Christian group threatens to SUE if crosses can't line inaugural route

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON - A conservative group is threatening to sue the Secret Service for religious discrimination over security guidelines that would ban Christian crosses from lining President Bush's inaugural parade route.

The Secret Service said Monday the guidelines were meant to prohibit large structures that could be used as weapons. Crosses were the only religious symbols on the list of banned items...

The directive also prohibited folding chairs, bicycles and other structures, and displays "such as puppets, papier mache objects, coffins, crates, crosses, theaters, cages and statues."

"The way it's written, it's an unequivocal ban on crosses," said the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition. The group is seeking to have the prohibition overturned in federal court if the Secret Service fails to retract it.



EDIT FOR LINK:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050110/ap_on_go_ot/inaugural_crosses_1

[roenyc]

1. talk about your frivolous law suit! Nt

[xchrom]

2. they are bored and stupid.

[Bluebear]

4. Do they want this to be like a scene from King of Kings?

Is this not getting be cultish behavior?

[mitchum]

55. I wish!

If you know what I mean...

[WillowTree]

3. "Coffins"?

COFFINS??!!!!

[displacedtexan]

5. Presumably to represent the war dead?

Sounds like an attempt to kill anti-BushCo protests has also killed pro-Kill For Christ BushCo supporters' plans.

Too bad.

So sad.

</sarcasm>

[ananda]

8. I say, let em hang crosses

Sure, let em hold or plant crosses on the route.

It can only make Bushco look sooo bad to the world.

Besides, I'm boycotting everything that day, including TV.

Sue

[neebob]

6. Yeah, coffins

like the ones at the protest during the RNC in New York. Flag-draped caskets - one for each of the soldiers who had died at that point. Way more appropriate than crosses if you ask me. I'm wondering what kind of weirdos would like to see crosses along the route. Well, no I'm not.

[complain jane]

24. what could be more appropriate?

[dbt]

7. No CROSSES? Shit O Goodness, what's NEXT?

Will necklaces of garlic also be prohibited?

:evilgrin:
dbt

[ananda]

9. hehheh

No CROSSES? Shit O Goodness, what's NEXT?


Will necklaces of garlic also be prohibited?

-----

LOL. Good one!

[dbt]

12. Welcome to DU, ananda!

"Stick around while the clown who is sick
Does the trick of Disaster,"

Neil Young, "Mr. Soul"

[Bluebear]

33. Glad to have you here ananda!

[SheepyMcSheepster]

21. hehe

:silly:

no mirrors either!

[leftchick]

10. that is one scary chick, Bluebear!

Egad! :scared:

[Bluebear]

11. I know. I think she's praying to George to start that rapture thing.

If only I were kidding!

[da_chimperor]

14. I think that's the same look a suicide bomber has in their eyes

right before they push the button . . . :scared:

[da_chimperor]

13. What other religious symbol could they ban?

Okay, okay, you COULD club someone with a menorah . . . but who the hell would carry one around?

[Bluebear]

16. Because you asked!

They are whining that crosses were specifically targeted. However, were it not for them wanting to line the parade route with them it probably wouldn't have been an issue.

"They are not banning large displays of the Star of David or Islamic symbols," Mahoney said. "The only resolution is that they would have to pull 'crosses' out. And they could easily protect religious freedom by saying, 'We ban all structures made of wood.'"

[da_chimperor]

18. Ohhhhh, so they were going to be large ones, like jesus-sized

Somehow I didn't get that part :silly:

[Bluebear]

19. Yeah, picture the Passion of the Bush

[BrotherBuzz]

39. Do you want to super-size that order

with a side of freedom nails?

[Behind the Aegis]

48. These people are LOONS!

"They are not banning large displays of the Star of David or Islamic symbols," Mahoney said. When was the last time you EVER saw large displays of the Magen David or the Islamic Crescent at a parade?!?! That being said...look for them in this parade! I would not put it past these people to have some of their supports pull a "Parlock," then go to court saying..."see there were other religious icons, but no crosses...we are being persecuted!! Wahhh! Poor pitiful us!!" I say this with all love...FUCK THEM!

