Posted on 02/08/2005 4:03:32 PM PST by gobucks
During Philadelphia's annual homosexual "Outfest" rally, 11 Christians were herded into a police truck for refusing to obey a police order to relocate, and for using signs and megaphones to proclaim Scripture verses during the gay-pride celebration. The Christians are members of the evangelistic group Repent America.
Repent America director Michael Marcavage, 25, is facing three felony charges and five misdemeanors. The felonies include conspiracy, inciting to riot, and ethnic intimidation-a charge filed under the state's hate-crimes law, which specifically mentions sexual orientation as one object of hate speech. Charges against seven of the Christians were dismissed. The others are now known as the "Philadelphia Four."
"This is the first time in this country where singing hymns, praying, and reading biblical passages have been described as 'hate speech' and 'fighting words,'" said Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law and Policy. Fahling has filed a federal suit to stop his clients from being tried by the Philadelphia courts.
Cathie Abookire, spokeswoman for the Philadelphia district attorney's office, said the case was "not about content of speech" but "conduct and behavior."
During the incident, which happened in October, several of the Christians were calling out, "Sodomists repent. You're going to hell," a police officer testified.
Marcavage said the case is about free speech. "The hate-crimes legislation is being used to target Christians who call homosexual behavior sin."
On January 21, Judge Pamela Dembe dissolved an order prohibiting the accused from gathering within 100 feet of any gay-rights event, calling the order "an unreasonable restriction on a person's right to speak."
And given what is happening in Canada and Sweden, it won't be the last, now the the USSC reflects on overseas court rulings to make its decisions.
That doesn't sound much like what Fahling was describing.
That's not a hate crime, that's a love crime. To be silent would be a hate crime. Or to say "It's ok, everybody's doing it. You are completely normal." and let them burn in hell. That would be a hate crime.
Just remember that the incineration of Branch Davidians at Waco by Bent Willie and Reno was not, repeat not a crime.
ping
You beat me to it. Exactly. We can only expect more of the same.
Should we care? Yes. Should we be discouraged? No. Christ said, Mark 13:9, "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."
What better way to get the message of Good News out then getting this publicity on air,in newspapers and on TV?
Here in Chicago, what is not being discussed in the media is how a homosexual in a vicious rage repeatedly ran over a Muslim cab driver. Could the cab driver have said something to the homosexual about his sexuality?
www.suntimes.com
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-cab08.html
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Taxi suspect's 'life was totally on track'
February 8, 2005
BY ANNIE SWEENEY AND LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporters
As friends could tell, Michael L. Jackson had hit a good stride in life.
He was dating and had a good job with the city doing the work that mattered most to him -- helping people with AIDS.
So how could Jackson -- a well-known fund-raiser and activist in Chicago's gay community with a service award in his name -- kill a 61-year-old taxi driver by commandeering the cab and repeatedly running him over, as police claim?
'Absolutely shocking'
"He is very mild-mannered, he is very funny,'' said Greg Harris, who works for Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th) and knows Jackson as an activist. "Of all the people you would never think would be involved in anything like this . . . It's just staggering. Absolutely shocking.''
On Monday, Jackson, 37, was ordered held without bond at Cook County Jail, and his job as a director with the Health Department was terminated.
In a brief court appearance, Jackson appeared expressionless, wearing jeans and a brown suede coat as prosecutors said that he argued on the street with Haroon Paryani and then got behind the wheel of Paryani's Koam taxi after the cabbie fell face-down on the street. He then drove back and forth over the body, prosecutors said.
Jackson has not given a statement to investigators, but police have said several witnesses saw the attack last Thursday in the 500 block of West Briar Place, the same block where Jackson lives. A woman rushed to Paryani's side to cradle his head but ran off after seeing the taxi's reverse lights flash on and the cab headed back toward them, prosecutors said.
Jackson's attorneys said they planned to argue Jackson attacked Paryani in self-defense after the two fought.
"The facts will show the victim was the aggressor,'' said Jon Erickson.
Paryani's boss has described him as courteous. Paryani, a taxi driver for about 20 years, was sued in 2001 for fatally striking a pedestrian, but a jury later found in his favor.
Jackson was one of the early volunteers with a group that would later become the Hearts Foundation, an organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS issues. Jackson helped incorporate the organization and served as board president four years ago, said Todd Armbruster, Hearts vice president.
After leaving Hearts, Jackson remained a source of help and support, Armbruster said. The foundation created a service award in his honor three years ago, Armbruster said.
Jackson also worked for KPMG, a nationally recognized public accounting firm based in Chicago, until 1997.
Jackson was hired by the Chicago Public Health Department in 2003 as director of STD/HIV/AIDS public policy and programs because of his work in social service, said department spokesman Tim Hadac.
There have been some recent troubles in Jackson's life. He filed for bankruptcy in 2002 after amassing as much as $104,000 in debt, records show. Records also show there was a stop put on his Illinois driver's license because of a 2002 accident in which he failed to show insurance or compensate the other person in the accident.
What would 'make him snap'?
Still, many friends said they saw no hints of serious trouble.
"I pray to God that there is some sort of explanation,'' Armbruster said. "Everything in his life was totally on track. He had a love interest, a great job. I couldn't even imagine anything that would make him snap.''
The charges against Jackson also baffled the Paryani family, which spent the weekend mourning a man who moved to Chicago from Pakistan in 1971 and worked as a taxi driver to support a wife and four children.
"I was shocked at the kind of job he is holding,'' said Asfar Moin, Paryani's brother-in-law. "No laws allow you to kill anybody in any circumstances.''
Contributing: Stefano Esposito
__This is one that has to go to the supreme court - then we can be done with it. (and they will be acquitted)__
Won't be resolved until it does, then probably won't be fully resolved as people try to find work arounds...
Wow, this seems to happen EVERY SINGLE DAY in Philadelphia! (At least based on how many times I've read articles in regards to this topic on FR)
I don't care that these folks were a bit over the top. This is religious persecution by the Thought Police, pure and simple. Nothing they did even comes close to warranting any charges.
I can't believe he even had to say this. Poor man. And despicable how the murderous fag is lionized in the media.
are they being charged with refusing to relocate or are they being charged with content crime?
What does the USSC say about protesters across the street from abortion clinics?
Seems that IF they wanted to do this by the book then the homos would have been impotent to stop them.
Nope. You thought wrong. Only Marxist, athiest, enemies of America are awarded freedom to speak freely.
They are not being charged with disturbing the peace, a misdemeanor, but hate speech, a felony. This is a big difference from the usual treatment of protestors. What I don't understand is why burning the flag is not hate speech.
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"are they being charged with refusing to relocate or are they being charged with content crime? "
Basically, they are being charged b/c they bothered to show up and protest a public gay show.
"What I don't understand is why burning the flag is not hate speech."
It depends on which flag you are talking about ....
bttt
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