OT: Godmobile update

[mu_hilltopper]

For those of you not on campus .. the Godmobile guy is still at it.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=569434



The judge didn't even raise an eyebrow when Ronald Stanis turned up in court wearing a sandwich-board sign Thursday.

The scene was Milwaukee Municipal Court, and Stanis, best known for driving slowly around town in a station wagon festooned with handwritten religious, moral and political placards - including, for a time, one that read "PLEASE GOD KILL THE JUDGES FIRST" -while broadcasting rambling sermons over a loudspeaker, was in court, again, to face a noise violation.

"All I can do is what the Lord tells me to do," Stanis muttered as he walked in.

He took off his camouflage hat, which like his matching jacket was labeled "Bro. Ron," as he walked into the courtroom, but he kept on the poster-sized signs, on his front and back. The text sort of described the signs as symbols of his "humility" and "punishment for telling the truth to the lying prosecutor an (sic) corrupt judges," but few onlookers appeared to read very far.

Everybody got the picture: One of Milwaukee's most enduring characters might have been on trial, but he was unrepentant.

For almost 25 years, Stanis, 63, has believed his mission on Earth is preaching via loudspeaker to Milwaukee's streets, where virtually anyone who has spent significant time downtown has encountered him. And for much of that time, his self-made ministry has met with official disapproval, usually from police officers who have sent him to court with traffic or noise citations. A 1985 newspaper story called Stanis already a "veteran of the municipal legal process," and that was just two years after he found God in a barroom epiphany.

"He's just flexing his muscles for everyone," said Arthur LeSac, who was present as a "Catholic witness for Ron," and claimed that several religious groups were keeping tabs on his travails. "He's been out there for 25 years. He's harmless."

Municipal Court's online records say Stanis has run afoul of police at least nine times since 2002, and in July 2006, Milwaukee police officer Keith Cameron's turn came up.

Cameron, a 16-year veteran, testified Thursday he was on a sidewalk with convention crowds outside the Midwest Airlines Center when he heard "some type of religious talk and some singing" coming over a loudspeaker.

Yet he couldn't tell where it was coming from, even though Stanis' leaflet-covered station wagon was parked 250 feet away, under a darker overpass on a sunny day.

"I really couldn't tell what the vehicle was," Cameron said.

What happened next was predictable: Cameron waved until he got Stanis' attention. Stanis turned down the volume and took off his battered white ear protectors - which he took off Wednesday in a Municipal Court hallway - and a ticket was written.

What happened after that was predictable, too: The man who once wrote 37 longhand pages to Circuit Court Judge Paul Van Grunsven to protest a single traffic violation fought the noise violation ticket. Mid-trial, a deal was offered, and a no-contest plea was entered.

Municipal Judge Kevin Mathews imposed the minimum $150 fine but stayed $100 of that permanently, meaning Stanis got a $50 fine and no admonishment at all, at least not publicly, to change his preaching or even turn it down.

"I'm guilty of something, but I don't know of what," he said.

Stanis extended a hand - several shades of gray darker than his pale face - for Cameron to shake, but the cop declined thrice. Then the street preacher left for home to get his station wagon.

"You can catch me on the avenue in a couple of hours," he said.

[77fan88warrior]

He is more amazing than Freeway.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

he also holds court at the mcdonalds on 24th and Wisconsin

[NYWarrior]

heheh.

i remember pelting his mobile with snowballs one winter.  He calmly stopped his crusade, exited the vehicle, gathered up a snowball and heaved it in my direction.

[rocky_warrior]

I don't suppose someone in Milwaukee could snap a picture of the God-mobile some time?  I'd like to archive it in the wiki...

[mu_hilltopper]

NYWarrior: You are so going to hell.

http://static.flickr.com/55/118645786_43eeb6037e.jpg

[WashDCWarrior]

My freshman year, I thought there were two cars.  A black one with with white writing and a white one with black writing.  Of course my freshman year, I also thought 8 AM classes were a good idea. 

[NYWarrior]

NYWarrior: You are so going to hell.

ROFLMAO

[MU gimp ONE]

don't forget the big foam finger that he waves out the window during the warmer months.  I'm pretty sure that picture is an older one.  he got a new old car a couple years ago with wood panelling.

