Posted on 06/22/2009 5:41:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A Christian group in Missouri will be allowed to freely distribute religious literature at “gay pride” event this weekend after a federal judge ruled in their favor. Another Christian group in Michigan, however, was not so fortunate in its quest for free distribution at a recent Arab festival but is still hopeful for a favorable conclusion.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds denied a motion from Calif.-based ministry Arabic Christian Perspective (ACP) for a temporary restraining order that would have prohibited the city of Dearborn, Mich., from restricting the group from handing out literature during the Arab International Festival, which kicked off Friday and concluded Sunday.
Though ACP has visited Dearborn for the city’s annual Arab International Festival for the past five years to pass out religious literature and discuss their Christian faith, this year the group was told that they had to remain at a specific location and not allowed to freely travel the public sidewalks to distribute their literature outside the festival.
Dearborn, with an estimated 30,000 of its 98,000 residents ascribing to Islam, happens to be one of the most densely populated Muslim communities in the United States.
“This case involves an important constitutional question regarding the government’s ability to prohibit peaceful speech activities,” noted Thomas More Law Center attorney Robert J. Muise, who argued the motion before Edmonds on behalf of ACP and its founder and director, Pastor George Saieg.
However, while Muise said the preliminary ruling was disappointing, he said it will not affect the remainder of the case.
“We intend to pursue this as far as necessary,” he stated.
Ironically, the ruling in ACP’s case was delivered exactly one week after U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey issued an order allowing Apple of His Eye – a ministry of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod – to pass out leaflets at the upcoming St. Louis PrideFest, which will be held this weekend.
In Apple of His Eye’s case, the ministry was threatened with arrest by St. Louis officials for handing out Christian literature and speaking about their faith at Tower Grove Park during the PrideFest event in June 2006.
In response, Rick Nelson of the American Liberties Institute filed a lawsuit and a motion for preliminary injunction on behalf of the ministry against the city of St. Louis.
As a result of the lawsuit, the city rescinded a part of its bylaws that bans literature distribution and is required to let police and PrideFest organizers know that handing out religious fliers is allowed.
“Christian groups shouldn’t be prohibited from expressing their beliefs at public locations,” said Nelson. “We are pleased with the court’s decision to lift an unconstitutional ban on expression in these areas throughout the city, allowing members of Apple of His Eye to peacefully exercise their First Amendment right to free speech at the PrideFest event.”
This year’s St. Louis PrideFest will be held on June 27 and 28.
This lovely event is about a mile from my house...not looking forward to it.
Ok, lemme see if I’ve got this right.
The Mohamheads can pass out tracts anywhere they like, even in front of a Christian church ...
... but Christians are not allowed to pass out tracts in Mohamhead neighborhoods or functions.
Sounds like typical politically-correct statist double-standard to me.
What’s the big deal?
We’ve been putting up with this double-standard for at least 20 years, now.
Can’t pray withing 300’ of an abortion-murder slaughterhouse, but Leftist scum can trash military recruiting centers uttering foul epithets, sodom-fascists can trash Christian churches and beat up old ladies, all with complete immunity from any laws.
See?
We know what’s coming, because we’ve read the end of “The Book”.
“...they had to remain at a specific location and not allowed to freely travel the public sidewalks to distribute their literature outside the festival.”
Of course - Islam needs Christianity to establish their cultic religion - they need the Arch Angle Gabriel - they need the “religious man” named Jesus - but other than that - Christianity and what miracles Jesus accomplished to those of Muhammad - which were NONE! - Of course they don’t Christians passing out information or discussing religion - it only convinces that Islam is nothing more than a plagiarized version of Christianity and Judaism...
This is America. The Arabs are not Americans. If they can have a festival here; we can damn well pass out Christian leaflets. Our creeps for what I term laughingly had better start understanding that.
Forgot to add leaders.
What bothers me most is that the ARAB event is smack dab in the USA.
How do you know they are not Americans?
And how do you know they are?
“Go ye into all the world...”
That instruction has never been popular with the governments of this world; usually they object to it.
It’s just American politicians bowing down in submission to the headchoppers. Just sharia-lite coming to your town.
Free speech is not subject to the whim of some politicized judge.
This is one ruling which needs to be ridiculed and ignored.
> Are they allowed to do that ?
Yes, they are. It’s called “Freedom of Speech” and “Free Exercise of Religion”.
Read about it in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Watch what happens if you try to stop them. CAIR will call the ACLU and you will find yourself in court.
However, the First Amendment no longer applies to Christians.
Don’t believe me? Try to exercise your First Amendment rights in the “wrong” neighborhood, or within 300 feet of an Abortion Slaughterhouse, knowingly or unknowingly, and you will find yourself in court.
They should be free to annoy the hell out of whomever they want.
Aren't they deflating the number of muslims a bit? Seems when I left Michigan in 1985 that there were more than that then!
The Terrorists List is next for them?
I knew your haste to type had caused you to forget something, was just wondering what it was
If someone added up the murders of gays in the world I wonder which religion was responsible for the most of them?
I am gonna take a guess here and say Christianity is not #1 on that particular stat.
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