[Skidmore]

15. I say let them.

We need a postmodern Appian Way.

[Bluebear]

17. mmm Appian Way

[Sin]

20. Exactly

Now we only need to figure out how to get them to hang them selves on them.

[Nobody]

22. With or without a crucified victim?

Since torture is OK according to the Bush Regime.

This is getting waaaaaay too surreal.

[Ezlivin]

52. I would suggest a crucified victim

If you'd like, we can begin compiling a list of people who'd we'd like to see exercise their "faith".

I can think of a few right off the top of my head:

• Rush Limbaugh


• Sean Hannity


• Ann Coulter


• Karl Rove

Damn, that was too much fun.

[drscm]

23. They may be fearful that someone may actually use it with their god...

[complain jane]

25. What about oil barrels, or life-sized posters of Fallujah rubble+families?

[neweurope]

29. I still envisage a procession of thousands of Abu Guraib-victims.... all

clad in black with hoods and wires dangling, nobody speaking a word.... Unfortunately it's a little cold for bare legs...


-------------------

Remember Fallujah!

Bush to The Hague

[saltpoint]

26. Curiously, there is no ban on --

-- hula hoops.

Let the lawsuits fly.

[mark11727]

27. Caption for the photo...

Ooooh! He's mah HERO...!"

[Bluebear]

34. Is she having the "vapors"?

[neweurope]

28. Let them have the crosses by all means. The pictures will be seen by

every person on the planet that owns a TV. I can hardly wait for it.

They have been pretty thorough though in limiting any demonstration... coffins, statues, papier mache objects (a lot of people have been assassinated with papier mache objects in the past as everybody knows), pretty much everything that might catch a cameraman's eye all forbidden.

And the look of the woman in the picture is REALLY scary. She looks EXACTLY like the females adoring Hitler. The very same look. Scary.


----------------------

Remember Fallujah!

Bush to The Hague

[Bluebear]

30. Of course, these people don't care what the planet thinks of us

As long as they get their 'rapture'. They truly feel that the 'Almighty' is speaking through the Sun King.

[neweurope]

31. Yes, I understand that it is really like this. But the world would be

united in derision and disgust... and some more people would awaken to what is going on in your country now. That would be good :)


-----------------------

Remember Fallujah!

Bush to The Hague

[Bluebear]

32. Tchuss!

I do agree. Hopefully more people HERE will awaken to what is going on!

[proud patriot]

35. Don't they know they've been DECIEVED by the master they adore?

[SoCalDem]

36. So are they gonna nail each other to the crosses? I smell Pay-per-view

:)

and will the really strong 'moran' be dragging the granite ten commandments thing (or is it still "on tour")..

will they be setting up sacrificial altars?? and drawing lots to see who's the sacrificer and whose the "lamb"??

Hell.. Murdoch could turn this into a "reality series"..

[SoCalDem]

37. oopsie dupe-sie

:)

[Blue-Jay]

38. I wish they'd let 'em have their crosses.

Get it out in the open, as it were.

[AgadorSparticus]

40. how appropriate, a line of crosses--so reminiscent of arlington cemetary.

a nice reminder of all the people he has killed.

[CrazyConspiracyGuy]

41. crosses look too much like grave markers

People might get the wrong idea - a street lined with crosses might look like a graveyard of dead soldiers. Wouldn't be prudent.

[Bluebear]

44. CCG welcome to DU!

[Andromeda]

42. Can't they just wear them around their necks?

Unless they want the crosses to be burning; that would be appropriate for Bushies inaugural.

[ComerPerro]

43. I hope they do.

After all, I am tired of Christians being persecuted in this country...

:puke::puke:

Hey! Look! Bush hates Jesus!

[SemperEadem]

45. they can wear a nice gold crucifix on a chain around their necks

if they want to have crosses at line the parade route.

However, if they can have crosses, they can have pentagrams, too... and Stars of David... and Buddha statues.

[jmowreader]

46. So long as we can nail one fundie "minister" to each cross

I have no objection whatsoever to giving them that which they seek.

