Chastity McBride said she was just trying to make a point about the natural human drive for dominance. “By selling crystal meth for a white nationalist gang, I was demonstrating the hypocrisy of our national drug laws,” said McBride while filing a toothbrush into a shank to represent the death of innocence.
McBride was one of almost forty neo-Nazis affiliated with the Unforgiven and Aryan Brotherhood gangs swept up in a sting operation on Thursday. But the defendants and advocacy groups argue the arrests were a violation of their civil rights.
“When it comes to drugs and weapons, the government must be especially careful not to violate citizens’ freedom of expression,” said ACLU Chief Communication Officer Michelle Moore. “Although we at the ACLU obviously abhor political violence and drug trafficking, the state is constantly trying to redefine them to strip Americans of their rights to expression and policy advocacy.”
Richard Morman, arrested on two counts of possessing a pipe bomb, expressed his indignance. “This is a clear violation of my freedom of speech. If I’m not able to incinerate a local synagogue, how can I truly express myself?”
Others were more circumspect. Arnold Gerard Nelson, Jr. insists his actions were performance. “I was demonstrating the duality of man,” Nelson said with blood stains on his shirt. “In my performance of selling smack and meth, I was merely playing devil’s advocate to those who argue that humans prefer moderation to extremes.”
Bradley Cox argues that he is being tried for his views on abortion. “My views are being suppressed because I am pro-life. In dealing fentanyl, I was demonstrating the worthlessness with which our society views all life.” Adding, “it was a work of satire.”
Others believe they didn’t even get a chance to have their voice heard. “These police officers are all cowards,” said a wild-eyed Breanna Knights. “They took my crack and heroin because they’re afraid to debate me.”