Posted on 06/21/2006 3:02:23 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
TVC ASKS PATAKI TO STOP HARASSMENT
June 21, 2006 - Washington, DC – The Traditional Values Coalition asked New York Governor George Pataki to rein in a state agency which is threatening legal action against an Accord, New York skating rink because it plays Christian music during a “Christian Music Skate” party.
The New York Division of Human Rights threatened Len and Terry Bernardo, owners of the Skate Time 209 rink in Accord, with an investigation because the rink plays Christian music during certain hours. The agency also threatened to charge a local newspaper which advertised the event for “aiding and abetting” unlawful discrimination.
“This is crazy,” said TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon. “These people are exercising basic Constitutional rights on private property to the exclusion of no one and the state government is treating them like dangerous criminals.
“Aiding and abetting? It is the responsibility of every citizen to aid and abet the free exercise of religion, free speech, the right to assemble and private property rights.
“New Yorkers have never been intimidated by international thugs and terrorists and they should not tolerate this bureaucratic attempt to violate their most basic civil rights.
“I have asked Governor Pataki to take authority over this illegal attempt to manipulate the law to accomplish a violation of basic civil rights. I will be watching closely to see that the Bernardos’ rights are protected.”
Transmitted by Fax
Governor George E. Pataki State Capitol Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Pataki:
I was shocked to learn that a business operated by supporters of our Coalition has been threatened with legal action by the State of New York Executive Department, Division of Human Rights for holding a “Christian Music Skate” party at a private roller rink they operate in Accord, New York.
Sir, I cannot believe that any reasonable person would feel that the mere act of playing Christian music during certain hours when the Skate Time 209 skating rink is open for business amounts to some form of discrimination.
The section of the New York State law cited by Division of Human Rights General Counsel Gina M. Lopez Summa deals with those who “refuse, withhold from or deny” access to someone.
The rink’s proprietors Len and Terry Bernardo assure me that no one has ever been denied entrance to their privately-owned skating rink nor have they discouraged anyone from patronizing their rink because of their religious beliefs.
The only difference between the Christian Music Skate Time and all other times at the rink is that the former involves the playing of Christian contemporary music. There are no special discounts for Christian skaters and no one is denied access to the rink if they are not Christian.
Governor, please take action immediately to halt this action against the Bernardo’s and to reassure all New Yorkers that their First Amendment right to the free exercise of their religious beliefs and other rights related to private property and the right to assemble are not in jeopardy.
New Yorkers have demonstrated such courage and tenacity in dealing with international threats to their freedom. There is a reason why the amendment which guaranteed religious liberty and freedom of expression was the First Amendment.
Please halt this harassment immediately.
Sincerely, Rev. Louis Sheldon Chairman (and Founder Traditional Values Coalition)
NY is insane.
Anti Christian hate coming from the left. What's new?
Gee, they must have really gotten their panties in a wad after Dwayne Wade thanked God on television last night for his MIAMI HEAT victory.
Time to pick sides.
"Time to pick sides."
Agreed. I suspect this will get pretty ugly over the course of the next 10-15 years. Stay sharp.
I can't reply to this the way I'd like to because of Free Republic's rule of not using foul language! What's next? Are they going to start investigating churchs' use of hate speech for mentioning Christ during services?
Wow! Accord, NY, is in a township that's being overrun by New York City liberals...they are like a cancer spreading over this rural area, driving out people whose families have been in the area for centuries. The last election, they got Democrats into power (absolutely unheard of!)...this is the front lines of the fight, folks.
unbelievable
Meanwhile, at mosques throughout New York, imams freely preach jihad against America, and the authorities yawn.
But when some Christians in public dare to mention God, all hell breaks loose.
Something is terribly out of whack here.
This cant be right. THere has to be more to this story.
I think they should invite Senator Jarrett T. Barrios down one day, and play the "offending" music while they serve Fluffernutter sandwiches.
They also have Footloose laws in NYC that prohibit dancing at a bar without a permit.
Meanwhile militant mosques are permitted to indoctrinate followers into global jihad.
There is (or was 15 years ago) a Chinese restaurant in Houston that would be in deep trouble in NY. Their background music was instrumental versions of "The Old Rugged Cross," "In the Garden," "Just As I Am," etc. My friends and I laughed everytime we went there because the Chinese had no clue they were playing Christian music and nobody told them. I went there regularly over a period of 2 or 3 years and they were playing last time I was there.
Interesting. I guess by this reasoning every mosque that broadcasts its "call to prayer" chants or music five times a day would also be discriminating, no?
Perhaps the NY liberals are afraid they will burst into flames if they hear Christian music.
Also afraid of crosses, garlic, and holy water, I believe.
Didn't a pastor in one of the Scandinavian countries already go to court because he argued from his pulpit that homosexuality is a sin?
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
1:30pm - 4:30pm
ROLLER SKATING Skate Park
Christian Music
beginner to intermediate
Member $5.50 $7.00
Non-Member $6.50 $8.00
Roller Skate Rental is always $2.50 for everyone
The Hudson Valley's premier indoor Family Entertainment Center with 30,000 square feet of year round family fun!
