By Cheri Sicard
The video below from LackLuster Media shows a shocking incident of RV-related law enforcement overreach prompted by a Camping World dispute with an allegedly wronged customer.
Jason, an RVer who took his RV to Camping World in New Braunfels, TX, for repairs, had a confrontation over free speech with local law enforcement. (In the video it says Jason bought the RV at Camping World, but the comment section was edited to reflect that he did not buy the RV there, but had taken it to Camping World for the extensive repairs it required.)
Soon after buying his RV, the floor began to buckle and come apart. He dropped the rig off at Camping World for repairs and spent the next 30 days in hotels while waiting for the work to be completed. Between repairs and hotels, Jason estimated he spent about $11,000!
Despite all of this, the RV was returned to Jason in nearly the same condition it was in before he took it to Camping World. Left with little recourse, the exasperated RV owner decided to launch a protest on a public right-of-way in front of the Camping World store. Watch the video to see the sign he held up that told the story of spending $11K to have the RV returned in the same condition. He also says Camping World tried to have him arrested. Twice.
Needless to say, Camping World was not happy. The video shows several Camping World employees confronting him. Jason knew his rights and stood his ground. That’s when New Braunfel’s finest showed up.
Jason, being well-versed in his free speech rights and rights to protest on public property, remained respectful with the police while firmly standing his ground. In their defense, these officers also remained respectful, albeit legally incorrect in their conclusions.
You may agree or disagree, but the law is firmly on Jason’s side in an incident such as this, and the United States Constitution solidly has his back. Something the police should know, yet they ridiculously repeat, “It’s freedom of speech until you offend somebody.”
Eventually, the officers left and did not pursue the matter. Camping World parked a large RV in front of their store in order to block Jason from their customers’ views.
Jason is still working on rectifying his RV woes. The video shows some of the shocking shots of how he received the RV after repairs. Follow Jason’s story here.
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##RVDT2305
He’s acting like a spoiled child.
$11k is hardly a spoiled child.
James, Since you criticized his actions, tell us what you would have done?
I really don’t want to read James comments as he is as contaminated as CW.
James, what would have been your course of action if you had been treated this way by a company? This sounds reasonable since the service was not completed and he was handled poorly by the service department.
Last summer I was camping at a Colorado state park and another camper had a huge flag with f**k Biden on it. This was a holiday weekend with families and kids running around. I wasn’t offended but I’m sure the parents there weren’t happy. The rangers said they couldn’t make him to take it down because of free speech. Unfortunately they were right so we just ignored the moron. But it was unpleasant and unnecessary.
I too find flags like that one offensive. I’m no Biden fan but it is a gratuitous and unnecessary profanity on the flag. I feel the same when the name Biden is swapped with the name Trump, on the same piece of available merchandise. Unnecessary display of profanity.
Even so, I always try to remember that the 1st was written to protect rude and offensive speech. Even hate speech. Love speech and friendly speech needs no such protection.
Only the 2nd Amendment ensures you can use the 1st Amendment. All the first 10 amendments are from the experiences of the framers of the Constitution. They wanted to correct the overreach of government — and here we are with government overreach. “Hate speech” (as “Assault Rifle”) are ambiguous terms that are then defined by those in power to be whatever they want it to be. Sad state of affairs.
I’m a retired police officer. I would have told CW that the man had every right to be where he was and doing what he was doing. As long as he’s not spewing curse words or making threats. The fact that CW called and complained shows that he was having the desired effect.
I back your statement 100 percent. Also being a 41 year honorably retired Law Enforcement professional.
Used Camping World one time, never again….
Personally I wouldn’t take a kid’s broken red wagon to CW…I fell for their bee ess once..never again.
We went to CW to buy a washer/dryer for our MH as they were on sale, the MH had a designated place to install them but CW decided they knew better and took out the plywood shelf for the dryer and installed a stacking kit at more expense. We refused to accept their upsale so they put the shelf back and uninstalled their stacking kit.
CW is just a rip-off joint, I don’t see how they stay in business!!
Actually, it is time to contact an attorney like Thomas J. Henry in Austin.
They appear to be woke police officers. They were probably following guidelines or training set forth by policy. I hope it goes to court and the mindset is changed to protect our rights and not our emotions.
