Posted on 06/08/2006 7:32:06 AM PDT by kokonut
Local Police Attempt to Block Collection of Pro-Marriage Petitions Agape Press - June 7 ,2006 A pro-family group in Florida is outraged over the behavior of some police officers last weekend who tried to stop a petition drive aimed at protecting traditional marriage. Last weekend members of the Florida Family Policy Council were at a Promise Keepers conference in Broward County where they were collecting petitions for the Florida4Marriage campaign, an effort to get onto the November 2008 ballot an amendment protecting traditional marriage. The pro-family group had paid a fee to have a booth at the PK event at which it was collecting the petitions in support of the campaign`s goal of gathering 611,009 signatures by July 12, 2006.
Then in what the group calls a "stunning display of unprofessional conduct," several members of the City of Sunrise Police Department arrived at the scene and ordered Council vice president Nathan Dunn to stop collecting the petitions, and then removed the petitions from public view. A discussion ensued, during which John Stemberger -- president and general counsel for the Council -- was summoned to the scene. The group says Stemberger`s request for an explanation of what law or ordinance was being violated was ignored by Police Sergeant Stephen Allen, who it says then began lecturing nearby volunteers on what Jesus taught about homosexuality, claiming that the petition effort was a waste of time and that he was the authority and they should obey him.
It's the only explanation I can think of. Police officers know very, very well that civil rights violations can not only cost them their jobs, but also leave them paying off a huge civil judgement for the rest of their lives. No matter how enthusiastic these guys may be about gay marriage, I seriously doubt that, in an unimpaired state, they would have been willing to pay that high a price for pleasure of inflicting an insignificant little nick on the anti-gay marriage movement.
That would make for a Hobson's choice defense, tho. Pleading innocent to police misconduct by reason of being drunk of duty. LOL
Yes, I think their professional futures are looking pretty bleak right now, especially the one who apparently did most of the talking, and was probably the one who planted the kiss as well. It's not really clear that the other officers were doing anything besides looking on nervously (and getting smooched in one case). May be that only the one was a "problem officer", and that back at the precinct locker room, the rest of the guys are chortling "Ha ha, a--hole finally hung himself".
It's getting bad.
Disorder is as disorder does. Enraged homosexual activists are hard enough to tolerate let alone avoid contact with.
Now so with enraged and empowered homosexual activists -they are often confronted head on whether or not one wishes to do so...
Did the Promise Keepers have a problem with the booth?
The Sergent is probably a queer himself considering where this was.
By Allie Martin and Jody Brown
June 8, 2006
(AgapePress) - A Florida-based ministry says it plans to file a grievance with a local police department after officers interfered with a petition drive to protect traditional marriage. Last weekend representatives of the Florida Family Policy Council were collecting petitions for the Florida4Marriage campaign at a Promise Keepers event in Broward County. Witnesses say several members of the City of Sunrise Police Department showed up and ordered a halt to the petition drive, then removed the petitions from public view. The petitions were eventually returned to the Council's exhibit table -- but only after what a group spokesman describes as "unprofessional" and "unconstitutional" behavior by a member of the police force. (See earlier story) John Stemberger, president and general counsel of the Council, says upon his arrival at the scene, he was refused an explanation of what law or ordinance had been violated -- but was instead subjected to "ranting" from the duty officer, Sergeant Stephen Allen, who insisted on "lecturing" him and Council volunteers on Christ's teaching on homosexuality.
"I told him I did not want to discuss theology but wanted to know the legal authority he was relying upon," Stemberger notes in a letter to Lt. Robert Dorn of the Sunrise Police Department. "Sgt. Allen refused to calmly discuss the supposed law that was being violated and then proclaimed that 'he was the authority' and 'the Bible says that Christians should obey the authorities.'" The letter goes on to explain that Allen accused Stemberger of lying about his being a constitutional attorney, and referred to him as an "ambulance chaser" when provided with Stemberger's business card.
 Sgt. Stephen Allen, with petitions in hand, kisses fellow officer on the cheek |
"At all times during my encounter with Sgt. Allen he constantly interrupted me, refused to allow me to speak freely, consistently acted unreasonably [and] unprofessionally," writes the Council spokesman. In addition, says Stemberger, the police sergeant refused to allow him to explain why the officer's actions were unconstitutional and why Council volunteers had the legal right to distribute petitions at the event. The 45-minute ordeal ended, says Stemberger, only after a civic center official instructed Sergeant Allen to "stand down." In his letter to the Sunrise Police Department, Stemberger requests the department investigate the matter, and either dismiss Sergeant Allen from the local force or discipline him and others as warranted, perhaps requiring they undergo sensitivity training or other instruction on professionalism.
A spokesman with the Sunrise Police Department could not be reached for comment.
Sheeple's Republic of Broward. Along with Palm Beach County and South Miami Beach, "New York South"
I sincerely hope that these morons in uniforms get hit with a law suit that costs them their jobs and those that employ them many.many dollars.
There is no servant of the public of more value and worthy of more respect than a good officer of the law.
There is nothing more dangerous than a bad one that is a bully with a gun who has no respect for people and is drunk on the power that goes with his position.
From the City of Sunrise Police Department website..
How can I register a complaint regarding a Police employee?
Please direct your complaint to any on-duty Police supervisor, or contact the Department's Internal Affairs Unit at (954) 746-3536.
BTTT
I think it'd be a better picture had they locked lips.
it seems as though the liberals are taking over the world.
"It's not clear what benefits -- personal or political -- the officers could possibly have imagined coming from the actions which they are alleged to have committed, or even from the lesser actions which they clearly did commit (but again, I rather suspect that a breathalyzer could have shed some light on the nature of their reasoning processes)."
(ping: please see the article)
Admittedly this is something of an "tough one" but here's my take on it. The American Left is slowly drifting towards a greater use of violence. Of course, violence is a trademark of the Left throughout the world, but in America, they have so far walked on "cats feet" due to the strength that still remains among conservatives.
I believe these policemen are Leftists who have been encouraged, perhaps in a discrete and indirect way, to take this sort of action. I define "this sort of action" as an action by police enforcing a politically correct viewpoint on conservative citizens attempting to exercise free speech---in blatant disregard of the law.
I believe, in other words, this is a subtle and "early phase" attempt to intimidate conservatives. It generally breaks into new ground: utilizing police in a public way to promote an element of the Leftist agenda. For this purpose, an issue was chosen that is seen to be one that may potentially backfire against conservatives---an issue where conservatives can be painted as "lacking in compassion" and in a sense "denying others' freedom."
Some have wondered why the ACLU has not intervened. I'm not sure that they will not intervene---on the side of the police. I lack the sort of mind that could fashion the basis for the ACLU's defense of the action of these policeman, but I have seen enough of the Left to know that they are capable of creating such a defense.
Such an action must be understood not at all in terms of isolated analysis of this incident. It must be seen as one very small part of a very large puzzle. The name of the puzzle is intimidation and it has many, many different forms.
I would say intimidation is the "sister" of the subversion. And I believe subversion is the main weapon of our enemies.
To exit from my Ping list, just send me one request to that effect, public or private.
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