6th Circuit Court of Appeals overturns lower court's ruling prohibiting Christians from distributing leaflets at Dearborn Arab-American festival
I am recycling the post below from Jihad Watch -- JR
Good news, in an update on this story. Meanwhile, of course, we wait to find out the grounds on which another group of Christians was arrested there, as BWI -- Breathing While Infidel -- is not yet against Michigan law.
If it's an Islamic festival, call it an Islamic festival. Otherwise, stop hiding behind the generality of "Arab-American" while persecuting Arab-Americans who also happen to be Christian, but refuse to be dhimmis in a free country.
"Local news: Pastor gets OK for handouts," from the Detroit Free Press, June 19:
A Christian pastor can distribute literature on the streets at this weekend's Arab-American festival along Warren Avenue in Dearborn, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. George Saieg of California wants to hand out pamphlets aimed at converting Muslims.
The Thursday ruling overturned a District Court decision that supported Dearborn's policy, which said Saieg and anyone else must hand out literature only around their booths because of crowd control concerns.
Source
21 comments:
I attended the festival. I'm Maronite, a primarily Lebanese branch of the Catholic Church. Just to see what would happen, I wore a t-shirt that had a "bar code" on the front with "Maronite Catholic Church" in small letters underneath. I had a great time with several Muslim friends. I got some dirty looks, but no overt hostility. Of course it might be related to being well over two meters tall and weighing 125 kilos. It's difficult to be disrespectful when you're looking up.
I wonder what would happen if I attended this "Arab-American" event along with my gorgeous Saudi girl friend who was wearing a halter top and short shorts?
Mounting a protest or a counter-campaign at an officially sanctioned event held by a particular group or organization is provocative whether it's intentional or not, and may well lead to confrontation or even violence. Those who have alternative opionions should mount their own official events.
I guess this means that no more Christians will be arrested handing out literature at gay pride events too.
"If you were not born in this country, YOU ARE NOT AN AMERICAN!"
---Oh come on, if you become a citizen, you ARE an American. As for being born in this country, the children of illegal aliens are often born here, are they more American than a legal immigrant that paid through the nose to become a citizen?
Besides, some of the most anti-American people you'll ever meet were born in this country, some of the craziest Mexican-American activists have not even lived in Mexico!
So if the Arabs want to have a party in the public square, let them. As long as the courts remind them that they don't get to make the rules I'm fine with it. Arabs will behave themselves if we remind them that their in our country now, and they must follow our rules.
Anon 5:07,
First, it's billed as an "Arab-American" festival, not a "Muslim" festival. Therefore, Arab Christians have just as much right to be there as Muslim Christians. So Christians being there is not a "counter-campaign". That was the point of this ruling.
Second, it seems the ruling didn't do any good:
"Four Christians were arrested and thrown out of a public Arab festival in Michigan – and at least two people claim a crowd cheered "Allahu Akbar!" while the Christians were led away in handcuffs for doing nothing more than engaging in peaceful dialogue and videotaping the event."
"Therefore, Arab Christians have just as much right to be there as Muslim Christians."
Correction: Therefore, Arab Christians have just as much right to be there as Arab Muslims.
Luke you're very confused as usual - what is a "Muslim Christian". Anyone of course has the right to be there, but those who are objecting to whatever is going on by some form of counter-campaign are of course trying to undermine the event or it's purpose even though it may be an officially sanctioned event. In consequence they encourage confrontation or even violence, as I said.
So more than three hours after I had already corrected a simple mistake, you take that mistake and try to twist it into an ad hominem attack. Nice intellectual honesty there… NOT!
So why should anyone trust your judgement about who is attacking whom at the festival? According to the article, they A) Didn't hand out literature, B) Only talked to people who approached them, and C) Kept their conversations cordial.
Last year, the videos backed their claims. They have other video from this year showing the same kind of "attack the Christians" mindset even outside the festival. So there's good reason to think their claims are true.
I'm always surprised when leftists choose to ally themselves with the Muslims. After all, it seems the leftists are first on the Muslim's list for elimination.
"If moslems or gays or atheists were "annoying" in the same way at a christian event…"
There you go projecting your biases again.
If any non-christian showed up a christian event and was "annoying in the same way", I would LOVE to talk to someone so civilized! Talking with people is an important method of convincing them of the truth. (Remember, the standard is "believe in your heart" that Jesus rose from the dead. That can only happen with honest convincing. Threats or other coercion cannot accomplish that.) Heck, given how milquetoast the christians at the Arab festival were acting, there would be plenty of room for them to be even more "annoying" without there being any kind of a problem.
Remember how "annoying" they were last year? They apparently decided to try to be even less "annoying" this year. I would be thrilled to talk to a non-christian who is as "annoying" as these guys were last year.
"Remember, the standard is "believe in your heart" that Jesus rose from the dead. "
How many other people who have been pronounced dead were actually still alive? Rising from the dead happens all of the time. Jesus is not special in that regard.
A biological parasite takes over its host's behavior to spread the parasite to new hosts. Religion also works like a mental virus to compel the host to proselytize with fervor and conviction. Also applies to other idealogies but religions are the most virulent in manipulating human emotions.
Having trouble sticking to the point Anon?
Luke can't see the point coz his brain is addled with religion!
Luke's been snackin' on the local mushrooms again.
I've never seen any evidence that god exists. If you are going to make the extraordinary claim that an undetectable being exists you are required to provide evidence. Understand that: Unsubstantiated claims are not evidence. Personal revelation is not evidence. Wishful thinking is not evidence. Illogical conclusions are not evidence. Disproved statements are not evidence. Logical fallacies are not evidence. Experiments with inconclusive results are not evidence. Experiments that are not and cannot be duplicated by others are not evidence. Dreams are not evidence. Hallucinations/delusions are not evidence. Data that requires a certain belief is not evidence. Information that is only knowable by a privileged few is not evidence. Information that cannot be falsified is not evidence. Information that cannot be verified is not evidence. Information that is ambiguous is not evidence.
"Having trouble sticking to the point Anon?"
Apparently the answer is yes.
8:15AM - you have made poor Luke even more confused to judge by his lack of response and simply making a non-response to a previous comment. At best Luke will resort to quoting the Bible, or to Christian apologetics, or referring you to websites where apparently all his delusional beliefs are entirely vindicated!
Anon3:24AM,
You got that right.
I'm not confused. I'm deliberately ignoring your Red Herrings.
Yes Luke now makes the predicted links - this time to definitions, which of course is pure irony (look up that definition, dear baby Luke - I'd just love to cuddle you and give you back your religious security blanket for another good suck on it).
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