Posted on 12/16/2004 8:15:22 AM PST by OB1kNOb
Appeal to the Supreme Court last hope for Christians
“First, symbols of Christianity are removed from the public square; now, Christians are facing 47 years in prison because they preached the gospel in the public square. Stalin would be proud,” – Brian Fahling, AFA Center for Law and Policy Senior Trial Attorney.
Tupelo, MS - After a federal appeals court denied an emergency appeal to stop prosecution of 11 Christians on Tuesday, Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge William Austin Meehan ordered four of the Christians to stand trial on three felony (criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation, and riot) and five misdemeanor charges. If convicted, they could face up to 47 years in prison.
The Christians were arrested on October 10 for praying, singing, and reading scripture during an annual “gay pride” event known as “Outfest” in Philadelphia.
Since the federal courts did not intervene to halt the state prosecution, the last route for the Christians would be an appeal to the Supreme Court says the Christians’ attorney Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy.
“First, symbols of Christianity are removed from the public square, now, Christians are facing years in prison because they preached the gospel in the public square. Stalin would be proud,” Fahling said.
The federal appeals court in Philadelphia denied emergency relief despite video footage Fahling calls “undisputed evidence” that shows the Christians cooperating with police and continually being harassed by the Pink Angels, a group of homosexuals organized to impede the gospel message. Philadelphia city prosecutor in the case, Charles Ehrlich, attacked the Christians as “hateful” and referred to preaching the Bible as “fighting words,” the judge agreed.
Charges were dropped against the remaining seven apparently because they were not seen quoting scripture on the videotape.
The Philadelphia case represents another example of discrimination toward Christians,” said Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association national headquarters. “The past month has poured forth cases of Christian persecution seen in the higher education institution, public school systems, and the judicial court system.”
Center for Law and Policy
Contact: Kathryn Hooks 662-844-5036 American Family Association P.O. Drawer 2440 Tupelo, MS 38803 1-662-680-3886
Similar incident at Second Baptist Church, Houston, TX, during an Easter Sunday service.
"But I agree, there was more going on here. I'd like to hear about it from an objective source (and no, "WND" is not objective)."....
Honestly speaking, is there really any objective newssource of information, anymore? I've not found anyone yet that reports without a personal agenda. Maybe I've overlooked someone.
I love it when people who've been on FR for about 5 minutes chastise Freepers who've been here for years.....
Right, of course. The accusations of him being a pedophile, from what I can tell, are sketchy at best. The evidence for him being an auto-masochist, abusing himself with a razor blade, seems far more substantiated, though.
The Christians of Pennsylvania, as well as those of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, Connecticut, and New York, should remember that they are endowed by their Creator with backbones. They should drive or take a bus or train to Philadelphia to stage a protest that would make the Million Man March look like a garden party.
Do a search on Kinsey, toss in Dr. Judith Reisman. She is an expert and has researched his "research" and written at least one, or two books about him. He was a nutcase, hired a known pedophile to molest and rape children and get back to him with the "findings", filmed his own porno, considered that sex with animals was normal, used primarily prisoners and other odd groups for his "10%" figure, used more "research" from a Nazi pedophile. It goes on and on.
You should check into him, because the leftists still look to him as though he were a legitimate scientist. The man was evil and lied in order to promote pan-sexualism. And many have drunk the Koolaid.
Wrong! Mississippi is no where near as backwards as Pennsylvania.
You don't get it. This is what also happens at places like Berkely. A handful of conservatives set up a table, or read Bible verses near a gay parade. That's all.
Dozens or 100s of screaming loony radicals surround them, spitting on them, knocking stuff off the table, push them around.
The police arrive, and determine that the problem is not the 100s of radical leftists or gays who are doing the screaming a shoving. Oh no...
It's the handful of conservatives who "provoked" the riot by their mere presense. They are escorted by police off of the public property they have every right to be on, "for their own protection," while the radicals cheer their "victory" and taunt them on their way out.
Or in Philly, you get arrested.
Remember Don Adams? He was beaten to a pulp by Teamster goons, on film, in Philly. And HE was arrested for assault! I guess his face and ribs assaulted the Teamsters' fists and boots!
