America steps back from the brink too

Both Sweden and America have now thrown out charges brought against Christian pastors who were preaching what the Bible says about homosexuality

“A judge dismissed charges on Thursday against four anti-gay Christians accused of violating hate crime laws when protesting at a gay street festival, saying free speech rights allowed them to do so. Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Pamela Dembe said the four members of “Repent America” exercised their right to free speech when they refused to move away from the city’s gay pride “Outfest” last October.

The protesters used bullhorns and placards to warn festival participants that they would suffer eternal damnation for their homosexual behavior. After a noisy, nonviolent confrontation with gay people, they were charged with incitement to riot, and violating a 1982 Pennsylvania law that bars inciting hatred on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality or sexuality. “You cannot stifle free speech because you don’t want to hear it,” Dembe said. “Many of these messages may be repulsive and offensive but people are allowed to make them. The right to free speech extends to neo-Nazis marching in towns where Holocaust survivors live and to the Ku Klux Klan, the judge told a packed courtroom.

The leader of the group, Michael Marcavage, 25, said after the ruling that he felt vindicated. “It’s a good thing to know that there are still some judges who respect the First Amendment,” he said, adding that his group plans to protest another local gay rally on May 1”.

More here

Posted by jonjayray on Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 09:22 PM in Law
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Comments:

Posted by Matra on February 17, 2005, 11:33 PM | #

Once again we see the importance of the US First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of speech. I wish we in Canada had true freedom of speech. That said, the very fact that they were charged in the first place is disturbing.

Posted by ben tillman on February 20, 2005, 05:02 PM | #

I would like to see the former defendants bring federal civil rights actions against the Philadelphia officials. If they can get a fair trial, they have a good case.

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