Photo: Todd GillFormer congressional candidate Abel Tomlinson arrested
If you’re one of those who stays glued to the Washington County Detention Center’s online intake report, you probably already know that former Green Party candidate Abel Tomlinson, who ran for Congress against John Boozman in 2008, was arrested Monday night for possession of a controlled substance.
Tomlinson, 29, of Fayetteville is currently out on a $3,500 bond.
Since we first saw his name appear here on our criminal booking page, a few more details have emerged.
Abel Tomlinson
NWAOnline’s Kate Ward is reporting that Tomlinson faces a felony charge in connection with two counts of delivery of 4 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms and that he’s expected to appear in Washington County Circuit Court today.
Yesterday, Ozarks Unbound pointed to the abel tomlinson for congress 2010 (not officially announced) website. In other words, it appears Tomlinson is considering another congressional run.
Tomlinson is a former senator in the UA’s Associated Student Government and was arrested in 2006 after protesting an on-campus speech by Gary “Moses” Bowman.
Comments
The Fayetteville Flyer doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy.
Godzilla
January 13, 2010
Whoa! The colors are craaaazzzyy!!
Actually I dont blame him, maybe on mushrooms some of congress’ decisions make sense.
Michael
January 13, 2010
Congress’ decisions certainly don’t make sense sober…
FekketCantenel
January 13, 2010
Ever since I saw the video (which you linked in your article) of him heckling and then cursing out an innocent preacher, I’ve known he was going to get himself in trouble. If he carries through with a 2010 election campaign, I’ll make sure everyone sees that video before being tempted to vote for him just because he’s young and ’sounds liberal’.
Offcamber
January 13, 2010
“Moses” Bowman is a fly-by-night traveling con who uses hyper-reactionary rhetoric on campuses in hopes of inciting litigation. He’s waiting for an entity to violate his civil rights – or more likely, to throw a punch – then sue everyone in sight. That’s his entire gambit.
I’m not a Green, and I don’t like third parties that divide opposition to clowns like Boozeman, but kudos for his political fire and taking on slimeball “Moses.”
Selling shrooms? Folks, political science isn’t the most lucrative education. Man gotta get paid.
Infidel
January 13, 2010
@Fekket – I guess you’re not familiar with Moses? I make that assumption since you call him an “innocent preacher”. He’s a hate monger who wants to incite people, nothing more. That video should only garner him additional votes, though I’m pretty sure his 2010 run is toast now.
Scott
January 13, 2010
I would venture a guess that most Green party voters do not see this as big of a deal as the traditional corporatocracy supporting voter. Abel Tomlinson is a great friend of mine, one of the most well versed and socially aware politicians I’ve ever encountered and more of a true liberal than any of the “hippies” you see around Fayetteville these days.
David Franks
January 13, 2010
I couldn’t hear much of Mr. Tomlinson’s speech in the video. Was he actually protesting Mr. Bowman’s “preaching”, or simply making a competing speech? I would think if he’d been protesting, he would have chosen a position closer to the guy.
Does anybody else remember Sister Cindy and Brother Jesse from the early 1980’s? If there is such a thing as an “innocent preacher”, gadflies such as these are not examples.
Jason
January 13, 2010
Outside the library, I once heard “Moses” say he hasn’t rolled a stop sign or a doobie since 1992. Then, he pointed at a girl and yelled “WHORE!!!”
Good stuff.
FekketCantenel
January 13, 2010
Yes, there are innocent preachers. Every one I’ve ever met was a superb human being. Don’t let yourself be fooled by the stereotypes. If everyone went out and talked to a preacher without bringing a bullhorn, the stereotypes would disappear overnight.
I stand by my choice of ‘innocent’ to describe him. He wasn’t attacking anyone, wasn’t using a bullhorn to make himself heard (though the whistle was 5% as annoying), was licensed to speak on campus, and actually went as far as to encourage people to encourage people to stand up for the young man.
