Government targets 'Jesus' sign

World Net Daily ^ | May 25, 2003 | World Net Daily

[milan]

A borough government in Pennsylvania says freedom of speech does not extend to a man's large "Jesus is Lord" sign, threatening the man with jail time if he doesn't remove it, reports the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.

[milan]

If the sign read "I am a proud gay man" I bet the ACLU would pick up the case! This is a crock. Yeah, he probably broke ordinances, but the reality is, the content is what made the ACLU say "uhuh, we can't do anything." If the content was Islam, Hindu, gay, transvestite, Greenpeace, etc. the ACLU would gladly take this case.

Like Bill Oreilly said, the ACLU has gone left and they don't plan on coming back.

[Junior]

More info! Where is the sign? Is it on private or public property? There is a lot missing from the article you posted.

[billorites]

It's on private property I believe.

The issue is that it's in violation of a town regulation prohibiting flashing signs.

This one is huge, neon and it flashes. It's pretty obnoxious.

[milan]

It is hyperlinked where it says World Net Daily in my original.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Yeah...you are right. If the sign promoted the HomoNazi agenda...the ACLU would be fighting the judge.

The bigotry of political correctness strikes again

[milan]

You're right. He probably did break ordinances. It says he did. The point is that the ACLU didn't take it. Why? The content. Since when did the ACLU shy away from a case because what a person was doing was illegal? The two gay guys in Texas, remember them. They were breaking the law in Texas and the ACLU took the case. They are avoiding this case because it is a Christian who is involved.

[Conservative Me]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government targets 'Jesus' sign Man's red neon message allegedly violates local ordinances -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: May 25, 2003 1:00 a.m. Eastern © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com A borough government in Pennsylvania says freedom of speech does not extend to a man's large "Jesus is Lord" sign, threatening the man with jail time if he doesn't remove it, reports the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.

Bob Foor's sign hangs on the back of an old repair shop he owns in the heart of a historic district in Bedford, Pa. According to the paper, the red, flashing neon letters are three and a half feet high and stretch nearly 100 feet across the building.

"It's something I believe. I'm very much a believer, and it's something that I think needs to be there," Foor told the Tribune-Democrat.

Foor erected the sign after the borough council denied him a permit. The local government says Foor's sign violates three separate ordinances.

The American Civil Liberties Union is siding with the borough.

"Freedom of speech has time, place and manner restrictions," Larry Frankel, executive director of Pennsylvania chapter of the ACLU, told the paper. "Unless he can demonstrate that he is being denied permission for the sign based on the content of the sign, it is not discrimination."

According to the report, part of the goal of city regulations for the historical district is to keep buildings looking as much like they did 200 years ago as possible.

Foor, owner of Bob Foor Cars, says he has already spent over $10,000 on the sign, but is willing to spend more in legal fees to fight the borough.

"I have a feeling it's going to cost me a lot more," Foor said.

If Foor does not take the sign down by today, per a demand from the borough, he will be subject to a $1,000-per-day fine and a possible 30-day jail stay.

"I feel they're violating my freedom of speech and my freedom to express my religion. I feel they're violating my constitutional rights," he told the Tribune-Democrat.

Foor is clearly proud of his new sign: "You can even see it from the Bedford Bypass. In fact I was told you can see it from an airplane flying over the borough."

[Conservative Me]

I used to travel that area on the way to college from where I grew up. There are religious signs all over the place. On the hills as you are driving through, you can see crosses and signs praising Jesus. Honestly, I give Worldnet credit for twisting the issue, as usual.

[Reeses]

A clickable picture for you:

The American Civil Liberties Union is siding with the borough. "Freedom of speech has time, place and manner restrictions," Larry Frankel, executive director of Pennsylvania chapter of the ACLU, told the paper. "Unless he can demonstrate that he is being denied permission for the sign based on the content of the sign, it is not discrimination."

[goldstategop]

Its a worthy cause to go to jail for. My only Lord is My God. :)

[milan]

"Honestly, I give Worldnet credit for twisting the issue, as usual."

I don't think they twisted at all. They said the guy is breaking ordinances. But you know for sure that the ACLU would take this case if it didn't reference anything with Christianity. Also, if the word "black" was there, they would get the added benefit of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

[goldstategop]

I'm not surprised. Since when have the ACLU theophobes ever backed religious free speech? GRRRRRRRRRRR

[goldstategop]

The only ordinance he broke is admitting he's a Christian. Next they'll feed him to the lions...

[Conservative Me]

First, look at the title...

Then, ask yourself if Worldnet Daily would even cover the story if they didn't think it didn't have something to do with Christian rights specifically...

The mention of the city ordinance was brief, and, imo, was treated as if it were the town's excuse for not letting the man have his sign...as if the real issue was that he was Christian, and Bedford is anti-Christian.

It's comical.

[ricpic]

If he was denied a permit because it's a flashing sign and not because of the content it seems to me that the town was well within it's rights in denying him permission. According to the article the sign violated three seperate ordinances. He doesn't seem to have much of a case.

[goldstategop]

According to you we need the government's permission to say what we want. Welcome to Soviet America and don't look in your mirror, buddy.

[gdc61]

i know the building, i know the man, ask away.

[ricpic]

It's a bit of a stretch to say that this is some kind of government repression of freedom of speech. The guys shop is in an historic district. I'm not crazy about the whole historic district idea. But if you're located in one, I garaun-damn-tee that you know the rules about what is and is not permissable in signage for that district. The guy broke those rules. Case closed.

[Conservative Me]

A little melodramatic, don't you think?

[gdc61]

i was born and raised in bedford . it not anti-christian.