PHOENIX — A federal judge has ordered that Coconino County reisdents be allowed to wear Tea Party T-shirts when they vote next month.
But what happens elsewhere at polling places in Arizona remains in legal limbo. And it still leaves in question whether such attire is proper.
The order by U.S. District Court Judge James Teilborg specifically bars Coconino County Recorder Candace Owens or any of her election workers from blocking Diane Wickberg from voting while attired in her shirt proclaiming “Flagstaff Tea Party — Reclaiming Our Constitution Now.’’ Anyone else with the same shirt also cannot be barred from going to vote on Nov. 2.
Diane Cohen, an attorney for the Goldwater Institute which represents Wickberg, said the injunction is a preliminary victory. She said the fact the ruling legally affects only Coconino County does not mean election officials elsewhere are free to impose their own election-day clothing decisions.
http://www.yourwestvalley.com/valleyandstate/article_179fa950-dd77-11df-8815-001cc4c03286.html
Since the Tea Party is not an official political party, doesn’t run candidates under it’s own name, I can see allowing the shirt. A person could wear an SEIU shirt for the same reason.
I will admit though, Christians don’t run candidates under the Christian party either.
The problem may be as simple as this.
“Vote for...”
Wear a shirt saying “I love Jesus” for instance, probably wouldn’t be a problem. “Vote Jesus”, probably would be.
Vote SEIU, or vote Tea Party, probably would be a problem.