Tomlinson, meanwhile, conducted himself reprehensibly. A senator can’t yell ‘you lie!’ at the President; in the same way, if Tomlinson is still interested in politics, he’d better show that he’s matured a lot since 2006.
I just don’t see how anyone can defend Tomlinson here. I can understand someone saying that Moses was acting like an ass, but in that case, Tomlinson was acting like a grade-A super-special-awesome ass. I know which one I’d rather hang out with.
burgerboy
January 13, 2010
Thanks for the video.
Free Speech for All!
Except those who offend Abel?
Moses might be a kook, but thats the beauty of Free Speech. Even the kooks get to be heard. It speaks highly of our civilization when we allow everyone the same rights.
Perhaps Abel was jealous that his own speeches don’t garner the same audience.
We already knew where he stood on drug use before the arrest.
I may have voted for him last election out of a dislike for Boozman.
There’s nothing American about shouting down people with different opinions than your own. If you don’t like it, don’t stop and listen. Better yet, get your own permit, and tell us what you believe.
DTabler
January 13, 2010
@FekketCantenel I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, and assume that you never witnessed one of Moses’ “sermons” first hand. I attended the U of A during the high point of his preaching on campus, and witnessed the vile and derogatory racism, sexism, and homophobia that he spewed forth on a daily basis. To classify his activities on campus as “innocent” is truly an insult the word itself. There was nothing at all, even vaguely innocent, about his behavior. He was there to do nothing more than to get attention. Your statement that he wasn’t using a bullhorn to make himself heard and wasn’t attacking anyone, is actually only partially accurate. He wasn’t doing either of those things in that particular video, but I have witnessed him on numerous occasions using a bullhorn to not only to make him self heard, but to also yell sexist, racist, and derogatory terms that I will not even bring myself to type at people that were simply walking by him, not engaging him in any way shape or form. My own wife was called a “whore” for simply walking by him on her way to the library.
Perhaps in the future you might want to consider commenting on topics that you yourself have first hand information or experiences with.
Offcamber
January 13, 2010
“Moses” is a vitrolic fountain of babble so childish and bitter that no one should take him seriously. I’m hoping it’s all some sort of performance art, like Andy Kaufman’s characters. Maybe he’ll reveal the joke soon.
FekCan, I know which guy I would rather hang out with, too.
The one with the stash of mind-altering mushrooms. Duh.
burgerboy
January 13, 2010
To be fair, most of us are basing our opinions off of the video posted in the article. He thinks the Razorback cheerleaders dress like whores. He thinks Christian groups shouldn’t have to accomodate homosexuals and people who do not share their beliefs. I admit I have no other experience with Moses.
Yeah, its pretty out there stuff. But AFAIK, its not illegal.
Restrictions on free speech are scary stuff. I don’t like thinking about having to censor my thoughts and fit them into a box so as not to offend anyone. Its one of the few things I believe IS a slippery slope. Censoring things because they are “inciteful” or “hateful” is just wrong IMO. Who is to say that disagreeing with our government someday might be considered “incitement to terrorism”?
We’re damn near there already.
A free society requires that we tolerate the speech of even those we strongly disagree with. Its not a civil right to “not be offended”. Call me a whore, a cracker, or a fornicator, or whatever, but its true.
The Lady Tabler
January 13, 2010
@DTabler You’re correct, husband. I was called a whore by Moses while walking to the library. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that he also said I had a huge ass.
Infidel
January 13, 2010
“If everyone went out and talked to a preacher without bringing a bullhorn, the stereotypes would disappear overnight.”
That is one of the weirdest and non-sensical things I’ve read on the entire internets. Way to bring the awesome, FC.
And I too would choose the dude with the shrooms over the racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, “innocent” preacher. Actually, I’d rather hang out with the bullhorn than the preacher. Or even a guy with just some portabella mushrooms at that.
shrooms
January 13, 2010
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3276450/abl.jpg
FekketCantenel
January 13, 2010
@DTabler: I’ve never heard Moses preach, no. But I definitely have experience in this area. It’s just that I’m always against the person who turns a discussion into a shouting match.