[Tommy Brice for Coach]

It's people like this that give religion a bad name.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

speaking of campus cuckoos, is the "good bum" still around?  The white dude with the grey coat, ratty beard and birdnest hair?  He used to walk around all day picking up garbage.  Rumor had it that he was a PhD doing socialology (sp) research or something.

[shaquilvaine]

Ziggy, is the "good bum" the guy who wears a ratty sport coat and waves to every single person who walks by him on Wisconsin ave?  The guy not only waves but puts his hand right in your face as you are walking by.  Based on your description, it sounds like him. 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

no, he had a dirty grey winter jacket and a ragged stocking cap that he wore year round.  The good bum was a nice guy but didn't talk much.

THe "excuse me sir" lady with the purple jacket is still around too.  Too bad she always asks a 1/2 block after you walk by her.

[MilTown]

We need to have a MU street people and other wierdo's wiki thread. I love how Bums and other freaks are actually part of the MU community. Off the top of my head, here are some favorites:

Freeway
Singer Man - will sing one line of a marvin gaye tune for a dollar
Crazy old lady in wheelchair and crazy younger lady on bike with a.m. radio
Troy - guy in a wheelchair who carried a machete, always wears a dallas cowboys hat
Godmobile guy
Thumper - a relatively normal bum, wore a jean jacket, spent a lot of time near the dumpsters behind super china
B-O-B Bob - I don't know what this dude's deal was, but he was crazy

I know there are more, I will put my thinking cap on.

[The Lens]

Troy - guy in a wheelchair who carried a machete, always wears a dallas cowboys hat

I can't tell you how many times we would carry Troy to an after bars only for us to proceed to get too drunk to carry him down.  Not fun times for him, I'm sure.  He was a decent pool player.  That Cowboys garb was really a bad move when I was there (mid 90's, 'Boys owned the Pack).

[77fan88warrior]

Stanis had a brown 4 door ford in the mid 80's and he also stopped at the McDonalds on 24th back then. I also remember some people diving on the hood of his car after we lost to NC in 1986. This guy is what movies are made of.

[mviale]

This story also reminds me of the lame MPD.  They hated marquette students - felt like we were blue bloods or something.

[rugbydrummer]

He used to walk around all day picking up garbage.  Rumor had it that he was a PhD doing socialology (sp) research or something.

Don't know, but it's "sociology", .

[tower912]

I can attest to MPD not being a fan of MU students.  I remember jay-walking onto one of the traffic islands on Wisconsin Ave and have a cruiser pace me down to the next marked crosswalk, just hoping I would set another toe in the street so I could get nailed with a jaywalking ticket.   

[TVDirector]

he got a new old car a couple years ago with wood panelling.

new????

[muwrestler]

For one year we lived in Campus Towne above the Annex on the corner of Wells, and kept track of said "stinkies."  In our observations we thought it appropriate to give them nick names; here are few for consideration to the All-star Hall of Fame:

the very tall black guy in a leather coat who sang Marvin Gaye songs on command/$ (as mentioned) - Johnson
the guy who wore a velvet jump suit and walked with an unforgettable gate - walk on water stinky
the guy who muttered under his breath " black is black, white is purity... Oreo Cookie, cookie..."  - oreo stinky
the white women who was just completely fucked up and picked up cigarette buts to smoke - crazy Mary
the short old guy who wasn't a bum but sat and pissed himself at the Avalanche – Gordy
the very thin and tattered bearded man with a red stocky hat with no teeth – the professor sitnky

[LastWarrior]

I can attest to MPD not being a fan of MU students.  I remember jay-walking onto one of the traffic islands on Wisconsin Ave and have a cruiser pace me down to the next marked crosswalk, just hoping I would set another toe in the street so I could get nailed with a jaywalking ticket.   

I recall many MPD stopping by parties and merely asking us to lower the music and to enjoy the party.  I was a big fan of MPD until they decided to raid MU bars, esp Murphys ('94 or '95), and put us in paddy wagons and take us to the worst part of town to book us.  There must have been 40 of us down in the pokie and chained to a bench in the middle of all the cells of murderers.  MU did send a bunch of Limos to pick us up though at about 5am or 6am.  Of course after we were released, we went straight to Michaels for breakfast and then over to the Harp.  Ohhh the good old days.