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More on Our Victory in Wyoming

Little did we know, when we planned our way to make the theology of heaven become biography in the streets of Jackson, Wyoming, what God had in mind.  Jackson was and is perhaps the most God-hating, anti-Gospel, anti-life, city any of us have ever visited.  The citizens of this little 6,000 member community had a hard time covering up their visceral hatred toward anyone who would dare expose the “secret” sin of the community.  Though its population swells to millions during the skiing season and summer, it is still an incestuous, nepotistic, bastion of liberal “hate.”  The animus toward the God of the Bible is palpable and impossible to hide.

Yet, it was here that God chose to allow His theology to become biography through the lives of simple little Christian moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas, by becoming a voice for the voiceless.  We came to Jackson last May to expose the treachery of abortionist Brent Blue.  We came to make the Church of Jesus Christ in Jackson aware that she has a responsibility to stand in the gap on behalf of preborn children.  We came to let the city of Jackson know that “it takes a village to kill a child,” and that the blood of these innocent children is on her hands.  We came to let the world know that there is another King, and that His Name is Jesus!

We are coming back this May 16-20, 2012, to do the same thing.  Now, however, we are somewhat protected by a Supreme Court decision that will put a stop to many of the city of Jackson’s machinations to shut down our Gospel Proclamation.  It is amazing that this city will tolerate any other kind of speech or religion so long as it is not Biblical Christianity.   ~ Flip

 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – A state court order that barred abortion protesters from appearing at Jackson’s town square last year violated the protesters’ constitutional rights, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

In a lengthy 3-2 decision, the state Supreme Court ruled the temporary restraining order issued by District Judge Tom Day violated the First Amendment rights of protesters with the group Operation Save America.

Dozens of Operation Save America members descended on Jackson last May with graphic signs of aborted fetuses that they showed around town.

The group said it picked Jackson for its campaign in an effort to make Wyoming the first state in which no doctors would provide abortions. The group targeted a family practitioner whom it said was the only doctor in the state to offer abortions.

The restraining order that Jackson secured from Day last year barred the protesters from appearing within two blocks of the town square. The town’s lawyer told Day that city police feared violence if the protesters came together with about 200 Boy Scouts and their families who were gathering for Elkfest, an annual auction of elk antlers.

The protesters weren’t alerted beforehand that the town was seeking the court order.

“Assuming the town had established a compelling interest in the protection of its youth and in maintaining the peace, we would nonetheless find the temporary restraining order unconstitutional,” Justice Michael Golden wrote for the court majority. “The town has not met its burden of establishing that the temporary restraining order ban was necessary to serve the town’s interest and that less restrictive measures would not have been adequate.”

Chief Justice Marilyn S. Kite and Justice William U. Hill wrote a dissent saying they believed the case was moot and that the constitutionality question shouldn’t have reached the court.

“No evidence was presented in this case that Operation Save America will return to Jackson and attempt to assemble or display posters during another scheduled event such as the Boy Scouts expo and auction or, in the event it does, that the town will again file for a temporary restraining order without providing notice and an opportunity to be heard,” Kite and Hill stated.

Rusty Thomas of Waco, Texas, is assistant director of operations for Operation Save America. He said Tuesday his group intends to return to Jackson next month. “I just got the news, and just tears of rejoicing,” he said of the court ruling. “The timing is incredible.”

Thomas said the group believes the ruling “strikes a blow for liberty and puts our government, both the federal and state authorities, on notice that the First Amendment is alive and well in the United States of America.”

Flip Benham, director of Operation Save America in Concord, N.C., said Tuesday the group has applied to the town of Jackson for permits to hand out materials next month but hasn’t received them yet.

“What they’ve done is put us off. They’ve said they’re going through new criteria for permits,” Benham said. He said the group’s experience in Jackson was the first time it has ever been restrained “from presenting the gospel.”

Attempts to reach town officials were not immediately successful Tuesday.

Audrey Cohen-Davis, lawyer for the town, argued before the Wyoming Supreme Court in November that it was proper for the town to secure the restraining order.

“Parents taking their Boy Scouts to the Elkfest event did not expect to have a group subjecting their children to such material,” Cohen-Davis said in November.

Jack Edwards, a lawyer in Etna, represented Operation Save America.

“I think it’s important to realize that the First Amendment, and the cases from the U.S. Supreme Court that have interpreted that amendment, were not to protect speech that people welcome and that people enjoy, but the basis for that amendment is to protect speech that causes arguments and dissent in the public square,” Edwards said Tuesday.

The state supreme court ruling comes just days after the state of Wyoming reached a settlement with another anti-abortion group, WyWatch Family Action.

