MD county halts sign ordinance during pro-life lawsuit
I reported in August that 18 pro-lifers were arrested while peacefully conducting a Truth Tour picket (pictured right) in Hartford Co., MD.
Even as pro-abort commenters here argued in vain against the pro-lifers’ First Amendment rights by saying they violated some highway law, the county and City of Bel Air tried to quietly drop charges 10 days later.
No dice. The pro-lifers sued.
Now, WorldNetDaily.com reported yesterday….
A county in MD has agreed to halt enforcement of a sign ordinance that was cited when members of a team of pro-lifer protesters were arrested, shackled and strip-searched while expressing their opposition to abortion.
According to a statement from the Alliance Defense Fund, a consent agreement has been reached that will halt enforcement of the ordinance while its constitutionality is argued in federal court.
“It is unconstitutional to require small groups of Christians to obtain permits to exercise their First Amendment rights in a public area like the one involved in this case,” ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot said. “Police used this permit requirement as part of their justification for the unacceptable treatment of our clients, who simply desired to share their pro-life message.”
[HT: Robert King]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Put me on the side of freedom for the protesters.
This election is about free speech.
how so, xppc?
you mean as a referendum on McCain/Feingold? That was a blow to free speech I’ll never accept.
This is what Howard Wasserman said:
.if a campaign can fund itself, at least in part, on smaller contributions from a substantial number of voters looking to do their part and have their say, do we come close (or at least closer) to a First-Amendment regime of “The People” speaking through their pocketbooks to support a candidate, without the same risk of corruption or influence-peddling?
Left wingnuts are always very vocal about the right of free speech, except when they disagree with what is being said, as in this case. Looks for a stone wall of silence from the ACLU and other far out, fanatical proabort zealots on this case.
Well, speaking for the left wingnuts, I already went on record supporting the rights of the protesters.
(and I certainly disagree with what is being said).
I would not at all be surprised if the ACLU assisted this group.
Hal,
I would not at all be surprised if the ACLU assisted this group.
Could you make the phone call for us? Thanks. :-)
Janet, if they would wish the assistance of the ACLU I will certainly make the phone call.
I wouldn’t be surprised if ACLU gets involved either, it’s happened on more than one occasion. Happens a lot more often than you’d think.
I’m with the protestors on this one too, as much as I think they’re going about things the wrong way.
This may be the lowest post here since Jill accused Linda McCartney of being a slut.
You really want to joke about the serious medical condition of Senator Obama’s grandmother? What’s wrong with you? Moderators?
Put me on the side of freedom for the protesters.
Posted by: hal at October 21, 2008 9:13 AM
If freedom of speech means anything,it is the right to be offended.
And I am not the one who threw granny under the bus, it was the o’bama. And he did it with a nation wide audience.
I hope and pray that she recovers from all her injuries. If the o’bama is elected I hope she is able to witness the moment and rejoice in his accomplishment.
yor bro ken
you have the right vis-a-vis the state to offend, but on Jill’s site, there are RULES. Her site, her rules. And I think joking about a dying grandmother is something that could get you banned.
Hal, surely you know Jill’s “Rules of Discussion” do not apply to “pro-lifers”, who may post anything, no matter how offensive.
PPC, I really think Bobby, or MK, or even Jill would at least remove that post. The woman is dying. Not funny, and not appropriate.
From what I heard she’s been released from the hospital. Why didn’t the good senator visit here when the fall (I assume it’s a fall) happened, not now when she’s getting better.
Usually you don’t visit someone who is ill after they get better unless you were busy at the time.
uh, Obama has been a bit busy.
Wait, which post is the one about Obama’s Grandmother, Hal? Sorry, I’m not able to catch everything, so this is why it is good when people point out specifically offensive posts.
Posted by: kbhvac at October 21, 2008 3:59 PM
thanks Bobby
Ken,
I dislike Obama’s positions as much as anyone on this board, but we really should leave his family out of this.
thanks again. and, in turn, I will try to curb my worst excesses here too.
