that religious messages aren't allowed because they might offend others. If that's the standard, I have a long list of changes to the world I expect them to institute.
Posted on 12/02/2004 9:38:31 AM PST by churchillbuff
Former U.S. Attorney Mike Norton offered Wednesday to explore a lawsuit on behalf of a pastor whose church was barred from entering a Christmas float in Denver's Parade of Lights this weekend.
"If he has an interest in carrying it to the next level, we're ready," said Norton, who now works for the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, which takes on religious liberty cases, primarily for Christian clients.
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Norton's was among a deluge of calls to Pastor George Morrison the day after the Rocky Mountain News reported on his attempt to join the holiday parade, which celebrates its 30th year Friday and Saturday night in downtown Denver.
Morrison wanted to enter a float featuring multicultural Christian themes and a Merry Christmas message. Parade officials told a representative from Morrison's church, the 4,000-member Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada, that religious messages aren't allowed because they might offend others.
The Parade of Lights is produced by a private nonprofit organization, the Downtown Denver Partnership. It receives 61 percent of its revenue from a consortium of 350 private commercial property owners whose goal is to promote the "improvement and enhancement" of the city.
Partnership Vice President Susan Rogers Kark said the parade doesn't receive public money.
Even if the parade is a private entity, there still may be First Amendment issues at play, Norton said. The one-hour parade uses downtown city streets and is promoted as a citywide event.
"There are issues relating to whether the location is a public forum for free speech purposes, and if so, whether the entity involved has a right to suppress some but not all speech," said Norton, who is the husband of Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton.
Kark said the parade hasn't allowed religious-themed entrants for at least the 10 years that she has been its director. She acknowledged that it may have been different in the early years of the event.
"Many things have changed as we look back 30 years, in terms of being sensitive to fact that there are other traditions" that may find religious displays offensive today, she said Wednesday.
Kark reiterated the parade's position that several groups are being allowed to march as examples of ethnic diversity.
Those include the Two Spirit Society, which honors gay American Indians as holy people, and an Asian group that performs dances to ward off evil spirits at the start of the Chinese New Year. Kark said they will not be expressing religious messages.
Churches have "bombarded" the offices of Faith Bible Chapel, offering support, said Janette Rasor, Morrison's assistant. She said many callers say they plan to join church members along the parade route at 6 p.m. Friday, one hour before the parade begins. The group is meeting at 17th and Tremont streets to sing Christmas carols and pass out hot chocolate.
Meanwhile, Morrison, who is in Tennessee this week, said he spent virtually all of Wednesday being interviewed on local radio and TV shows.
His assistant said the pastor also has been asked to be on Laura Ingraham's nationally syndicated talk radio show.
Morrison said he has been so busy that he hasn't had a chance to talk to Norton about a possible lawsuit.
Kark reiterated the parade's position that several groups are being allowed to march as examples of ethnic diversity.
Those include the Two Spirit Society, which honors gay American Indians as holy people, and an Asian group that performs dances to ward off evil spirits at the start of the Chinese New Year. Kark said they will not be expressing religious messages
Ms. Kark - I find these beliefs "offensive". Why are you offending me -- but you're not willing to "offend" people who hate Christmas?
There is, and has been for some time, a move not to "separate" religion from public life, but to suppress Christianity in all of its forms. We desperately need to begin fighting back, so I am glad to read this story.
?.......Denver?
I thought it was Boulder that had the famous historic Christmas Parades?
...........but,.....maybe,...The Boulder anti-christians have taken control of Denver too?
....'roots'.....?
/sarcasm
I am, too. I was starting to wonder if someone would speak up.
that religious messages aren't allowed because they might offend others. If that's the standard, I have a long list of changes to the world I expect them to institute.
It's pretty obvious this is a public forum, even if it is run by a private group. They use the public streets. So, there's going to be some First Amendment protection against content-based discrimination.
As I read it (the story), the issue is that it is promoted as a city event even though a private association sponsors it. I'd like to know what businesses belong to the association. And when does the association meet to make decisions about what is allowed or is not allowed in the parade.
The Secular Taliban strikes again.
These secularists must be stopped.
They are destroying our culture and our country.
I think it's time that individuals around the country get the help of the Ave Maria Society or some like-minded group of lawyers, and start filing lawsuits re: being discriminated against as Christians.
This nonsense has gone too far.
The US was 76.5% Christian as of the year 2000, that percentage had risen by 5% over the previous 10 years. It may be higher today, I don't know.
This chart shows the various percentages for religions in the US.
http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#religions
Christians are the majority, we have our rights, and they're being trampled upon.
This has to stop, and if it takes lawsuits to do it, then it must be done. One way or the other.
Isn't it obvious that this is a parade in honor of the Christmas holiday, which is a religious observance.
If there was no birth of Christ there would be no Christmas AND NO PARADE.
Wonder where the rest comes from?
But regarding the freedom of association issue, I'm sure Denver would have no problem with a parade that excludes blacks, women, hispanics, or transexual gaucho's - same logic...
She said many callers say they plan to join church members along the parade route at 6 p.m. Friday, one hour before the parade begins.
THEN...when the parade begins,everyone should leave.
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