And to tell you the truth, I’m a little hurt that you assume that everyone either agrees with you or is so sheltered as to have never experienced anything remotely like this subject. Just because I’ve never had a mate shouted at by this particular preacher doesn’t mean I live under a concrete block.
@Offcamber: Eh, I’ve heard some weird things about shrooms and their side/after-effects. I don’t trust them.
@Infidel: I started to reiterate my point for you, and then remembered that I don’t feed the trolls.
@shrooms: Did you do that? That’s pretty good. I can’t Photoshop eyes to save my life.
Iheartnerds
January 13, 2010
So, I’m harboring no love for Moses. He’s idiotic and offensive. But he knows what his rights are, and he’s actually pretty saavy about staying just inside the legal line at the university. I see Moses on campus every fair-weathered day (apparently God doesn’t want his preachers to get wet or chilly), and I ignore him. That’s the only way to make attention-seeking miscreants like him go away. I just pretend that he’s doing performance art and walk on. As for Abel… He annoys me. Completely. I’ve had poly sci classes with him, and he’s more into stating his opinions than listening to what the professor has to teach. Maybe this will finally knock him off the ballot and allow a more responsible and better-qualified candidate to take his place on the Green party ticket.
FekketCantenel
January 13, 2010
@Iheartnerds: You echo my thought about Moses: If you don’t like him, don’t feed the troll. The fact that people stand around gawping at him or trying to pick fights is the reason he keeps coming back; he has a crowd. Hilariously, Tomlinson was trying to steal that crowd.
I don’t run in those circles, so you might better be able to answer: Who else would be in the running for Green party nominee?
FayetteVillain
January 13, 2010
So is Abel going take this to trial, fight the man, stand up for his right to have fun with hallucinogens, and challenge the constitutionality of outlawing magic mushrooms?
Or will he cop a plea, beg his way into drug court, and try to stay out of prison? I’m guessing Abel will leave his megaphone at home this time around and go for option number two.
Allison
January 13, 2010
There are a couple of different kinds of poop-flingers that frequent our campus.
One is Moses.
The other are the cute doggies getting their exercise.
I’ll let you all guess which kind I’d rather encounter!
I went into this article hoping the charge would be something silly and drug related. Glad I wasn’t disappointed!
Idiots abound
January 14, 2010
What a great way to make himself look like a pseudo-intellectual jerk! Good luck trying to further his agenda now or trying to get people to take him seriously! And all for a measly $200…was it worth it? What an idiot for selling to an undercover informant and therefore making everyone around him hot as well(Scott you better be very careful! They are now watching you, its not only the “hippies” they want). Mushrooms shouldn’t be illegal but peddling them to perfect strangers probably should be, I sure hope it wasn’t one of his so called “friends”.
Kinda funny that the 4th judicial task force used so much time and energy trying to get more charges on him, this is what we pay them for? Ridiculous. We don’t care….this War on Drugs is a joke! Except if you do them and get busted, right Abel?
And Moses is NOT a preacher…he is a well known actor with a huge agenda. Yes, he wants to sue but he also wants to be noticed, that is his sickness and he feels the need to project his insecurities and failing onto others. Poor soul!
Sardon
January 14, 2010
Moses knows there are two kinds of students, whores and whorehoppers.
I wonder if one of the former was involved in the Abel sting. I’ve seen girls used by narks to talk somebody into getting them something.
