Christians sue GR pagan group over right to free speech...

BlueStorm

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Sun Jan-28-07 11:08 PM
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Christians sue GR pagan group over right to free speech...

For lack of a better title.

I just got this e-mail from the group who put together this annual Pagan Pride day. Apparently there was a clash between some Christian fundies and the organizers. Of course the article linked below is from the Alliance Defense Fund which is a religious right group. However following the article is a letter from the group mail by someone who was actually there.

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=3990

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. � An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has filed suit on behalf of a group of Christians who were denied the right to publicly express a religious message. David Ickes and seven other members of the Worldwide Street Preachers� Fellowship were silenced by police after attempting to speak in a public park in Grand Rapids.

�It is truly disturbing when those charged with upholding the law disregard or do not understand the First Amendment rights of citizens,� said ADF-allied attorney Randall Wenger of the Lancaster, Pa., law firm Clymer & Musser, P.C. �The officers in this situation acted in violation of the Constitution when they chose to silence those who were simply exercising their free speech rights.�

On Sept. 23, Ickes and others attempted to address attendees of the Pagan Pride Festival at Richmond Hills Park. The group spoke using a small wooden platform but did not use amplification equipment. A Grand Rapids Police sergeant informed Ickes that a permit was required for their activities and claimed they were disturbing the peace. One group member was forcefully pulled from the platform by a second sergeant, handcuffed, and detained in the back of a police vehicle.

Here is the letter in the group mail:

"This happened at last years' Grand Rapids Pagan Pride Day. See article below.
http://www.alliance defensefund. org/news/ story.aspx? cid=3990
From what I am told, the Christians surrounded a young girl and had her in tears from their harassment, shouted invectives at passers-by, used other hate-speech, proselytized after being politely told "no thank you" which amounts to assault, used amplification equipment in the parking lot, and disrupted the merchanting area, workshops and religious ceremonies. They had their "platform" there without paying the merchanting fee. From what I also hear, GR PPD's organizers had permits for the exclusive use of the park. They had paid money and had insurance, where the Xians did not. The police were acting in the best interest of the public.
If you attended this event, I urge you to get ahold of the GR city parks department and volunteer to testify or write letters on their behalf. Tell the truth about what really happened. Contact the press. Xians have the right to free speech, but they do not have the right to harass, swear at people, verbally or physically assault people, disrupt an event, or other hateful behavior."

I have been told the same by some of my pagan friends who attended the event and they told me that this particular group of fundies were quite disruptive and even someone got arrested. They also distributed flyers in the parking lot and left them on cars.

Isn't it funny how Fundies scream about their rights when they won't do the same for others?

Blue