From http://www.skatetime209.com/ SKATETIME WEBSITE
Shows Christian music advertised for Sunday only.
The roller rink, skate board park, and arcade opened in April 2006.
Liberals never cease to amaze me!!
I guess any radio station that plays the Top 20 is sanctioned in New York whenever a Christian song makes it into the Top 20?
Totally insane and outrageous that a privately owned business cannot play the music of its choice. If people don't like it they can go to another skating rink. If they feel discriminated against they have done so by their own choice. They don't have to be there. This is messed up, folks.
By the way...is this investigation reported anywhere else other than a TVC press release?
Sadly, not in NY state. Since 9/11, as Gondring said, the rural areas have been over-run with fleeing liberals.
Traveling recently, my wife and I stopped in Macon, Georgia. Across the street from our motel was a pizza place. A big sign advertised Sunday lunch buffet. It listed one price and below that it listed a smaller price if you had a church bulletin with you.
How long before the ACLU jumps all over that?
LOL. They are similarly cowardly here in California. Can't even handle a tiny cross on a city seal.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Democrats aren't ignoring religion, they are trying to wipe it out.
...from skating rinks, from our currency, from our Pledge, from our crosses/stars-of-David in public graveyards, from Boy Scouts, from prayer in school, from praying in front of abortion clinics, etc...
http://www.myspace.com/skatetime209
They've got a "My Space", too.
I'm sure the Church of Satan could come up with a bulletin. The pizza would be extra hot, too.
Precisely, Southack.
I'll never forget "all the black church burnings" that so impacted Clinton's life.
NY is insane
Good grief, what a bunch of morons. Do us all a favor: leave the skating rink alone and go play marbles on the freeway...
All these anti-Christian occurrences we read about every day are merely the precursor to a much heavier handed persecution, and it isn't far away, imo.
Right now, the anti-Christian crowd in the U.S. are working tirelessy to stamp out every single vestige or expression of the Christian faith in all public venues, and they have the Courts on their side, which is why they're so emboldened today. It's the frequency of these persecutions, and the growing venom against Christians that makes me believe that arrests, prosecutions and incarceration of Christians for preaching "hate speech" is just around the corner. All it will take is a single conviction of a priest or minister for preaching "hate", and the Courts will then have their 'precedent' to roll over the entire Church. It is coming.
"Something is terribly out of whack here"
Not really, its going just as planned by those who hate America. We sit back and thank God its not us this time and do nothing, eventually this will happen to all of us.
A business can play other types of music, right? Rock, rap, country? If I was a business owner in NY I would today begin playing nothing but Christian music and would tell those bureaucrats to pound sand.
It was a Press Release today by TVC, but contact them or the rink owners..phone # is available on their sites. All links to those involved are in my comments above.
Press TVC release phone # is: Contact: (202) 547-8570 or
Traditional Values Coalition is an inter-denominational public policy organization speaking on behalf of over 43,000 churches. For more information or to arrange an interview, call (202) 547-8570. TVC 139 C. Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Web site address: http://www.traditionalvalues.org
Background:
May 01, 2006
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/05/01/features_buzzandsundayextra-01bzcov-05-01.html
Can a skateboarding park get skaters off the street?
Park skating vs. street skating, which rules?
By Russ Tinsley
Times Herald-Record
Shh! Did you hear that? They're coming. I'd know that sound anywhere. That rolling thunder. That infernal snapping and screeching. It's skateboarders!
They're everywhere these days - parking lots, sidewalks, the middle of the street, the park, your backyard. As we were reminded recently in Wurtsburo, skateboarders are often perceived as a nuisance to pedestrians, drivers, shop owners and security guards. What to do?
Today in Accord, a new "family entertainment center" with a roller rink and skatepark will open. Skate Time 209 is trying to lure in some of the noisy skateboarders. The funplex will feature an indoor wooden ramp park, with a miniramp, funboxes, rails, stairs, quarterpipes and other miscellaneous obstacles - as well as a beautiful maple roller-skating rink, various gear shops and arcades.
It's sort of like a more modern, hipper version of Chuck E. Cheese, where even an aging, arthritis-kneed skateboarder could get down.
And although the idea of a good park being part of a "family entertainment center" seems doubtful, fear not. This park was designed and put together by people who know skateboarding. Suburban Rails, the company brought in to build the park, has been building parks for more than 20 years. The result is a solid, 10,000-square-foot park designed almost solely by skateboarders.
The owners of Skate Time 209, Len and Terry Bernardo, started the project with roller skating in mind. The professional level hardwood floor was installed over padded layers to cut down on injuries by 20 percent, according to Matt Warner, the skatepark director. Word is the Bernardos might try to get a girls' roller derby team together.
Although the skatepark was an afterthought addition, the emphasis on quality and legitimacy was not lost.
"We had a group of kids that helped design the park," says Len. "A student actually drew up the CAD (computer-aided design) drawings for it."
But the question remains: Will this get skateboarders off your street for good? All trends point to probably not.
