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IRS tells pro-lifers to give up 1st Amendment; Requires affirmation they will not 'protest'
World Net Daily ^ | August 20, 2009 | Staff

Posted on 08/20/2009 3:59:44 AM PDT by IbJensen

The Internal Revenue Service has told members of the Coalition for Life of Iowa they would have to give up their 1st Amendment rights in order to be recognized as a non-profit organization, according to a complaint being pursued by members of the Thomas More Society.

The organization incorporated in 2004 as a not-for-profit under Iowa law and has been operating strictly within the guidelines for groups set up for religious, educational and charitable purposes, a letter sent to the IRS last week said.

"As detailed in its … narrative, the Coalition for Life carries out its tax-exempt work by sponsoring educational forums and coordinating with other like-minded groups to educate the public and otherwise promote sanctity of life principles," the letter continues.

"The Coalition is aware that from time to time, individuals who may or may not be involved with the Coalition gather for prayer outside of a Planned Parenthood facility. These gatherings are consistently small (ten or fewer people), peaceful, not in any way disrupting, and consist solely of silent and spoken prayers," the lawyer wrote.

However, an IRS agent then contacted the Coalition, through its president Susan Martinek, demanding to know whether the group "engaged in any 'picketing' or 'protest' activities at Planned Parenthood. … You then asked Ms. Martinek to have all Coalition Board members sign a statement that the Coalition will not 'picket' or 'protest' outside of Planned Parenthood or similar organizations and will not 'organize' others to do so," the law firm's letter said.

(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; bhoabortion; bhoirs; blackmail; government; irs; moralabsolutes; obamaadministration; prolife
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"This is the way government oppression creeps into a society," said Judie Brown, president of American Life League. "It starts when the government targets, and attempts to intimidate and silence the grassroots dissenters who will not dance to the tune of the Obama administration’s radically pro-abortion policies."

There are two words to describe the Obama administration and the complicit weasels who have infected our congress: EVIL and DANGEROUS!

1 posted on 08/20/2009 3:59:45 AM PDT by IbJensen
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To: IbJensen

I think the IRS pretty much takes the buckshot approach when it comes to implementing intimidation and extortion programs.


2 posted on 08/20/2009 4:03:12 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (this slope is getting slippereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...)
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To: IbJensen

Obama is getting ready to use the progressive churches to convince their members to pass Obamacare.

But that’s all OK, because it is Obama doing it.


3 posted on 08/20/2009 4:03:40 AM PDT by listenhillary (We became community organizers and Obama and the Statists get p*ssed off at us?)
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To: IbJensen

And Sarah Palin is the only politician brave enough to describe Obama’s policy as evil and dangerous.


4 posted on 08/20/2009 4:03:56 AM PDT by Always Right (It is not the Townhall crowds that are manufactured, but the Health Care Crisis that is manufactured)
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To: IbJensen

its enough to make your head explode.


5 posted on 08/20/2009 4:04:36 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: IbJensen

Hmmm, are NOW, Naral and Planned Parenthood non-profit organizations? They promote abortions - how is that different from the flip side? The St. Thomas More lawyers will slam these IRS clowns...


6 posted on 08/20/2009 4:05:08 AM PDT by MarkT
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To: listenhillary
Obama is getting ready to use the progressive churches to convince their members to pass Obamacare.

Yep, and once the government has control over Hospitals, religious speech and symbols in Hospitals will be effectively outlawed.

7 posted on 08/20/2009 4:05:34 AM PDT by Always Right (It is not the Townhall crowds that are manufactured, but the Health Care Crisis that is manufactured)
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To: IbJensen

Just think if they pass healthcare and the IRS”jack booted thugs” are part of the enforcement team.


8 posted on 08/20/2009 4:06:43 AM PDT by taxtruth (WE CAN'T AFFORD UNCLE SAMMY ANYMORE!)
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To: IbJensen; wagglebee; DirtyHarryY2K
I wish WND would stay up-to-date.