Bobby,
This particular topic that Jill posted was about free speech. Particularly, speech that some may find offensive.
I wrote nothing derogatory about either of the o’bamas grandmothers. It was the o’bama who outed his relative as a ‘racist’. My criticism is directed at the wizard of uuuuuhz and both his words and his deeds which demonstrate his stated indifference to the suffering of other humans.
If the o’bama sees his own grandchildren as ‘punishment’, then is it a stretch to suggest that he might think as little of his own grandparents?
Bobby,
I will submit to your direction and discipline, and for the record, I plead guilty to the following two violations:
Do not write inflammatory comments just to wind people up.
Blasphemy [of the o’bama) will not be tolerated.
To the artififial flowers of political correctness who are wilting with feined indignance:
‘I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it.’
Oh really?
yor bro ken
aka:lame brained knuckle draggin neanderthal
kbhvac, if we’re to have a free-wheeling discussion here, like we could in a public forum, then Laura and SoMG, and others would be here still…. Since we’re can’t do that here, I’d like you to have to live up to the same standards as everyone else.
Hal,
You are the most even keeled person I have encountered. I disagree with some of what you say, but I do not disagree with how you say it.
We (as in all of us) would never have the free wheeling conversation we have here in a person to person public encounter. Some one would get hurt, physically.
I made my point. Thank you for assisting me in illustrating it.
This is ‘political speech’ the very kind the first amendment was meant to protect.
yor bro ken
I agree that political speech (and your tasteless joke would qualify I suppose) deserves the highest level of protection from Government Interference.
have a great evening.
Ken,
I agree with what you say about Obama, but it just seemed to me that what you said had to do more with the Grandma rather than Obama himself. I’m not terribly familiar with what he said about his Grandma or the situation that she is in, so that all could possibly be an oversight on my part.
Bobby,
I gave jill my email address.
Please email me.
I pushed the envelope a little bit.
You made a judgment call.
I respect your decision.
yor bro ken
The only thing Obama’s grandmother has to do with anything is that it highlights the measuring stick he uses to valuate life.
Is his grandmother more important than a dying baby in the soiled utility room? Would ignoring his grandmother’s call be any different than ignoring a baby left to die because his mother didn’t want him?
Obama had the power to stop this before the federal bill passed unanimously on the floor of congress, and not only did he do nothing, he fought against it.
Rich, I don’t follow you. Obama fought against a bill he didn’t think was a good idea. Happens every day in America. Ultimately, the bill passed. And, we learn from Jill’s article today, apparently the Bill has had No Effect. Not a single prosecution. Looks like Obama might have been right about this bill from the start.
Getting the law passed is one thing. Getting a bought-and-paid-for government to enforce the law against the “untouchable” abortion industry is quite something else. The fight never ends.
PJMama @ 1:08,
Amen!
Hal: Obama fought against a bill he didn’t think was a good idea. Happens every day in America. Ultimately, the bill passed. And, we learn from Jill’s article today, apparently the Bill has had No Effect. Not a single prosecution. Looks like Obama might have been right about this bill from the start.
And it happens all the time – politics is played, quid pro quo’s are given, or denied…..
McCain, from time to time, has infuriated people for not voting the way they wanted, they way they thought he “should” vote. There are varying reasons for such, and again – it happens all the time in politics.
Democrats could dominate Congress after the elections
The Economist – AP
THE Democrats seem to have everything to cheer in this presidential race. Their candidate, Barack Obama, leads in the opinion polls, raises and spends record amounts of money and has picked up the endorsement of Colin Powell, a Republican former secretary of state. Even Mr Obama’s rival, John McCain, let slip, during an interview with Fox News on Sunday October 19th, that he expects not to be president, saying: “I’ve had a wonderful life. I have to go back and live in Arizona, and be in the United States Senate”.
