Current Events > Tennessee man arrested for posting anti-Trump meme on Facebook

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Brought to you by the "party of free speech"

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/tennessee-facebook-arrest-trump-charlie-kirk-b2832831.html

A Tennessee man was arrested on Monday for making threats of mass violence after posting a meme in a Facebook group where people were organizing a vigil for Charlie Kirk.

Larry Bushart Jr., 61, a former police officer, posted a meme of President Donald Trump in the Perry County community group page as members of the page were organizing a vigil to honor Kirk.

In response, Bushart posted a meme of Trump that featured a photo of the president with a quote he gave just one day after a 2024 mass shooting at Perry High School in Iowa

We have to get over it. Donald Trump, on the Perry High School mass shooting one day after, the text on the meme read.

However, members of the group interpreted Busharts post as a threat against their local high school, which is also called Perry County High School.

Investigators believe Bushart was fully aware of the fear his post would cause and intentionally sought to create hysteria within the community, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems told The Tennessean.

As a result, Bushart was arrested early Monday morning and charged with making threats of mass violence on school property and activities.

He is currently being held on bond in the Perry County Sheriffs Office in Lexington.

The Perry County Sheriffs Office and the Perry County School System take all threats of school violence seriously. Every threat is investigated thoroughly, and charges are pursued when evidence supports them, the Perry County Sheriffs Office told WSMV.

Creating mass hysteria in our community will not be tolerated, Weems told The Tennessean. We will continue to act quickly and decisively to protect our students and our citizens.

The meme Bushart posted is a commonly cited quote utilized by anti-Trump advertisements or gun violence prevention activists. Its been posted across various social media platforms, dating back to January 2024 when Trump initially gave the quote.

Weems told The Tennessean that Bushart also allegedly posted multiple hate memes referencing Kirks assassination, but said they were not against the law because they are considered free speech.

Busharts arrest is just the latest to occur in connection with the fallout from Kirks death.

Multiple people across several states have faced repercussions for celebrating Kirks assassination with disrespectful remarks or actions. Members of the Trump administration have said they will go after those who incite violence in response to Kirks death.

A pair of sisters in Arkansas was arrested and charged after vandalizing a Kirk memorial. A man in Arizona was arrested for wielding a firearm outside of the arena where the memorial was being held.

Others have lost their jobs for making posts on social media condemning Kirk or being unsympathetic toward his death.

Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on a college campus while speaking to students about conservative ideology. The person suspected of killing Kirk is currently in custody and charged with several crimes, including aggravated murder.

I think the simplest way of fighting this is raising money to defend him.

They are the ones threatening people !!!

This is ridiculous.

Man's about to get a big payday on the backs of Tennessee voters.

Wonder what kinda charges I'll get brought up on for my first thought crime

I just seen this. This is insane. This is going to become normal isn't it?

Chadawah posted...

I just seen this. This is insane. This is going to become normal isn't it?

New normal is when the courts get cut out and this just gets you disappeared.

CobraGT posted...

I think the simplest way of fighting this is raising money to defend him.

They are the ones threatening people !!!

I would hope the ACLU has already offered to fight on his behalf.

Your honor the defendant was being a meanie

They are going after blue dots in red states

So he posts a picture suggesting Kirk was killed by Trump because of the Epstein files (if I understood the intent properly it also featured a picture of him as he was shot) and with a quote from Trump saying to get over a school shooting.

I don't see how they can even attempt to argue this was a threat or how a judge gives him a 2 million bond.

That's some of the most pathetic reasoning I've heard unless I'm just missing something.

Literally the thinnest skin 'hysteria'

And none of these shitbirds see the irony of calling Trump's own words a terroristic threat when someone against Trump posts them.

Conservatives kept saying "he threatened to shoot a school" but none of them would post him actually saying it. He posted a picture of Trump with a quote that "we need to get over it" about a school shooting in Iowa. Seems pretty clear he was telling them to get over Kirk, yet somehow they are trying to say that quote meant he wanted to shoot the local school which is one of the most bizarre leaps of logic I've ever seen.

He should start a GoFundMe. If a woman can get money for being racist, then being slapped with a gigantic fine for posting a goddamn meme that doesn't even threaten anybody should absolutely be okay.

Now they care about school shootings. For five minutes.

That is absolutely insane

To show how egregious this shit is, this is the meme in question

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8b2c95e2.jpg

CRON posted...

To show how egregious this shit is, this is the meme in question

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8b2c95e2.jpg

Yeah only the most pitiful fucking snowflake would melt over this

BakonBitz posted...

He should start a GoFundMe. If a woman can get money for being racist, then being slapped with a gigantic fine for posting a goddamn meme that doesn't even threaten anybody should absolutely be okay.

Gofundme doesnt allow fundraisers for legal defenses, its givesendgo that hosts hosts pretty much anything which has its own problems.

Hejiru posted...

However, members of the group interpreted Busharts post as a threat against their local high school, which is also called Perry County High School.

Investigators believe Bushart was fully aware of the fear his post would cause and intentionally sought to create hysteria within the community, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems told The Tennessean.

Ok, so if I squint and look at it funny I can almost see the logic.

But that would be if the backlash was coming from sentient beings.

Coming from this crowd of bloodthirsty Nazi bootlickers, I'm gonna go ahead and assume it's a couple thousand hectares of bullshit.

DrizztLink posted...

Ok, so if I squint and look at it funny I can almost see the logic.

But that would be if the backlash was coming from sentient beings.