07stiltd
January 15, 2010
Well that sucks, 4oz of shrooms down the drain :(
stuart
January 15, 2010
That video is priceless. If it had been me I would have at least talked about the Moses scam, rather than just adding to the idiocy. Thats what every one misses with Moses when they “debate” him, they try to fight his illogic with logic, which doesn’t work because one has rules and the other doesn’t it’s like trying to have a conversation with someone who can only say “Tomato”. First question in a debate is, “Aren’t you just trying to rile everyone up so they will hit you, and you can sue them.” question 2, “Then why do you always have a video camera?” Also, I believe Moses is on a cell phone at one point after Tomlinson starts, probably calling the police. What good is a third party candidate that can’t even plan effective stunts?
GLH
January 16, 2010
He’s just dumb.
Innarested Observer
January 16, 2010
@GLH More respect for one another?
Morgan
January 16, 2010
@Innarested Observer – I don’t think we are required to respect everyone, nor should we, despite what GLH says in another thread. I’ve always held firm to the belief that I don’t have to respect your opinion nor do I have to repsect you. I will always respect your right to hold and voice your opinion. (“You” in a general term here – not specifically or necessarily Innarested Observer)A few easy examples of this are Hitler and the crazy religious freaks up in Kansas City who are happy Haiti is in turmoil right now.
FekketCantenel
January 16, 2010
@Morgan: While I see what you mean, I think what Innarested Observer was thinking of was ‘civility’. You can disagree with and even dislike someone personally, but if you loathe, hate, and revile them, you’re allowing yourself to become less civil.
Put another way, you don’t have to respect the person, but you should respect their right not only to speak their mind, but to not be attacked (including emotionally) for it.
And to go off-topic for just a moment, Pat Robertson isn’t ‘happy’ that Haiti is in trouble – in fact, he’s already sent Operation Blessing there to help and has been collecting donations for aid since the news first hit the air. The fact that he said outlandish and hurtful things while encouraging people to help out is negligible.
David Franks
January 16, 2010
FekketCentenel–
At first I thought you were just being nicey-nice, but now: The fact that Pat Robertson says hateful things is negligible? There’s nothing to his remarks that the United States “deserved” the attack on the World Trade Center, that New Orleans brought about Katrina’s devastation, and now that God is punishing Haiti for a pact with the Devil?
That’s not just nicey-nice– that’s just plain ignorant.
Morgan
January 16, 2010
@FekketCentenel – I halfway agree with you. There are people who I have no respect for and yet I am able to remain civil. I typically do that by simply ignorning the asshats. Unfortunately there are some people with whom civility is just not an option. And to be brutally honest, sometimes it is just satisfying to call an asshat an asshat.
As far as not attacking someone for their opinion I think you are wrong. There are those people who hold opinions so outlandish and vile that good people should stand up and speak out against them – loudly. Such a person would be Pat Robertson. He is a blight upon humanity and everything that is wrong with god and religion and christianity. If there was such a thing as god and if there was such a thing as hell I am betting the dude would be sent straight there for eternity. He is as bad as any terrorist – homegrown or foreign. I wasn’t actually referring to him though but to that other piece of hooha – Fred Phelps.
David Franks
January 16, 2010
MOrgan–
I wondered if you were referring to Fred Phelps. His group is from Topeka.
Morgan
January 16, 2010
@David – you are correct, Sir! My bad. Thanks for correcting me.
FekketCantenel
January 16, 2010
@Morgan, I really don’t understand how you can think that. Pat Robertson has run Operation Blessing since the 80s (1987 IIRC). He’s helped distribute millions or even billions to aid all over the world. I think actions speak louder than words.
Phelps is hard to defend, though. I’m not touching that one.
Another local resident
January 16, 2010
Abel would be proud of where this discussion has taken us.
Morgan
January 16, 2010
@FekketCantenel, it’s easy for me to think that way. The man has said that the devestation in Haiti is “god’s wrath for a “pact” the Haitians made with the devil.” He’s said to the people of the town of Dover, PA that a disaster might strike them because they voted out school board members who favored teaching intelligent design over the theory of evolution. He’s said that Hurricane Katrina was sent by God because of his wrath over America’s legalized abortion. The man _is_ a blight upon humanity. The good things his organization has done does not change that fact, or perhaps we should overlook a person’s evilness if they do nice things?
