Posted on 08/30/2006 1:25:39 PM PDT by jimluke01
The Thought Police of Minneapolis
By J. Matt Barber
If you’re a Christian working for the City of Minneapolis, watch your step – your job may already be in jeopardy. In what may be one of the most blatant acts of anti-Christian bigotry and discrimination by an American government agency to date, the Minneapolis Police Department has suspended a Police Psychologist, Dr. Michael Campion of Campion, Barrow & Associates, at the behest of pro-homosexual activists.
What was Dr. Campion’s crime? It seems that until last year he was a board member with the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), a Christian organization which advocates traditional family values. The Minneapolis Police Department admits that because of Dr. Campion’s Christian beliefs, and his former affiliation with IFI, he is now under suspension pending an investigation into his beliefs.
The Minneapolis incident is a sad replay of the character assassination Dr. Campion experienced at the hands of liberal activists in Springfield, Illinois last year. After a liberal rag, the Illinois Times, raised questions of Campion being on the board of IFI, an “anti-choice, anti-gay group,” the Springfield City Council dumped him as psychological screener for police and firefighter candidates.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that despite the fact that the Minneapolis Police Department admittedly gave Dr. Campion “’high marks’ on ‘general procedural goodness and specific cultural fairness’ of his testing procedures;” he was nonetheless suspended soon after liberal city activists informed Police Chief Don Harris about his IFI affiliation.
Additionally, and equally confusing, is the fact that Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the police federation, admitted that “it never had any complaints about Campion.” Notwithstanding this admission, Delmonico told the Star-Tribune “…any issues that have been raised should be looked into.”
The Star-Tribune further reported that “Council Member Scott Benson appears to have been the first to hear of Campion’s beliefs.” Benson, while referring to a conversation with the Minneapolis P.D., told the Star-Tribune, “‘I asked them if given his background, should he be conducting psychological evaluations… They definitely should conduct an investigation and determine what’s fact and what’s fiction.’”
So apparently it’s that simple. If a person has Christian beliefs, he’s disqualified from working for the city of Minneapolis. This official government act of anti-Christian discrimination by the Minneapolis Police Department should send shivers down the spine of every person of faith. It is a transparent and egregious violation of Dr. Campion’s First Amendment rights to both freedom of association and religion.
The message from Minneapolis is clear: The Constitution be damned! If you work for our city, and you happen to be a person of faith belonging to a church or public policy organization that advocates traditional family values, then you might as well clean out your desk now – because as soon as we find out…you’re done.
The Minneapolis Police Department has sworn to protect and serve, to uphold the U.S. and State constitutions, and to police its community. But now they’ve dangerously overstepped their authority. They’ve become the Minneapolis thought police… just the latest example of how the militant homosexual lobby, aided by willing liberal activists in high-level positions of government, will not rest until Judeo-Christian principles are abolished, and traditional notions of human sexuality, marriage and family are eviscerated.
Take Action Now:
Please let the city of Minneapolis know that government-sanctioned, anti-Christian bigotry and discrimination will not be tolerated. Telephone the following individuals and express your outrage. You can also send an e-mail to the address provided below:
Timothy Dolan Interim Chief of Police 350 South 5th Street Room 130 Minneapolis, MN 55415-1389 612-673-2853 Fax: 612-673-2613 E-mail: police@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Copyright © 2006 by J. Matt Barber
J. Matt Barber is the Corporate Outreach Director for Americans for Truth, and a conservative, pro-family political strategist. A former undefeated professional Boxer, Matt now fights his battles in the ring of culture and policy. He holds both a law degree and a Master of Arts in public policy from Regent University. Matt is a contributing editor for TheConservativeVoice.com, and a contributor to the Washington Times‘ “Insight Magazine,” AmericanThinker.com, and a number of other top online and print publications.
E-mail your comments to Matt, at jmattbarber@comcast.net
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Seen this?
Bookmark for later...
Sick and predictable. I am disgusted.
This is amazing. Every time you think they can't go one step further...
Ummm...I love the smell of lawsuit in the morning.
The city will pay and pay. They've paid plenty in past years for the Mpls PD's stupidity.
Pro-homosexual groups would try to get Jesus fired from any job, too.
