Man sues after being restricted from passing out Bibles at gay pride parade
We read:
"A man who has passed out Bibles at a Minnesota gay pride parade for years is suing after city officials restricted him from giving out the book at this year's event.
Brian Johnson, of Hayward, Wis., started handing out Bibles at the Twin Cities Pride Festival in 1995, and three years later, gave out the books in Minneapolis' Loring Park from a booth approved by parade organizers. But in recent years, the people behind the event, which draws as many as 300,000 people, have tried to oust him, first nixing his bid for a booth and then having him arrested in 2009.
"Johnson believes that the Bible is God's word and sets out a plan of salvation for all people," his attorney wrote in a 26-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court of Minnesota. "Johnson believes the Bible teaches that all people are sinners and therefore deserve God's wrath, but anyone can receive salvation by believing and trusting in Jesus Christ."
Johnson was arrested for trespassing at the event in 2009, the first year he was denied a booth. The charges were later dropped. In 2010, the board, which enforces regulations at the 42-acre public park, granted Johnson permission to hand out Bibles. The parade organizers went to federal court to seek an injunction, which was denied by District Judge John Tunheim.
Although Johnson and his family went to the 2010 event and handed out Bibles without incident, the city agency and parade organizers were focused on a suggestion Tunheim had offered in a footnote of his denial of the injunction. For 2011, they set up the "free speech zones" that Tunheim thought would be a reasonable suggestion and a "drop box" where people could place literature.
Johnson skipped last year's event, but went to federal court on Friday to file a suit he hopes will give him unrestricted access to this year's event.
Dot Belstler, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, said Johnson is free to attend the festival and "tell everyone that Jesus loves them." But she said Johnson will not be allowed to hand out Bibles outside of the designated zones during this year's event on June 23-24.
"He has said his goal is to get everyone to know Jesus [and] he is allowed to do that," Belstler said. "[But] it's really kind of a nuisance."
Source
These "Free speech zones" are a crock -- generally well away from anywhere that matters. No wonder he wants no part of that. The 1st amendment applies throughout the USA, not just in some dinky "zones"
16 comments:
"Free Speech Zones" are generally set up by organizers of events who have legitimate security concerns, such as when the POTUS or some other high government official is coming and the Secret Service requests such accommodations. The SCOTUS lays out the requirements for establishing such zones (such as to separate historically hostile and violently opposed groups), but mostly they use terms such as "reasonable." Sounds like this guy has been attending this event for years without incident, and thus "free speech" zones are not only unreasonable, but a blatant attempt to deny him his civil rights.
To liberals Free Speech is only for them and them alone
Great lead for you Snorphty.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/mass-school-drops-patriotic-song-from-assembly-after-parents-object-to-removal-of-word-god/2012/04/05/gIQAyS9HxS_story.html
Even though i am a Christian, i am offended whenever anyone pushes their religious beliefs on me. Unlike most people, i am quite capable of making my own decisions.
But, i am also capable of recognizing a clear-cut violation of the First Amendment. Gays, like most Leftists, seem to believe the First Amendment is their's to use whenever, and however, they choose. This is why they've fought so hard to turn the Constitution into a "living" document. Of course, by "living", they mean, able to tweek, ignore, and manipulate at will.
In liberal la la land, only whites can be racist.
Another gem from Marion Barry.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/marion-barry-asians_n_1405212.html
Anon 2:27
First you create a hypothetical situation and then you call your make-believe characters hypocrites! You're a hoot!
Anon 3:09
He didn't say all Gays were leftists, take another look at his posting.
So it's ok if a gay rights group is restricted from passing out literature at a religious event?
Anon 3:09 (prob our usual troll, actually) needs to read with more comprehension instead of grabbing n to the first interpretation that supports his existing biases.
As for the issue at hand, agreed that free-speech zones are a crock. Those who disagree with me are welcome to go into their bedroom closet (designated FSZ for today) and explain their position.
LOL. Marion Barry is not even standing by his comments about asians. The national media still ignoring the story, buried in a blog.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/mike-debonis/post/marion-barry-stands-by-remark-that-asian-businesses-ought-to-go-from-ward-8/2012/04/05/gIQAP2TlxS_blog.html#weighIn
I,ll bet they would have allowed someone to hand out coppies of DADDIES ROOMATE
The guy is handing out free books. He isn't forcing anyone to do anything. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM!!!
They would have allowed for him handing our KORANS
Tolerance is only one direction apparently.
2:53 AM
I have that story up on Education Watch
Anon 3:30 said:
"Anon 3:09 He didn't say all Gays were leftists, take another look at his posting..."
Anon 3:30, thank you for paying attention. Obviously, not all do.
2:10 & 3:30 - the grammar of the remark could just as well mean that all gays are leftists (try your comprehension skills again!).
And many unchallenged theoretical scenarios are made by many posters here (such as "if a muslim ....", etc. - Such hypocrites indeed on this site!
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