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Editorial
Gil Spencer: Now on video: ‘The People vs. Michael M.’
Gil Spencer, Times Columnist12/17/2004

It’s a pretty safe bet that Hollywood will never make a movie called "The People vs. Michael Marcavage." When it comes to the subject of the First Amendment, the Hollywood left only takes it up on behalf of pornographers, strippers and other such fascinating victims. Evangelical street preachers are not worthy of such celebration or protection.

The film "The People vs. Larry Flynt," starring Woody Harrelson and Courtney Love, on the other hand, not only got made, it was showered with praise and awards. It was hailed as a patriotic salute to freedom of speech, and Larry Flynt was heralded as a savior of the First Amendment.

Lansdowne’s Marcavage has not been so honored. But this is understandable. Among other things, he and his group, Repent America, believe it is important to show the world the graphic effects of abortion. They use poster-sized photographs of bloody and dismembered fetuses to get their point across.

Many people who are forced to view such photos are appalled. They dislike Marcavage and his followers for shoving the reality of abortion in their faces.

Then there are his efforts to bring his idea of God’s message to gay people.

In October, Marcavage attended a gay pride event in Philadelphia called OutFest. He and his group attempted to inform the revelers they were all going to Hell if they did not change their ways.

Having announced his plan to bring his street ministry to the event, the gay and lesbian organizers came up with their own plan to keep Marcavage’s message from being heard. When Repent America arrived, the "Pink Angels" -- a group of gays with large, pink Styrofoam placards -- greeted them. Apparently, their plan was to surround Marcavage and drown out his message.

At first, they blocked his group from entering the event. But since it was being held on a public street, this was illegal. Marcavage, a man who thrives on confrontation and knows the law, pointed this out to police officers. His group was escorted past the Pink Angels. But when he tried to speak, the Pink Angels started blowing whistles and yelling obscenities at him.

Police tried to direct Marcavage’s group to a particular spot far away the main stage. But when Marcavage tried to move closer, police arrested him.

He and 10 others were charged with rioting, reckless endangerment, obstructing a highway, failing to disperse, disorderly conduct, ethnic intimidation and possessing an instrument of crime. A gun? A knife? No. A bullhorn, through which he quoted biblical scripture.

Whatever you think of Repent America, it’s hard to argue that its members’ civil rights were respected in this incident. Moreover, the charges levied against them are ridiculous. A video of the incident makes it pretty clear that Marcavage’s group was not rioting or otherwise breaking the law.

Nonetheless, after reviewing the video, a Philadelphia municipal court judge held there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

"This case is historic," says Marcavage’s attorney, C. Scott Shields, "..the first criminal case in the history of our nation where openly preaching the word of God and quoting scripture on signs at a public gay and lesbian event formed the evidentiary basis for a hate-crime charge."

Shields, of Media, has known of Marcavage’s religious activism for several years.

"I was turned off until I saw him in action." He’s no fire-and-brimstone guy, Shields says. "He’s very peaceful with what he does."

Just last July, his client was forcibly carried out of a Lansdowne Borough Council meeting for questioning the efforts of some in the borough to make Lansdowne one of the more attractive gay destinations in Delaware County.

"He only spoke for two minutes before he was dragged out of the room," Shields said, and he has the videotape to prove it.

Since being carted off to a mental ward at the direction of Temple University officials five years ago, says Shields, "He’s gotten smart. He doesn’t do these things without a (video) production company with him."

At the Lansdowne meeting, his client only talked for two minutes before his reading from the Bible was deemed "hate speech" and the meeting was adjourned.

This is bizarre.

Remember those old movies where religious nuts would go around saying "Repent -- the end is near?" Nobody was particularly threatened by them. They were simply made fun of. Today, they are arrested and charged with hate crimes.

What are gays and non-believers so threatened by? Where is the tolerance they so demand from others? And what are the police thinking? Just because someone invokes the name of Jesus doesn’t mean their civil rights can be brushed aside. Marcavage has every bit as much right to non-violently spout his religious views as gays have the right to publicly celebrate their homosexuality.

What’s going on here?

Michael Marcavage will be happy to tell you.

Sunday.

Gil Spencer’s column appears Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at spencer@delcotimes.com.