In the agreement approved last week by U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal of Cheyenne, Wyoming admitted it violated WyWatch’s constitutional rights by removing anti-abortion placards from a tunnel leading to the state Capitol during last year’s legislative session.

The state agreed to pay WyWatch $1 in nominal damages and $30,000 in attorney fees. WyWatch was represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, a national advocacy group for social conservatives.

Freudenthal allowed the American Civil Liberties Union to enter the WyWatch case to argue on the group’s behalf that the state had violated the group’s constitutional rights. Linda Burt, director of the Wyoming ACLU, said Tuesday that the courts decided both cases correctly by protecting public speech.

“While we disagree with both of the organizations involved in these cases, we firmly respect their right to discuss these issues in the public square,” Burt said. “The remedy for speech that you disagree with is more speech, and more debate and more information, and disallowing this kind of speech that you disagree with does not support that.”

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Two More Articles on Win in Wyoming

The nation is coming to know about the wonderful victory won yesterday in the Wyoming Supreme Court.

Enjoy! ~ Flip

CHEYENNE, WYOMING, April 10, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled today that the city of Jackson had violated pro-life activists’ First Amendment rights when it prohibited them from holding a protest on the city square last year.

Rev. Chet Gallegher and a Kansas Pastor of Operation Save America were arrested last May 20, when they attempted to hold a three-day vigil to oppose the state’s only abortion clinic, owned by Dr. Brent Blue. That’s when they found out city attorney Audrey Cohen-Davis had sought a temporary restraining order against them without notifying them. The group had no opportunity to defend itself before District Judge Tom Day granted the motion, to prevent the protesters from being in the same location as a group of Boy Scouts.

“We gave them our word that we would not bring our graphic signs to that venue,” Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas of Operation Save America told LifeSiteNews.com. “But we told them we would come, we would preach, and we would hand out Christian pro-life literature. Well, they didn’t believe us. Behind our back, they sought this order. When we arrived, that’s when we find out they had brought this injunction against us.”

Justice Michael Golden wrote the 43-page opinion for the court’s 3-2 majority.

“They ruled that graphic signs in the public square are free speech under the First Amendment, and anywhere we go on the public square that is to be protected,” Thomas said. “These local governments do not have the authority to remove or abridge or violate our First Amendment rights.”

“This is a major ruling,” he told LifeSiteNews. “It’s a great blow against tyranny and a great defense of liberty.”

The ruling made the second pro-life victory for free speech in Wyoming in April. Last week, U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal awarded $30,000 in attorney’s fees to WyWatch Family Action, which sought to set up a pro-life display in the state Capitol Building in Cheyenne.

The group plans to return to the city next month to renew their protests.

Thomas said he hopes Jackson police will better enforce public safety laws this year. “There were six separate incidents where the public used their vehicles to try to run us over,” he said.

“The problem was, because the police did not defend our constitutional rights and did not stop the violence toward us, it escalated. I understand they’re under pressure from the public, but they still have a job to do.”

At a separate protest the group held in Jackson Mississippi, a man with two hunting knives slashed a banner held by senior citizens.

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WND EXCLUSIVE: Court protects graphic abortion images

 April 11, 2012 7:07 am

 The state Supreme Court in Wyoming has issued a ruling protecting the graphic abortion violence photographs and images that pro-life protesters use to shock people into a debate on the procedures used to kill the unborn in America.

The ruling came today in a conflict between Operation Save America and the town of Jackson, which went to court and without notifying OSA obtained an order that the pro-life organization could not exercise members’ First Amendment rights in parts of Jackson last year.

A large part of the town’s concern was the “large photographs” of “disfigured and aborted fetus images.”

According to a report from Jackson Police Lt. Robert Gilliam, “the group has consistently demonstrated throughout the town of Jackson showing the same graphic photographs. The group has refused repeated requests from me and other law enforcement officials to remove these graphic photographs. This came after police received several hundred phone calls, emails, personal visits and face to face complaints from citizens who see the photographs as obscene and offensive.”

The city’s ultimately obtained an ex parte hearing, where a judge issued a temporary restraining order silencing the pro-life message without notifying OSA. The ex parte order resulted in Rev. Chet Gallegher and another of the protesters, ultimately being arrested for violating that order.

The organization, whose members hail from a number of states, dispatched protesters to Jackson in May 2011 to raise awareness to the abortion clinic run by Brent Blue.

Town officials were alarmed that Boy Scouts attending their 2011 annual Elk Fest in the town at the same time might see the images.

But the state Supreme Court found that just as speech on issues of public concern is protected, so are those images.

“We find that the ex parte [temporary restraining order] was issued in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Rule 65 of the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure,” the opinion said.