His words call naive people to bigotry and hate and prejudice and just out and out silliness all in the guise of religion and god. What a farce. But I guess he is okay while Phelps isn’t. Do you suppose there are good things that Phelps does? I am willing to bet he has done some “christian” (eyeroll) things for others as well.
David Franks
January 16, 2010
Hitler built the Autobahn and, essentially, invented the Volkswagen. Good man.
Morgan
January 16, 2010
@David – Yeah, he was a stellar example of a good man. He was way ahead of the times regarding the health hazards of smoking – he used to give rolex watches to generals who quit smoking. Prior to his political aspirations and rise he would regularly visit hospitals to cheer the patients and help serve soup at homeless shelters. He also had a hand in the birth of what was the predecessor to Habitat for Humanity. Never mind what else he did or said, he did some good things for people. BTW, my first car was a VW Bug. Loved that car!
FekketCantenel
January 16, 2010
@Morgan: Your accusations are all ’said’, ’said’, ’said’. I like ‘did’. Millions of people would be a lot worse off (or dead) if Pat Robertson and his organization wasn’t around. Do you want to tell them that you would rather see them dead than see a man saying silly things on TV?
At what point did we prove Godwin’s Law and compare someone to Hitler? Last time I checked, Pat Robertson didn’t order the murder of millions of people. The opposite, according to the above. I think I’m finally done with this discussion thread if it’s gotten that awful (not to mention off-topic).
To leave on a philosophical note: Someone actually pointed out to me that Fred Phelps did a lot of work in civil rights (on behalf of Blacks) in the sixties and seventies. Life would probably be very different for Blacks now if he had never existed, but I’d never heard of it until today, because the majority of people hear the news blurb and then bristle without once thinking that there’s more to the story than the jokes Jon Stewart tells.
That’s why I’ve been poking holes in the seemingly obvious ever since this article was posted. Don’t go along with the crowd and point fingers at those who look the most ridiculous. Nothing is simple; what you see is almost never what you get. Try David Wong’s “What is the Monkeysphere?” if you want to have your mind blown.
David Franks
January 17, 2010
FekketCantenel–
Pat Robertson’s organization works in spite of Pat Robertson, who apparently has little to do with it now. He is mentioned once on their website (Mission & History) as the founder, and I note that he is referred to as a “businessman and philanthropist”– they never mention his evangelism. Operation Blessing is clearly a fine organization, but that is no continuing thanks to Pat Robertson.
What a preacher says is as important as what he does. In fact saying is what he does. Fred Phelps lost his street cred long before his obsession with homosexuality (a little reaction formation, I’ll wager) became so great that he began to picket the funerals of soldiers killed in the line of duty. It doesn’t matter what he did for black people way back when; he is what he is now.
I didn’t compare anybody to Hitler; I just pointed out that according to your logic, Hitler was a good man. Godwin’s law applies to making somebody out to be as bad as Hitler. Nice reference, though.
This isn’t a children’s book, and these preachers aren’t elves: they are dangerous men.
Morgan
January 17, 2010
@FekketCantenel –
Anyone who incites and inspires hatred and bigotry with their words is an evil person. They don’t get a free pass just because they’ve not actually acted upon their words, just inspired others to do so. He lead an organization that routinely acts and seeks to act in ways that are hateful and detrimental to huge segments of societies. His words are who he is, as David states. His words have been transformed into actions by hundreds and thousands of people. I’m willing to bet a steak dinner that he has also lobbied political leaders to push forward his hate agenda.
