Posted on 12/17/2004 9:38:12 AM PST by DirtyHarryY2K
Four people who were arrested during a confrontation at an annual homosexual pride event in Philadelphia could spend up to 47 years in prison for public reading of Scripture, an attorney for a pro-family organization said on Thursday.
Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association (AFA) Center for Law and Policy, is representing the group in court. He claims the Christian activists are being persecuted simply for exercising their constitutional rights.
"They were exercising their First Amendment rights in a public forum, and we have videotape that demonstrates that," Fahling said.
The case began on Oct. 10, when Repent America Director Michael Marcavage and 10 other persons preached and read verses from the Bible during an annual "gay pride" event known as "Outfest" in Philadelphia.
Fahling said that a video of the confrontation showed Marcavage speaking through a bullhorn while he and his supporters were "being shouted down by irate gay activists."
However, city officials told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the video did not show the start of the confrontation, when they said Marcavage tried to interrupt an onstage performance with his preaching and then disobeyed a police order to move to the perimeter of the "block party" to avoid the potential for violence.
"They were not prohibited from preaching," said Karen Brancheau, a lawyer for the district attorney's office. "A reasonable request was made to prevent a situation from becoming dangerous to their own safety, as well as the safety of the participants."
Charges were later dropped against seven people in the "Philadelphia 11" because they were not seen quoting Scripture on a videotape of the incident.
However, the remaining four individuals have been ordered to stand trial on three felony counts -- criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation and riot -- and five misdemeanor charges. If convicted, Fahling said, they could face up to 47 years in prison.
Charles Ehrlich, the city prosecutor in the case, has called the Christian protestors "hateful" and referred to preaching the Bible as using "fighting words."
Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge William Austin Meehan has banned the protestors from doing any type of evangelism within 100 yards of any "gay and lesbian event."
This past week, U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker denied emergency relief from prosecution despite video footage Fahling calls "undisputed evidence" that the group cooperated with police and were continually harassed by members of a homosexual organization called the Pink Angels.
Then on Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit turned down a similar appeal.
Since the federal courts did not intervene, the last route for the group to avoid trial would be an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Fahling said
"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," Fahling concluded.
Count me out. I have nothing but contempt for bullhorn-wielding street sermonizers loudly pontificating where they are not wanted and rudely interrupting other fellow citizens
This will be a key and historic battle in the American Revolutionary Culture War.
BWAHAHAHA!!!!Yeah, I'm *sure* we'll be reading about this incident in the history books fifty years from now.
Why are you blowing smoke?
You said:
"Additionally, your own statistics show that 2/3 of all child abuse cases involve heterosexuals."
Well, they are about 98% of the population.
Additionally, it is historical and consistent with those who do the research that homosexuals are attracted to youths, witness the homosexual priests in the Catholic church. If around 2% of the population commits at least 35% of the child molesting, no more need be said. Unless you want to obscure the truth for some odd reason.
But evidently you can sit back and make excuses for 3% of the populace committing 33% of sex crimes against children.
It is obvious to anyone that not all homosexuals are pedophiles or pederasts just as it is obvious to anyone that homosexuals committ these crimes at rates far higher than the general populace.
Parents should have that information and act on it accordingly.
Phelps is not only not a Christian, he's total nutcase, and who know what his motives are, backers are, or real agenda is.
He's as much a Christian as I am a --- I can't think of a bizarre enough comparison. I have read that he has a shady Democrat past.
What a parent decides to do with their child is the right of the parent to decide. I don't quarrel with that. But to make a blanket statement that all homosexuals are pedophiles is dishonest.
If you believe that being homosexual is wrong, that's fine, I'm not here to convince you otherwise. However, by that same token, I'm not going to sit idly by while things that aren't accurate are being tossed about.
The great thing about discussions here are that people maintain a certain integrity in their arguments, unlike the MSM, liberals, etc. I'm just here trying to maintain that standard.