A Fire Dept. Engineer was fired from his job in Truro MA for signing a petition to get Gay Marriage on the ballot. He signed it at his church. Why not just get a video camera and tape all the people who come out of the church this Sunday and fire them from any public sector jobs they have too?
Strib article here.
From the article:
Members of the Police Community Relations Council had concerns about this group and had heard complaints from several people who weren't hired to be Minneapolis police officers after they were deemed "unqualified" by Campion's psychological tests, said council cochairman Clyde Bellecourt. During a meeting with council members last week, Campion made statements about single parents and race that disturbed them, said council member Ron Edwards.
Last fall, Lisa Epps was deemed unqualified. A Bloomington firefighter and former State Fair police officer, she had been through at least three psychological exams, she said.
"But this one felt very different. I felt like he was judging me," she said. "He was asking me questions about being a single parent, and then he would make facial expressions."
the folks that lived there had frozen brains
General procedural goodness?
Is that like "gracious goodness?"
Man... If I ever walked into a job interview and the graded my on my "General Procedural Goodness", I'd walk right back out.
I have now, thanks.
If you’re a Christian working for the City of Minneapolis, watch your step – your job may already be in jeopardy...
We lost our dept. head shrinker because he refused to turn over our personal psychological/mental exam records/files to our internal affairs head. She of the three person panel that ooversees all internal investigations. A former ACLU lawyer.
Bump.
Ya'll shoulda called in sick the next day...the whole department.
Didn't have to. The guy is stand up. He said "no they are confidential." He somehow lost his contract shortly thereafter.
She didn't ask for one particular file in regards to some complaint, or get a court order to further her investigation, but rather said, "give me access to all files."
Is he an employee or private contractor? If it's the latter, I don't think it's a constitutional matter regardless of how egregious the reasoning. Unless of course there is a state constitutional provision or local ordinance granting protections to government contractors, in which case you would have an action.
Otherwise it's up to the people of Minneapolis to rectify this politically.
I smell a major lawsuit in the making. Oh to be his attorney.
That is the point of this "jamming".
They want to push christianity back underground. LITERALLY.
This is literally turning the establishment clause on its head. It is in essence forbidding all religion.
If you want to do business in public you must be a professed hedonist in accordance with the orgasm methods of the priests of the government legislated morality.
And before the hat, they had hair too!
Can you say hypocrisy boys and girls? If you are conservative I bet you can.
Minneapolis, er, "Murderapolis" police should concentrate less on political correctness and more on their murder rate. There's an ongoing question of just how safe downtown Minneapolis is on a Saturday night, and anyone who knows the city stays away from North Minneapolis.
If you're a wierdo and you can get rid of all those who know you're a wierdo, then your wierdness can go unchecked and, maybe, ultimately, approved as 'normal.'
Wholly crap!!
"And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we’ve proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane. "
--R. Kipling
contract work
Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
This is an administrative issue, not a policing issue.
There's an ongoing question of just how safe downtown Minneapolis is on a Saturday night,
I go down every weekend and I've never had a problem, outside of the occasional barroom nonsense.
and anyone who knows the city stays away from North Minneapolis.
If you don't live there, the only reason to go there is to buy weed. Actually, the dealers on the south side charge less and have better product, so there really isn't any reason to go there at all.
Are you now, or ever have been, a member of the Christian faith?
Robert Vernon was kept from the Police Chief job by L.A. City Councilman Zev Yaroslovsky. Vernon was an elder in John MacArthur's church, and believed that men should be the leaders in the home. Vernon was also active in a police Bible study. Zev accused Vernon of being sexist, and favoring Christians within the police department. It was a bunch of BS. Vernon, however went on to be a consultant to police departments in eastern Europe and had an active and productive ministry. God took the bad crap from Zev and turned it into good. Robert Vernon is a class act. I have heard him speak a couple times and met him personally. Funny, dynamic speaker, and a godly man.
I hate to say this but I hope he sues and wins big.
Unless that isn't considered 'North'.
Otherwise, Yeah, I pretty much agree with you.
Gee, I wonder if the ACLU will be helping Dr. Campion regain his position and fight this? (cue crickets)
Unbelievable. The anti-Christian movement has just taken a big step forward.
Psycho Suzi's is really more NE than North. Not "North" North, anyway.
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