According to the Thomas More Society website, there is an update that says "UPDATE: VICTORY! IRS AGREES TO ISSUE 501(C)(3) LETTER WITHOUT DELAY!

Considering that the WND article is dated the 20th, there's no excuse.

9 posted on 08/20/2009 4:10:10 AM PDT by markomalley (Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus)
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To: markomalley

Figures. Thanks for the update.


10 posted on 08/20/2009 4:11:41 AM PDT by listenhillary (We became community organizers and Obama and the Statists get p*ssed off at us?)
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To: IbJensen

>>>IRS tells pro-lifers to give up 1st Amendment; Requires affirmation they will not ‘protest’

World Net Daily progressively (pardon the term) slips further into Batboy territory. Whatever limitations the ORGANIZATION may be subject to qualify for tax exempt status, that doesn’t apply to the individuals. As individuals they can do what they wish. And the organization itself doesn’t have to be tax exempt if that would be too burdensome to their mission.

World Net naturally doesn’t explore whether the IRS interpretation of the rules is correct or incorrect as a matter of law. That would be work. And maybe not lend itself to bogeyman stories. Just the usual hype.

That they would play this sort of manipulative game so regularly is a pretty good indication of the low regard they have for their readers.


11 posted on 08/20/2009 4:15:06 AM PDT by tlb
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To: IbJensen

This is the same tactics the IRS - the “non-political” IRS used under Clinton to harrass Christian churches and organizations.

“EVIL and DANGEROUS!”

Will become:
EVIL and DEADLY!


12 posted on 08/20/2009 4:25:02 AM PDT by PIF
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To: tlb
What you say is all well and good; however, it doesn't detract from the evil wrought by the Infernal Revenue Service.

The elimination of the IRS would be a great leap forward for American mankind, not to mention what would happen to the economy.

13 posted on 08/20/2009 4:46:00 AM PDT by IbJensen (If Caltholic voters were true to their faith there would be no abortion and no President Obama.)
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To: Always Right
re: And Sarah Palin is the only politician brave enough to describe Obama’s policy as evil and dangerous

And what's more, in a recent unscientific, purely haphazard poll she was shown to be the leading cause of the newly described syndrome labeled “Liberal Exploding Head Syndrome.” She was almost twice as likely to cause a liberal’s head to explode as the next nearest cause. She's almost homeopathic in her ability to get them to detonate.

Too bad she's not attractive. What a hag. Hurts my eyes just to look at her. </sarc>

Yup! She has it all!

14 posted on 08/20/2009 4:48:02 AM PDT by jwparkerjr (God Bless America, and wake us up while you're about it!)
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To: IbJensen
This is exactly how they will control churches by placing strings between tax-exemption and free speech.

By relinquishing thier tax-exemt status they could see a 1/3 of their resources taken by fed, state, and local gov. which could then be used, by the govs, to contradict their statements and positions.

15 posted on 08/20/2009 4:51:10 AM PDT by Pietro
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To: markomalley
20th of this month or last month? ObamaCare Jokes Obama Jokes
16 posted on 08/20/2009 5:00:37 AM PDT by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Humanity's Edge" - on amazon.com)
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To: IbJensen

Now the IRS is being used to force political correctness on people. The IRS is more powerful than the FBI. The IRS can simply take all your money, without any jury trial. All the FBI can do is put you in jail for life, but you will have the benefit of a jury trial.


17 posted on 08/20/2009 5:10:27 AM PDT by Leftism is Mentally Deranged
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To: markomalley

I clicked the link on the article and it’s dated July 9th.

But, the only WND stuff I really pay attention to are editorials and a few things that Bob Unruh puts out (a lot of the stuff he’s done on euthanasia has actually come from FR).


18 posted on 08/20/2009 5:13:25 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: IbJensen

The agent should simply be listened to and ignored


19 posted on 08/20/2009 5:17:25 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . fasl el-khitab)
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To: IbJensen

Why don’t conservatives file lawsuit on issues like this?


20 posted on 08/20/2009 6:02:44 AM PDT by paudio (Road to hell is paved by unintended consequences of good intentions)
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