47 years seems a bit steep for civil disobedience.
Couldn't a $100 fine assuage the State? (not that I'm in favor of that either).
Hmmm - so no one should be allowed in public if other people don't want them there? Especially if the other people are having a huge Sodomy Festival?
Notice the buzz words you are using: "pontificating", "bull-horn weilding", "rudely", "sermonizing". And the "gay" festival attendees are "fellow citizens". No bias here.
Did you even watch the video to see who was being "rude" to whom?
BTW, who do you think free speech protection SHOULD be given to? Only people you agree with?
Ah. The will of the mob overrules the right to associate.
Good plan. When and where?
I don't think anyone here is saying:
"But to make a blanket statement that all homosexuals are pedophiles is dishonest."
What you are doing is creating a straw man and then fighting with it. You are not addressing the truth that homosexuals are more PRONE to molest *and* seduce children and underage youths. That is not arguable. Why not address the fact, instead of the imaginary argument you invented?
You forgot the sarcasm tag. Oh wait, you were being serious!
Um, wow! What to say to say about this one. An annoying heckler with a bullhorn gets arrested while trying to shout down a gay pride festival is an injustice *worse* than blacks getting mauled by police dogs while protesting segregation in 1950s Alabama.
You wanna rethink this statement a little bit?
You have NO idea how ironic your question is. Physicist stood up for Don Adams, who TRULY got railroaded in Philly, basically for assaulting the fists of Teamsters with his face. Physicist has seen firsthand the dangers of railroading, and for him to come out against Marcavage speaks volumes to any neutral party reading this.
Drew68's profile has a link to a website that is anti-marriage and advocates that you "fire your wife".
Dude, if you don't understand marriage as fundamentally the most important building block in our society, then it goes to reason that you wouldn't understand why these people were protesting the pinkos with all their might and why they believe so strongly in the word of God.
We are in the cultural fight for our lives in America, and if there are still books allowed in 50 years, you will read about moments like this where reading scripture in public meant jail.
These people have a martyr's heart. God bless them. And shame on you Drew68 for a lame attempt to throw water on something that has many people here burning with a righteous flame.
Don't worry... your request to be counted out has been duly noted. BTW, Did you mean count you "out" or just "out"?
No, it's homosexuals who are dishonest and not to be trusted. Homosexuality is a refuge for males who have opted out of facing their responsibility as men.
No one is obscuring the truth. Let me clue you in to a small detail. There are more gay people out there than abusive priests in the catholic church. There are also a lot that aren't into the "gay lifestyle", the "gay agenda", the "gay maffia", etc.
We do our jobs, and usually do them very well. We maintain our lives and don't infringe on the lifes of others. I don't want my lifestyle taught in the public schools and don't necessarily believe that we need protected status in civil rights statutes or hate crimes legislation.
I have a lot of friends, both gay and straight. My friends would tell you I am an honest person, someone with integrity, they want to be my neighbor, co-worker, and friend.
Personally, I have not been attracted to younger or underage men. I am not a pedophile and take offense for someone to suggest that I am, just as I'm sure you would be offended if someone were to suggest that you are gay or a pedophile. I see how you can interpret it as the same. I'm just stating for the record, that it isn't.
For the record, anyone who abuses a child should be strung up and have their genitals removed and bleed to death. I have never suggested that any abuse of a child is excusable.
That's Really more then over the top. You're in Jim's house conduct yourself that way.
While I have no sympathy for the "godhatesfags" types, they have every right to protest the parade. They did not have the right to try and take over the stage and shout down the participants.
I get pissed when lefties on college campuses shout down conservative speakers. It is rude and does not do service to one's cause. I certainly am not going to defend it when so-called "conservatives" do this.
These "Christians" were rude and disobeyed an order to vacate the stage. They deserved getting arrested.
Furthermore, yes, homosexuals born in the United States are "fellow citizens" whether you like it or not.
Did I miss something? Who has had their right to associate abridged?
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