 |
 |
|
|
| Bible |
|
|
|
| The Streets |
|
|
|
| Press Releases |
|
|
|
| Newsletters |
|
|
|
| Articles |
|
|
|
| Legal |
|
|
|
| Links |
|
|
|
| Home |
|
|
| Our Purpose |
| Our Director |
| Support Us |
| Contact Us |
| email OSA |
| Web problems or suggestions? |
| ACLU claims victory in dispute over parades |
|
ACLU claims victory in dispute over parades
Dear Friends,
If you're sick of hearing about the many ridiculous rulings being handed down by federal courts across the nation, then this story is for you. The Constitution has been defended, and a victory for the exercise of the First Amendment has been won in our city. In what seems to be a national trend, the City of Pittsburgh ratified an ordinance restricting and practically suffocating the right to public demonstration. The ACLU, on behalf of a number of local groups including the Pittsburgh Chapter of the NAACP and Rescue Pittsburgh worked to overturn it and won another victory last Friday. I was called as a witness and was able to clearly describe our Ecclesiastical Court held outside of the Federal Court building in September, stating that the Supreme Court of our nation was in contempt of the laws of God. At the request of the ACLU attorney I was also able to tell the Court and all present that homosexual sodomy is an abomination before God, and that abortion is the murder of defenseless unborn children. After my testimony one of the ladies from the NAACP told me that she wants to join us at the abortion mill in her neighborhood!
God Bless You, Run the Race to Win! --Joseph
Judge's ruling allows groups to apply for permits, pay lower fees The American Civil Liberties Union claimed a victory yesterday in its ongoing legal battle over the City of Pittsburgh 's parade permit process. After a lengthy hearing in U.S. District Court, Judge Joy Flowers Conti extended a preliminary injunction that allows groups to apply for parade permits if they give one week's notice and pay either $68 if their event would obstruct a street or $21 if their event would obstruct a sidewalk. The judge also directed the city to amend its application forms by Wednesday to reflect those guidelines, said Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU's Pittsburgh chapter. Witnesses testified yesterday they either received the same application they received two years earlier when applying for a parade permit or were met with confusing regulations when seeking permission to hold demonstrations. Joseph Parente, a Web site developer who organizes anti-abortion protests, said he tried for weeks to get a permit for a Jan. 31 rally. He said he was told he needed to apply for a permit 45 days in advance. A proposed parade and protest ordinance would charge groups for police and public works services. The ACLU has argued that the costs essentially would eliminate protests, in violation of the First Amendment. During the hearing, the city's attorney, Diego Correa, said a prior ordinance was repealed Tuesday. He unsuccessfully asked the judge to rule the case moot until City Council comes up with a new one. Robert Kennedy, president of the Irish Society for Education & Charity, which organizes St. Patrick's Day festivities in Pittsburgh , said the ruling would benefit all cultural and ethnic groups. He had said that under the proposed change, the society would have had to pay about $10,000 -- about half of its annual fund raising -- which would force the parade elsewhere. (The Associated Press contributed to this report. Joe Fahy can be reached at jfahy@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1722. Torsten Ove can be reached at tove@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2620.) |
| *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. [ Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] |