Filter Show Cancelled By Texas Casino Over Anti-Trump Comments And The Band Is Pissed
Filter had planned to play the Speaking Rock Casino in El Paso, Texas Thursday night (March 7), but those plans changed when they were informed by the venue management that a social media post singer Richard Patrick had posted was not appreciated and that they were no longer welcome.
The offending post featured a short video of the band sound checking at the venue, with Patrick captioning the post,
“This is sound check!! We’re Playing El Paso!!! Get here later and it will be packed!! A lot of Trump bashing! Does anyone know Beto?? Bring Beto!”
The Band Fired Back With
THE RIGHT TO PROTEST is a long-standing protection afforded by the U.S. and Texas constitutions.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.
The Texas Constitution, in Article I, sections 8 and 27 protects the “liberty to speak, write or publish … opinions on any subject.” You have the right to express your views in these ways regardless of how unpopular or controversial they may be.
Can I be prevented from protesting if my views are controversial?
No. Restrictions on speech must generally be unrelated to the content of the speech and may not be viewpoint-based. Even if your views are unpopular, controversial, or critical of the government, you still have the right to express them through speech and assembly.
FILTER(ED) IN TEXAS
Speaking Rock Casino in El Paso, TX, the Tigua Tribe’s Casino / Resort / Music Venue has cancelled tonight’s FILTER show, due to a humorous Facebook post written by vocalist, Richard Patrick, and the band’s plans to use the American flag turned upside down in their background video on stage.
The “offending” post, which included a short video of the band soundchecking at the venue:
This is sound check!! We’re Playing El Paso!!!
Get here later and it will be packed!! A lot of Trump bashing!
Does anyone know Beto?? Bring Beto!
The band was told the venue “didn’t like” the post and that they were getting threatening phone calls and bomb threats from Texans who didn’t like it either. The tour manager was in the green room and woke up from a pre-show nap to 30 yellow-shirted security guards and the General Manager shouting expletives and telling the band they were not welcome at the venue. “The First Amendment does not exist in this Casino. Get the f@*k out,” they said.
Management also told Patrick that it was illegal to display the flag upside down in their video. The law to which they might refer is Title 4, US Code “(a) The flag should never be displayed with union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
Patrick explains “This is a dire emergency! This country is totally jacked up!! This is my right to artistic expression. If they are going to tell me that I am un-American for saying that about the President, I’d ask them if they have been to Iraq or Afghanistan. I have been over there and love and respect the job that our troops are doing over there – fighting to ensure our rights to say what we like. As a matter of fact – I was asked recently what FILTER stands for and THIS IS IT – our freedom of expression!”
In addition to the First Amendment, The Texas Constitution, in Article I, sections 8 and 27 protects the “liberty to speak, write or publish … opinions on any subject.” You have the right to express your views in these ways regardless of how unpopular or controversial they may be.
Jamie Roberts