Or freeper Race Bannon, charged with assault under similar upside-down "defense is offense" circumstances, and driven to financial ruin.
Welcome to the USSA. Wake up and smell the coffee, comrade. Once you learn to "double think," you'll get along just fine.
I just saw it too. I am ticked!
Whether he was a pedophile personally, or just espoused it, promoted it, and paid others to commite sex crimes against children, is there a huge difference?
ROFLOL!!!
And I'll second that..!!
Posted on Fri, Dec. 10, 2004
Evangelists lose ruling in protest at Outfest
A judge refused to throw out the charges. Hearings for 10 of the 11 are scheduled Tuesday.
By Joseph A. Slobodzian
Inquirer Staff Writer
A federal judge yesterday refused to block the local prosecution of 11 Christian evangelists arrested Oct. 10 in a confrontation at the "Outfest" gay-pride block party in Center City.
U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker denied in a one-paragraph order the injunction requested last Friday by the American Family Association, a Mississippi-based conservative Christian "family values" group that is defending the 11.
American Family Association attorney Brian Fahling said he would file an emergency appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to reverse Tucker's ruling and block the prosecutions.
Preliminary hearings for 10 of those arrested are set for Tuesday in Philadelphia Municipal Court. A separate hearing for a juvenile arrested was set for today, but Fahling said it had been postponed.
Last Friday, Fahling argued that the arrests and prosecution of Repent America director Michael Marcavage and his fellow protesters violated their free-speech rights.
Members of the group were arrested on charges including criminal conspiracy, rioting and ethnic intimidation after a loud, heated confrontation with a group of "Pink Angels" at the Outfest.
Lawyers for the city and District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham argued that Tucker should follow the U.S. Supreme Court's 1971 "Younger doctrine," which tells federal judges not to intervene in state court criminal cases unless there is compelling evidence that the prosecution was brought in bad faith or for purposes of harassment.
Fahling said a video of the Oct. 10 confrontation showed Marcavage speaking through a bullhorn while he and his supporters were being shouted down by irate gay activists.
City officials said the video did not show the start of the confrontation, when they said Marcavage tried to interrupt a performance with his antigay preaching and then disobeyed a police order to move to the perimeter of the Outfest to avoid the potential for violence.
One of the best things I've ever read at FR. Thanks. Eloquent (brevity being the soul of wit and all....)
Thing is, as I read the scenarios about end-times, Christianity is not outlawed. It is rather the opposite: enforced! (a pseudo verson, that is)
I believe that there will be a resounding backlash against such egregious Homo (& Islamo) Fascism as described. Then(the beast of Rev. 13):
....will cause the earth to worship....by deceiving
We're getting ripe, that's all.
I don't think there has ever been anything like a "Gay-Pride" day or a "Gay-Pride" parade in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
This is in Mississippi not Pennsylvania.
But did he perform the acts himself? And, I can see where that fascination would come from. I would never fathom doing such a thing and think anyone that does is horrible. But, I sure didn't know that babies could have orgasms.
True. But the police have been emboldened (in some cases) and bullied (in other cases)to act in such ways. All of the cops that I know (and I know a great many) are Christians and are as troubled as I am at the direction of the country in these areas. One of my buddies told me that he would have a really tough time confiscating weapons from a law abiding citizen if the government ever outlawed them. He was basically saying he wouldn't do it. But in cases like this one, many of these cops are just following orders (not that they should).
On the other hand, the lawyers in such cases would be jailed in any civilized society. Okay, that may be a bit harsh, but they are a significant part of the problem. However, their predatory tendencies would never have grown as viscious as they have become had they not been emboldened and even encouraged by a terribly corrupt judiciary. If judges faced the threat of impeachment or removal they might think twice about these power grabs.
That is obsolutely, the most disgusting thing I have heard of in my entire life.
Any people envolved in that kind of behavior need to be round up and shot.
God help us.
Odd. But at least it's not hurting anyone else. Additionally, was this for sexual pleasure? Or was he just a "cutter" to deal with stress? There are MANY people that fall into that category.
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