Thank you, Cheri! Wow! What a horrible story! Just another “brick in the wall” portraying Camping World’s incompetence and their plan to take over the world (of RVing sales). 🙂 As the poet once quoth, “I wouldn’t spit on them if they caught fire.” 😉
Looks like this happened 4 years ago. Is it still relevant?
Freedom of speech is always relevant!
I know the CW dealership well. When we 1st wintered in Texas the retail space was an RVers candy shop. I got a Good Sam membership. Every RV supply and accessory imaginable. When Marcus bought Gander Mountain, 2/3 of the retail space switched to hunting & fishing. When we got to know our winter neighbors better, found that a few had used that dealership for service and were far less than satisfied. Amazon carries everything CW used to stock and has more reliable delivery. My membership expired and I have no intention of renewing. Still get the GS discount at RV parks through other programs.
I haven’t seen CWs side of the story here. Until then, why print it? This is one reason media has a bad reputation.
As far as CW bashing goes, I personally have had both positive and negative dealings with them as I have with other RV related businesses. I think it goes with the territory on both sides ..
I’m amazed that any business can do well these days with absence of a knowledgeable employee pool.
For my 2 cents worth .. please stop printing one sided diatribes aimed at one company. It’s not doing anybody a service.
Otherwise, thanks for the other great articles.
So, you too are against free speech. CW’s side of the story is the shoddy work they performed. But, as you suggest, I would like to hear their explanation for it.
The only response to free speech is more speech. Camping World has the right to put a banner in the hands of an employee and publicly disagree on the street real time with the protester. Or buy some air time even, they can afford it. $11k is nothing to CW.
This guy strategically keeps the focus on “free speech”, but ignores the fact that he was also disturbing the peace. Freedom of speech does not supersede taking away others rights to a peaceful environment. What is interesting about all this, he could use all the cuss words he wanted, but the crudely made sign he had was so hard to read, people probably thought he was panhandling and the cops were checking his mental condition.
Yes it does supercede the peaceful environment argument because it is to subjective a term which would allow any speech to be silenced if that was the bar used. Sorry.
It’s Texas, free speech is what the Boys in Blue say it is or the guy in Austin.
Any evidence of that assertion you wish to share?
Camping world is the worst. they sold me an RV that had multiple problems immediately, took them 2 months to finally take them seriously enough to get my RV in and then another 5 months to fix it. then returned it to me with busted pipes because the weather got below freezing while they were actively working on the plumbing system and forced me to pay $500 to fix it because they said it was not their responsibility to care for my RV while it was in their possession and therefore not their problem. Only got my money back when I let their corporate know I would be taking it to small claims court after multiple lawyers told me I would absolutely win. Screw those guys
I feel sorry for Jason for the anger and frustration that drove him to behave that way. Pretty sad when people insist on using profanity and hide behind free speech, while being oblivious/indifferent to the negative impact of their anger.
I doubt it was Charlie or Cancel but found that just having an LGBTQ+ bumper sticker and a t-shirt supporting trans kids was enough to have a couple of fellow campers at a COE campground ask the hosts to have me removed or at least moved away from them. They must’ve forgotten about their commitment to free speech. Maybe I’m the only old, white male (not gay, but a strong ally) harassed by “the other side” but I doubt it.
I’m sorry that happened to you, if it did. I think your lying. I think the whole story you tell is made up to make you feel virtuous. I notice that you mention your skin color too. It seems like an important detail to you? Mine is not important to me….. and neither is yours important to me.
Good try on the pigeon hole attempt, you missed your target tho. I will proudly stand with Martina Navratilova and 250 million of my fellow Americans on this one.
He included the 30 days of hotel fees in his total… For an RV he bought elsewhere. How is that CW’s fault or responsibility in any way? List what they charged for shoddy work, not what he spent waiting for the work to be done.
He has every right to protest in public, of course. I have a right to call out his unreasonable claim.
Was in Jason’s corner until he was verbally abusive to the officers.
“Jason, being well-versed in his free speech rights and rights to protest on public property, remained respectful with the police while firmly standing his ground”
No, he was not at all respectful with the officers, telling them to “go f&ck themselves”.
This is a deceptively written article.