Come on: who among the left would be heartbroken to see them celebrate the re-installation of Our Great President (or whatever Bob Boudelang calls him) by crucifying a few fundamentalists. The fuckers wanna be persecuted? Fine. Let's show 'em what REAL persecution is!

[ldf]

47. we should have response teams of two for every cross

one to spray the cross with some type of flammable liquid.

the other to set it afire.

nothing could be more appropriate than the boy king's coronation parade turning into a long KKK rally.

:evilgrin:

[Walt Starr]

49. If they can bring their crosses

I get to bring my holy-baseball-bat!

[5thGenDemocrat]

61. Yeah, it's not widely known that I'm a disciple of Metamorpho

The pagan god of Earth Biscuits. Can I bring a large rock or are those prohibited, too?
John
That's the problem with this country. Nobody respects religion any more.

[Lexingtonian]

50. Ok with me, as long as they wear their hoods and

use proper fire code gear when setting the crosses on fire.

[corksean]

54. But they'd need to find a responsible adult to light the matches.

[Lexingtonian]

59. They'll light 'em themselves

Sociopaths do start with arson as kids, and torturing small animals, after all.

[Malva Zebrina]

51. they will just have to make crosses from toliet paper cardboard rolls

or paper towel rolls, like everyone else or craft foam.



Let them see that their god like leader is really a paranoid fascist at heart because that ruling cannot be overturned.

If they, by some chance, do have it overturned, then I suggest that puppets mimicking Jesus be allowed. I suggest that wooden pentagrams be allowed. I suggest that any wooden symbol of any belief be allowed.

That is the only way to fight the "persecution" mind set here and the one which tacitly says that Christians, being the majority, can tyrannize the minority and have that tyranny sanctified by changing the rules to allow it and no other.

[GreenPoet64]

53. Forget crosses, they can wave palm fronds & put * on a donkey . . .

and genuflect in unison. :toast:

[Bluebear]

62. Oh PLEASE don't give them any ideas!

[Malva Zebrina]

56. That picture in the intro brought this to my mind

That picture of that woman in the intro, in apparent ecstasy reminds me of Bernini's sculpture, Ecstasy of St. Teresa. St. Teresa of Avila was a supposed "mystic"

There is, imo, a connection, albeit in the sub-conscious, of sexual excstacy in that picture of that Bush woman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexuality_and_Christian_Art

[sakabatou]

57. I sitll wanna bring my Star of David shuriken

[donheld]

58. Is someone going to be hanging

on these crosses?

[Swamp Rat]

60. Let them do it! I want to wave my Lizard Cross flag too!

[Stephanie]

63. "papier mache objects" as weapons?

Is there any standard of proof for the boy king's secret service, or can he just ban any kind of free speech he doesn't like?

[malmapus]

64. I dunno, crosses lined roads before

Wasn't it Crasso that had them setup for miles on the main road leading to Rome after the one of their slave rebellions?

[Hardrada]

68. It was in the movie Spartacus.

Crassus, one of the Roman triumvirs in conjunction with Pompey had put down the slave rebellion and lined the road with crucified slaves. Nobody likes a slave revolt except the slaves.

[MrSlayer]

65. What do they want? Giant crosses on each side of the street?

I wouldn't allow anything bigger than a rosary bead sized cross. Even a "regulation" house cross is gun sized. It wouldn't be hard to disguise a shotgun as a cross. They should pick a better religious symbol. Do people in Muslim Theocracies hold up models of Mecca when they have parades?

[Must_B_Free]

66. What? Ashamed of Crosstikias?

[Cobalt Violet]

67. I'd love to be on that jury!

:evilgrin:

[Bluebear]

70. Hoo boy yeah! nt

[sffreeways]

69. Would they drop it if

George agreed to wear the crown of thorns and drag a cross up Pennsylvania Avenue ?

Instead of the crosses maybe they could lay palms at his feet as he passes.

This is fucking frightening and getting worse by the friggen minute. Will I recognize this country four years from now ?

[Bluebear]

71. Don't give them any ideas

That scenario would suit them fine.

[orleans]

72. here's an idea

if they don't like it they can stay home.
just like they're telling us. so there!