Chris
January 17, 2010
I was probably the last guy in NWA with an Abel sticker on his bumper. I share most of his worldview. The shroom arrest did not change my opinion of him. But the video sure did! His vile words as he’s being escorted away—esp the “you f*cking f*ggot” comment—were pretty shocking. Maybe I’m just a bit sensitive since I happen to be gay, but I plan to cover up that Abel sticker ASAP.
bob
January 18, 2010
Moses is unrelated to this article. That preacher should be arrested for yelling at innocent students, telling them they will go to hell and calling them whores, sluts, etc. It is a complete disgrace that the UAPD does not take him to jail over verbal harassment. He also does not have the right to assemble without a permit. We have to support free speech, but there is a clear limit. If he stands in front of a library and insults people over and over, that violates my right to have a peaceful day without being publicly insulted and humiliated. As a student, that was absolutely insane they tolerated his BS
Michael
January 18, 2010
You do NOT have a right to not be offended by the words or actions of another.
Also, the UA is a public institution so legally Moses does have as much right to be on campus as anyone else; btw no where in the first amendment does it say one needs a permit to exercise their right to assembly.
burgerboy
January 18, 2010
@bob:
Sorry, but there’s no protected right to “have a peaceful day”, especially walking across a public institution’s sidewalks. That would be like someone saying “I have the right to not have my drive down Dickson interrupted by protesting “pot-heads”, “blacks”, “gays”, or anything else”. Doesn’t work that way in the U.S.A., thank god. I find it mildly disturbing that an American college student would even type what you typed.
@Michael: Word.
Same thing goes for the government delineating “protest zones” during political events. I know its ostensibly in the name of “security in a post-9/11 world” but it irks me.
We’re still free, allah-dammit. And if you wish to remain free, you should respect everybody else’s rights, whether you agree with them or not. Hell, not only respect their rights, but demand that their rights be honored by others.
random, but...
January 18, 2010
@michael:
you should google, “time,place & manner” & the 1st amendment…essentially, the university can decide where, when & how you speak…just like those “protest pins”.
Abel Tomlinson
February 9, 2010
in response to Chris, i just want to apologize for the using that f-word that is hurtful to gay people. Ironically, one of the main reasons I was upset with Moses is because he is always preaching hate toward gay people and telling them they are going to hell. i was also very upset with him because it was election day 2006, before the Democrats took control of Congress, and I falsely believed they would actually end the slaughter of poor Iraqi children in our war for corporate profit. I have been very sick knowing that thousands of kids have had their skulls blown off, their limbs ripped from their little bodies, and undergoing severe emotional/psychological/economic damage from loss of parents, and fear incomprehensible to comfortable Americans. Moses was preaching that day and telling people to continue supporting the fascist Bush regime, and I could not take it. I would have acted exactly the same if I had been a German student when Hitler was taking over. When I was arrested I acted very counterproductively, I know, but I had never been arrested before, felt I was being arrested for free speech,(when I spoke without a megaphone before the video, Moses spoke over me very effectively, so that I could not make my point), and I realized when I was being arrested that I would not be able to pick my daughter up from school. As for the terrible f-word, I was absolutely not intending for this word to hurt the feelings of any gay person, and I have long regretted that. Sadly, when that happened my spirit was reduced to that of a base reptilian animal. I will try my best to not let it happen again. I have many beautiful gay friends, and they know that I love them. I hope you can accept my sincere apology.
Abel
Abel Tomlinson
February 9, 2010
in response to those that seem to hate me, i find it strange and sad that we live in a society that can treat someone that has not been violent to anyone like an evil demon that should be burned at the stake, yet we go on supporting extremely corrupt politicians (Boozman, Lincoln, et al.) that have massive pools of blood on their hands for voting to murder thousands upon thousands of children and innocent civilians in poor countries for profits of multinational corporations, not to mention the vast support they provide to neoliberal economic ideology/policies that massively destroy & pollute the planet, and economically enslave millions.
Andy Roo
February 9, 2010
I am heavily saddened that people that share my beliefs and actually have the desire to run for political office make terrible choices and negatively affect the movement as a whole.
Ironically, the past President George W. Bush had an arrest for cocaine possession and drunk driving. You may reach much higher than you anticipated, Abel.