Charges Against Anti-Gay Activists Dropped

[Placebo]

A judge dismissed all charges Thursday against four members of a conservative Christian group who were arrested last fall while picketing a street festival for gays.

After watching video footage of the event, Common Pleas Judge Pamela Dembe said that while the protesters' message that homosexuality is a sin clearly enraged the crowd, the bullhorn-wielding demonstrators did not incite violence.

"We are one of the very few countries that protect unpopular speech. And that means that Nazis can March in Skokie, Ill. ... That means that the Ku Klux Klan can march where they wish to," Dembe said. "We cannot stifle speech because we don't want to hear it, or we don't want to hear it now."

The demonstrators, affiliated with a group called Repent America, had faced a variety of charges, including riot, conspiracy and ethnic intimidation, Pennsylvania's version of a hate crime. Prosecutors had said the activists, led by Repent America founder Michael Marcavage, were trying to incite the crowd.

More...

[Nimrod]

1. Shame they weren't picketing *

THEN they'd be corralled in barbed wire or arrested.

[meegbear]

2. After watching video footage of the event ....

from conwebwatch.com

<snip>

As a Dec. 10 Philadelphia Inquirer article notes, one of those arrested, Michael Marcavage, director of Repent America, "tried to interrupt a performance with his antigay preaching and then disobeyed a police order to move to the perimeter of the Outfest to avoid the potential for violence" -- all of which conveniently occurred prior to the start of that video that Marcavage and his attorney claims allegedly exonerates the protesters.

<snip>

http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/stories/2005/wndphilly.html

[livinginphotographs]

3. You know, I think they have every right to protest.

But they also have a responsibility to act in a manner that won't incite violence (gee, not that they'd ever want to do that :eyes: ). These dumbasses lost their right to protest when they disobeyed a police order and tried to start something.

Of course, I've always wanted to see some of the tough guys get their asses handed to them by a much larger group of homosexuals. :evilgrin:

[Ian David]

4. If they'd been found guilty, they'd become martyrs

The radical religionists love nothing better than to feign persecution.

[makhno]

10. Exactly, this is bullshit

The video was part of a documentary made by a conservative sympathizer of the fundamentalist thugs. And what about misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and such? The Philly security apparatus certainly didn't have any qualms about using every article at their disposal to persecute anti-GOP protestors during the 2000 convetion.

[readmoreoften]

5. Another snip from this article

"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.


He then quoted a passage from Leviticus saying that homosexuals "should surely be put to death". But he denied a claim by the Philadelphia Gay Pride organization that he had suggested gays should be killed.

*****

So if you say homosexuals should be put to death it doesn't mean you've suggested that homosexuals should be put to death? Why do I not believe him.

[livinginphotographs]

6. These guys have the right to be shitstains.

Why can't we have some liberal protest warriors though? I'd like to see someone hurling feces at these fuckers....

[readmoreoften]

7. that, unfortunately, is assault n/t

[livinginphotographs]

8. Unfortunately.

:evilgrin:

[DrWeird]

9. That's why Jesus invented running shoes. nt

[bvar22]

11. Some Protest Warriors got their asses handed to them....

...by meat eatin libruls at the Coronation.

"Violence sometimes may have cleared away obstructions quickly, but it never has proved itself creative." ---Albert Einstein


Sometimes, creativity just gets in the way.

[livinginphotographs]

14. I heard about that.

And (*this poster in no way condones violence) I laughed my ass off.

[Sub Atomic]

12. I wonder if ACTUP Philly is still around?

Perhaps a little 'love-in' at the church where these freaks came from.

Imagine a hundred gay men making out on the sidewalk right outside of this church.

They want to play? I say we give it a go, too.

[readmoreoften]

13. good idea, actually

Maybe we should start protesting anti-gay churches in retaliation. Using the exact same tactics: bullhorns and bibles. Also hand-holding and kissing. Anti RW knock-knock jokes would be fun.

[livinginphotographs]

15. Or two guys, one dressed up like Jesus, the other one like God.

That could get interesting.