funny (and tragic). I asked him, tell me, which crime is worse, cursing, that homeowner knowingly and admitting to employing illegals or the illegals breaking the law by being here illegally? Well, I certainly found out which crime is the most serious because I spent the next 22 hours in jail for cursing. When I got out of jail Tuesday afternoon I called and emailed 8 different law firms. I went to criminal court yesterday morning (for cursing mind you). The judge asked me how did I plead. I told him I wanted a jury trial. Thats what the lawyers had advised me. Every word in this story is true. I got the pictures to prove it. And the ticket for cursing too of course. My trial should be within the next 3 to six weeks, I’m just about bankrupt because of all the illegal competition, but I swear to God if I am found guilty of cursing I will take it all the way to the supreme court. I listened to Michael Savage the other evening and he said that there were 30 illegal Hispanics outside his studio protesting something he said over the air. He said that they sounded like they were offended and then he said that there are 180 million Americans offended by the millions of illegals flooding across our southern border but of the 2 groups who is our politicians and government listening to. The 30 illegals of course. But I tell you what, it is way past time for the American people to put there feet down, to get rid of most of the bums in Washington and locally and get this country back to the way it was before it became politically correct. The way things are going these days I fear for the future of my kids and grandkids. Is there anybody out there with me or can offer me any advice? Thanks for reading a tragic story from a very outraged patriot. Almost forgot, but I am not one of Senator Lindsey Grahams bigots(this fellow is gone come nov 08). I am married to a beautiful lady from the Philippines. It cost 15 grand in visa and lawyer fees to get her here LEGALLY. The process took 2 years. She didn’t have a border to just stroll across like our southern neighbors love to do all the time.

has blogged 9264 posts here.