"If it's a nice day and a good (street) spot, I'm going to skate that instead of the park," says Kyle Ennis, 16, a skate store/park attendant at Kingston's TSX.
For the last 15 years or so, street skating has been substantially more popular than ramp skating, at least as evidenced by its representation in most skateboarding magazines and videos. And although skate parks will probably be as utilized as a baseball field nowadays, most modern skateboarding takes place on the streets. There are numerous reasons for this:
1. Streets are more accessible. Instead of waiting around for a ride to the skate park, skaters can roll down the street and practice kickflips in front of their buddy's house while simultaneously checking out his/her older/younger sister/brother.
2. The pros are doing it. Pick up any skate magazine or video and see how many vert ramp sequences there are. The days of neon tank top-wearing vert skaters are over. Boards and wheels are smaller, trucks are tighter, and spandex is hard to find.
3. There are no rules. The skater refuses no sidewalk. Street skating involves a more creative thought process ... or maybe less. The allure is that it doesn't matter.
But with all the street skating that goes down in your neighborhoods, skate parks are still a valuable place for skaters. It doesn't matter how dorky they will look in pads. When it's raining out, a covered skatepark is a Mecca - an overcrowded Mecca, but a Mecca nonetheless. Skaters will travel a long way to go to decent skate park.
"We used to drive all the way to Binghamton to go to the park there," says Warner. "It's nice to have this place so close."
Just as the skateboarder refuses no sidewalk, it's also hard to refuse a nice park.
"You can learn a trick out on the street and then come in and try it in the park," says Ennis. "Ramp skating will always be around."
So thrash it, comrades.
Skate park tips
Some useful tips for the skate park newbie:
1. Use the whole course. Younger skaters are often the culprits of using a single obstacle for an entire day. Though this is common in the learning process and not to be looked down upon, using the whole course will broaden your repertoire.
2. Don't laugh when someone falls down. Although this may seem like an easy, natural reaction, it's considered uncool. Instead of laughing, remember back to when you were learning how to skate.
3. Watch where you're going. Everyone wants to watch the kid doing nollie flips to crooked grinds, but at least hold out until you can sit or stand by the side.
4. Never bring Razor scooters. Never ... ever. Unless you can do tailwhips-to-manuals. Just kidding. Never.
5. Stay coooool, boy. Reeeeeal cool. Nobody really likes watching skaters freak out and throw boards/helmets around. Try and refrain. This isn't the X-Games. You're not filming footy for the next video, brah. Seeema down.
6. Go big... or go small. Don't overstep your boundries. The 360 flips-to-boardslides can wait. Master the basics first.
7. Don't let old dudes intimidate. Get up, hop on and start pushing. You'll find that most skaters are pretty laid-back. Don't get pushed out of the rotation.
8. Leave your iPod at home ... especially when you're skating with your buddies. Barry Jive and the Uptown Five will be there when you get back.
Here's the scoop on Skate Time 209 and some other skate parks in our area.
Skate Time 209
Where: 5164 Route 209 (entrance at Mettacahonts Road), Accord
Features: Indoor. Miniramp, quarterpipes, rails, ramps, ledges, funboxes.
Rules: Helmet required.
Hours/days: (Temporary) 1-6 p.m. Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.; 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thurs.
Admission: $5.50 for members, $6.50 for nonmembers
Call: 626-7971
Visit: www.skatetime209.com
Don't all mosques broadcast a call to prayer over loudspeakers?
We have Christian "Rock and Bowl" at many of the popular bowling lanes here in Southern Calif. It's a great outreach to kids and can also be a fundraiser for your church.
This will not be a problem at the Episcopal Church nor at the Presbyterian Church USA.
Upstate needs its own state.
"Perhaps the NY liberals are afraid they will burst into flames if they hear Christian music.
Also afraid of crosses, garlic, and holy water, I believe"
Then they must, I say they MUST play "Onward Christian Soldier" loud and clear, every hour, on the hour.
That's getting pretty close to making Christianity illegal.
So if I hate Country music, and they have a "country music skate" does that mean I am being discriminated against? Hey, if I hate secular music and they play it 6 out of 7 days of the week, I, as a Christian music fan, am experiencing discrimination, right? Who do I sue?! I want names!!! /sarcasm
Liberals never cease to amaze amuse ME!! They are aborting themselves out of existence throughout the world and going against the tide of history. Check the number of Christians worldwide. The numbers are growing especially wherever the Church is persecuted (read China and India). This is the most laughable reaction to a situation I can imagine. Wait until the martyrdoms start in the U.S. The number of Christians underground will skyrocket off the charts.
Slainte Mhath!
One of the main goals of the Left.
Gee, they must have really gotten their panties in a wad after Dwayne Wade thanked God on television last night for his MIAMI HEAT victory.
---
He should have thanked those heathenous referees too. ;-)
Mavs owner, Mark Cuban may have been using the God word too.. the night before anyway when describing their calls during Game 5.. $250K worth of it.
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Authentic Swiss Baseball Cap. I never leave home without it!
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