Principal Annette Martinson
Posted on 02/08/2007 1:42:46 AM PST by Robert Drobot
Two men who are members of Gideons International, the Christian organization that is famous for, among other ministries, placing Bibles in motels and giving them to children, have been arrested after trying to hand out Bibles on a public sidewalk in Florida, according to a law firm.
Officials with the Alliance Defense Fund have confirmed they will be representing Anthony Mirto and Ernest Simpson, who were arrested, booked into jail and charged with trespassing.
Jeremy Tedesco, one of the ADF's lawyers on the case, confirmed to WND that the organization's clients were on a public sidewalk when they were handing out Bibles and school officials summoned police.
"The First Amendment protects the right to engage in religious speech on a public sidewalk," ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman said. "Members of the Gideons have been highly respected for decades as peaceful providers of free Bibles to those who want them."
Principal Annette Martinson
The arrest happened Jan. 19, when Mirto and Simpson were on the sidewalk outside of Key Largo School in Key Largo, Fla., and were distributing copies of the Bible to those interested.
Monroe County Sheriff Richard Roth
"Neither man entered school grounds," the law firm said. "After the school's principal called police, a Monroe County sheriff's officer asked the men to leave immediately or face trespassing charges. As the men prepared to leave, the officer decided to arrest both individuals."
A hearing is scheduled March 5 in Monroe County Court in the cases, and ADF attorneys are preparing motions to dismiss the charges.
"Officials cannot use fear of arrest as a means of bullying law-abiding Christians into silence," Cortman said. "These men broke no laws when they decided to communicate their message on a public sidewalk."
Tedesco noted that sometimes school officials have a misconception about whether they can control activities on school grounds and adjacent public sidewalks. But the First Amendment does provide a protection for speech on those parcels of ground that are public, he said.
"There's no reason why they should be put in jail," he said.
The ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the truth, through strategy, training, funding and litigation.
The Gideons, a group founded in the late 1800s, has as its "sole purpose" the goal "to win men, women, boys and girls to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through association for service, personal testimony, and distributing the Bible in the human traffic lanes and streams of everyday life."
Members of the Gideons, who pay their own expenses so 100 percent of the donations to the group go toward Bible purchases and distributions, have placed the Bible in 181 nations in 82 different languages over the years.
The organization focuses on hotels and motels, hospitals and nursing homes, schools, colleges and universities, the military and law enforcement and prisons and jails.
"The demand for Scriptures in these areas far exceeds our supplies that we are able to purchase through our donations. Much more could be done – if funds were available. However, we are placing and distributing more than 1 million copies of the Word of God, at no cost, every seven days in these areas…" the group said.
The organization only gives away the Bibles with the Gideon logo on the covers, but plain Bibles are available for consumers to purchase at its distribution center at P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, Tenn., 37214-0800. Information about the products is available on the group's website.
The Gideons serve as an extended missionary arm of the Christian church and are the oldest Christian business and professional men's association in the United States.
Yes, you say so, but not without stabs. Bottom line, I TRULY was there that day or otherwise would not be so passionate. I fear I am hitting a brick wall with many on this site. I sincerely hope you stay open minded and keep it simple. This is so out of hand, I am still in awe. I have done all I can do with every ounce of honesty. I have never even participated in a blog before. I do not think I will ever again.
Dear "know it all" they were on school property. How many ways can you paraphrase that?
Times have changed (so have fashions) They were fabulous men - no argument here. But things are different now; you cannot just ignore it guys. It isn't going away. The only issue on the day we are all going back and forth about was safety. No one needs a history lesson.
What about the individuals who went to the front office of this school to complain about these men? They were parents of students at that school. Should Mrs. Martinson have ignored them? Wish you were in her place that day. Walk a mile in her shoes baby - walk a mile.
Got anything better to offer?
By the way - its margaritas and bars. We do have one thing in common though - I am not a fan of the Miami Herald. I do however, trust my very one eyes. No unjust actions here. The men were on the school campus. Maybe I should write that a hundred times.
No one took issue with the bibles. I keep telling you that (can anyone say "brick wall?" "deaf ears?")One would think that would make you feel better. Still you keep digging your heels in. I bet you are stomping your feet and throwing a tantrum also. The founding fathers would be so proud of your childish bullying.
God wrote the Catholic Bible.
There are always 2 or more police vehicles, a crossing guard, and the vice principals physically involved in the process of directing traffic through the lot. They do direct traffic. the link is only to the predators that they lost track of....
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/pages/neighborhoodSearch/Search_Neighborhood_Results.jsp
4 in a 1 mile radius (our island is way less than a mile wide at this point. 6 in a 3 mile radius. (Why do so many live right by the school?)
This isn't about religion. The Gideons are making it about religion. It is just like the racebaiters (ie Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton) just waiting for something to "gotcha".
These men were causing a more dangerous traffic situation during an already peak time. THERE is not other road divert traffic to alleviate traffic.
OH, and I really doubt the Gideons are impressing anyone locally with their "Christian" behavior. If I weren't already Christian, these antics wouldn't persuade me.
Hi keylargoguy,
Welcome. Wish it weren't under these circumstances.
Wow!!! No christian freedom in America.....
Hello...they weren't 'drawing throngs' School was just let out, I don't know the numbers but they have 2 lanes to pick up students, they have quite a few 'walkers' ....It's a high traffic time there. Do you have a reading comprehension problem?
keylargoguy, I expect that the school would appreciate anyone that was there that day to provide a statement. I received a phone number to call if you PM me, I won't post it here.
Okay, so the next person standing on the sidewalk, parked in a no park zone, refusing requests to move, handing out free candy to our children should be allowed to continue to foster a relationship with them? It is already hard enough to explain that not all bad people are ugly or scary looking. (when explaining strangers) Not all people handing out bibles necessarily have good intentions. Apparently modeling Christian behavior and following the law is less important than screaming "religious intolerance' Um, if you knew our town, we are some of the most tolerant people. We live in harmony with the wide array of people that live here and visit. We are just a small town atmosphere.
Thank-you....well said!
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