Although most attention is paid to the presidential race, another hefty political battle is rolling on: the congressional race. The Democrats captured Congress in the 2006 elections, as voters turned against George Bush and the Republican Party. Two years have done little to soften their views. The Democrats are poised to turn small majorities in both chambers into dominant ones, perhaps realigning American politics for many years.
Doug,
Even Mr Obama’s rival, John McCain, let slip, during an interview with Fox News on Sunday October 19th, that he expects not to be president, saying: “I’ve had a wonderful life. I have to go back and live in Arizona, and be in the United States Senate”.
The Economist – AP
I saw that interview, and McCain’s words were well thought out and deliberate. I don’t think he was saying he expected not to win. He was saying that he’s a had a good life… no matter what happens in the race. That’s all.
The Democrats are poised to turn small majorities in both chambers into dominant ones, perhaps realigning American politics for many years.
You are right about that. All the more reason for Republicans to make sure they vote in the Senate and House races in November.
(There was a lengthy comment on this subject by Joe @ 8:53 AM on Jill’s World Net Daily column today.)
Here is a blast from the past to offer you a little perspective in how liberals deal with grief.
Bill Clinton as he is leaving Former Commerce Secretary Ron Brown’s funeral. I have no problem with Willy laughing it up with Tony Campollo after the memorial. Maybe they were reminiscing about something funny Ron Brown has said or done. But evidently Willy thinks there is something wrong. After Willy sees the camera he goes from laughter to bitin his quiverin lower lip in one step. In one more step Willy is wiping tears from his eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf8TOGrq8Bo
Here is another example liberals mourning the passing of one of their own, former US Senator Wellstone. Just listen to Al Franken lyin about republicans lyin about what transpired at the memorial service. Then at the end of the clip is the actual video from the memorial service. Are you gonna believe Al or your lyin eyes and your lying ears?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJAcui_dmXk&feature=related
yor bro ken
“Here is a blast from the past to offer you a little perspective in how liberals deal with grief.”
what a bizarre post. Were we talking about liberals and grief?
The society today is too far gone. In 1960, there were very few illegitimate births – today nobody sees being promiscuous out of marriage wrong. Nobody sees getting rid of the mentally retarded wrong. I don’t understand how sleeping with a bunch of men is liberated (and I grew up with the feminists) but science and medicine teaches a clinicalized society where we are all primates destined for oblivion. In the last century that brought us Hitler, Stalin and Mao. If I had gotten married and had children, I would have stayed with my husband and loved my children no matter how unplanned or handicapped. The educated mature people don’t see it that way – you can be an educated mature person and still be very wrong. To try and unindoctrinate these people is near impossible, and the Arabs have unfortunately made anyone with religious viewpoints look awful – and the educated, scientific, atheistic media deliberately do that.
My friend had a mother and grandmother who survived both Hitler and Stalin, and we are comming to a juncture where we will not be able to do anything.
ExFeminist said that “the Arabs have unfortunately made anyone with religious viewpoints look awful.”
Everyone has a religious viewpoint. Secular humanism is merely a religion that denies it is a religion. As the dominant religion in the West, its adherents get special privileges and are said to speak with greater authority.
One of the special privileges, of course, is induced abortion. Under the current version of secular humanism in America, “pro-choicers” may kill their unborn children. Adherents in other parts of the West also practice infanticide and euthanasia. “God is dead,” Nietsche said. God’s commandments are then irrelevant.
I am glad for your comment, ExFeminist. I’m just being picky about a detail that bugs me. Life is religion. We live our response to the Creator who makes claims on us.
When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But to trust and obey.
Here is a song I wrote after originally learning about Jill and her story about the baby she held for 45 minutes after a failed abortion. I have performed the song several times and it makes people realize Jill’s story. I hope to one day record the song and send it to Jill for usage and promotion of her non profit organization. The song’s name is “Broken Dolls / Muñecos Rotos
”