Coming from this crowd of bloodthirsty Nazi bootlickers, I'm gonna go ahead and assume it's a couple thousand hectares of bullshit.

I nod my head at you in a very miniscule, but strong form and say, "God damn right!"

Hospy posted...

Gofundme doesnt allow fundraisers for legal defenses, its givesendgo that hosts hosts pretty much anything which has its own problems.

That's not true, as countless people have used Gofundme for legal defenses. Gofundme just has restrictions, such as you can't use it to raise money for a legal defense for a violent crime, one example being Kyle Rittenhouse.

Looking into it a bit further, that might actually be the only real notable restriction. If the crime you have been charged with is a violent crime, you can't do a Gofundme, but otherwise, it's fair game.

https://www.gofundme.com/c/blog/how-to-pay-for-lawyer

Patriotwolf posted...

threats of mass violence is not protected speech

But of course TC probably knew that before making their bait topic

Go ahead and show us where this man made threats of mass violence.

This is the meme in question that he shared:
CRON posted...

To show how egregious this shit is, this is the meme in question

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8b2c95e2.jpg

So go ahead, please explain.

Patriotwolf posted...

threats of mass violence is not protected speech

But of course TC probably knew that before making their bait topic

This has already been addressed in the thread, but I'm sure you knew that before making your bait post.

The person posted two pictures clearly intended to tell people to get over Kirks death. I have not seen anyone say how this person made any threats to anyone.

HashtagSEP posted...

Go ahead and show us where this man made threats of mass violence.

This is the meme in question that he shared:

So go ahead, please explain.

Read the full story the TC posted

Patriotwolf tries so hard to convince us he's not MAGA, yet couldn't help but take the bait this time.

"Whoops."

Patriotwolf posted...

Read the full story the TC posted

I did. Did you?

In response, Bushart posted a meme of Trump that featured a photo of the president with a quote he gave just one day after a 2024 mass shooting at Perry High School in Iowa

We have to get over it. Donald Trump, on the Perry High School mass shooting one day after, the text on the meme read.

However, members of the group interpreted Busharts post as a threat against their local high school, which is also called Perry County High School.

We can see the image he posted. So, please, explain how it is a threat of mass violence? Go on, you jumped forward to say this is fair, so go ahead and explain why.

Patriotwolf posted...

Read the full story the TC posted

Why are you, who clearly didn't read it, telling others to as if there is something in there that suggests the guy made a threat? (he didn't)

Patriotwolf posted...

Read the full story the TC posted

Take your own advice.

Patriotwolf posted...

Read the full story the TC posted

I did. I have been a litigator and constitutional lawyer for 21 years. This arrest is bullshit under these facts. Give me this case all day long. I would win it with my eyes shut.

Making excuses for a movement that tried to overthrow the US government on 1/6, is deploying the military against US citizens, and trying to silence everyone who does not agree with them is not a good look.

So he's gonna do the thing they all do and run away instead of explain. I genuinely do not understand how someone can claim he made threats.

And the chud runs off after doing a driveby, lmao. Typical.

But yeah, we all read the article. Nothing even remotely suggested that what the person posted was actually threatening, with the only thing shown being that meme up above. All we have are hearsay from right-wingers who refuse to actually provide proof of their claims.

Patriotwolf posted...

threats of mass violence is not protected speech

But of course TC probably knew that before making their bait topic

Where was the threat of mass violence?

Inside one's ass, anything is possible!

Still waiting for @Patriotwolf to explain how the meme is a threat of mass violence

Have fun waiting forever. They probably won't even be back. It's just how mindless MAGAs do.

Just remember while it's easy to think all police officers (current and former) are Trump supporters and horrible people, there will still be some who knows better. And it does seem like those people are willing to fight.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/community/Patriotwolf

Patriotwolf is SUSPENDED!

What got him?

Aressar posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/community/Patriotwolf

Patriotwolf is SUSPENDED!

Should've been gone when he tried to claim a democrat was behind the assassinations in Minnesota.

Wait, was it actually this topic? that's surprising

evilpresident posted...

Wait, was it actually this topic? that's surprising

He's got a terrible moderation history, so I assume it wouldn't take much.

HashtagSEP posted...

That's not true, as countless people have used Gofundme for legal defenses. Gofundme just has restrictions, such as you can't use it to raise money for a legal defense for a violent crime, one example being Kyle Rittenhouse.

Looking into it a bit further, that might actually be the only real notable restriction. If the crime you have been charged with is a violent crime, you can't do a Gofundme, but otherwise, it's fair game.

https://www.gofundme.com/c/blog/how-to-pay-for-lawyer

My bad then

Hospy posted...

My bad then

For a brief moment I thought you were actually right, because I did feel like I've read about things being turned down, but a Google search told me one bigger example of somebody being turned down was because they were accused of stabbing somebody, so that fit with the whole violent crime thing. But yeah, I get where you got that feeling.

HashtagSEP posted...

He's got a terrible moderation history, so I assume it wouldn't take much.

So what gets one banned from CE? Is it suspension, or something else?

CRON posted...

To show how egregious this shit is, this is the meme in question

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8b2c95e2.jpg

I wanna post this meme just to see what happens lmao

Seems they believe Trump was threating to pull off a mass shooting when Trump said get over it???

WingsOfGood posted...

Seems they believe Trump was threating to pull off a mass shooting when Trump said get over it???

Yes, but he's president. He's above the law. Wait no... he is the law!