The opinion explained that the First Amendment does not protect everything – fraud, defamation, obscenity and fighting words are not protected, for example.

But it added, “Speech on public issues or matters of public concern ‘are classic forms of speech that lie at the heart of the First Amendment.’ … Speech directed at abortion policy is public issue speech.”

“The fact that the messages conveyed by those communications may be offensive to their recipients does not deprive them of constitutional protection,” the panel wrote. “As a general matter, we have indicated that in public debate our own citizens must tolerate insulting, and even outrageous, speech in order to provide ‘adequate ‘breathing space’ to the freedoms protected by the First Amendment,'” the opinion said.

“We find that this level of protection must likewise be extended to the graphic photographs OSA chooses to use in its demonstrations,” the justices wrote.

“The Supreme Court has stated it will not expand the categories of speech that receive limited protection, such as obscenity, unless there is a demonstration of a longstanding American tradition forbidding such speech or expressive conduct,” the opinion said.

The opinion also found that the streets and sidewalks of Jackson are exactly what is thought of regarding a public forum.

Ultimately, the charges stemming from the arrests of the two pastors were dropped, but the appeal was continued to the state’s high court because of the likelihood that the situation can be repeated, since the pro-life protesters plan to return to Jackson in just weeks.

The other protestor told WND that the group’s activities had been routine – handing out brochures about the issue of life, marching sidewalks to declare the message and asking residents to pray for the abortion business operator.

He said while the images do upset people, they should direct their objections to those who made the events captured in the photographs happen.

“Are we more concerned that we’re showing the image, or the fact that the image was produced,” he wondered. “My children grew up seeing those signs, they understand someone hurt the baby.”

Town officials did not respond to a WND request for comment.

Gilliam had explained that he complained to OSA officials about the images.

“The conversations … regarding the graphic signs have been cordial but matter-of-fact like. They acknowledge the signs are graphic and offend most people, but that is their intent. They wish to ‘shock’ the public into taking their side on the abortion debate in this country,” the court ruling noted he said.

“The topic of abortion incites like no other issue in this country today. It divides the nation, our religions, our families, our politics and our society. The issue arouses deep passions that find full expression in full an open and public debate that gives all participants the satisfaction of a fair and full hearing,” the opinion said.

There also was no evidence that there was a danger of a “breach of peace” and no reason to have the ordered issued in secret, the opinion said.

“The town has not met its burden of establishing that the TRO ban was necessary to serve the town’s interest and that less restrictive measures would not have been adequate,” the opinion said.

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PRESS RELEASE – Operation Save America Vindicated In Wyoming Supreme Court

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

10 April, 2012

Operation Save America Vindicated In Wyoming Supreme Court

“We find that the ex parte TRO was issued in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Rule 65 of the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure and reverse.” – Wyoming Supreme Court, April Term, A.D. 2012, Operation Save America Appellant (Defendant), v. The City of Jackson Appellee (Plaintiff)

Wyoming Supreme Court:  Ban on Abortion Protest Unconstitutional!

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – As Operation Save America begins its “States of Refuge” campaign (Statesofrefuge.org) we were greeted with some miraculous news from the Supreme Court of the state of Wyoming today.  It ruled that a lower court order prohibiting gentle Christians from displaying graphic signs of “aborted” and “living” babies at the Jackson town square last year was unconstitutional.

In a 3-2 decision released Tuesday, April 10, 2012, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by District Judge Tom Day violated the First Amendment rights of members of  Operation Save America.  On page 27 (#67) of the 43 page decision the court said, “OSA’s speech is protected public issue speech, and based on these precedents, any restriction on that speech must be carefully scrutinized.  We find that this level of protection must likewise be extended to the graphic photographs OSA chooses to use in its demonstrations.”

A Kansas Pastor and Chet Gallagher were arrested by Jackson police last May for a violating the TRO.  “All praise to our Lord Jesus for this victory for OSA, for Christians, for Americans, for life, and for the Kingdom of our Lord.” – Kansas Pastor  

 Pastor Rusty Thomas, Assistant Director of OSA said, “When the case was argued before the Supreme Court, we prayed to God for two blessings.  First, that the court would rule favorably and strike a blow against tyranny to preserve our liberties.  Second, that the ruling would come before we went back to Jackson, Wyoming to further the “States of Refuge” campaign.  We are pleased to report that our Lord graciously answered both these prayers.”  (254)-715-3134

Contact:  Pastor Rusty Lee Thomas (254) 715-3134 

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News is getting out!

Homeland Security: Anti Abortion Activists Are Possible Domestic Terrorists

A Homeland Security Unit in Charlotte’s Mecklenburg Police Department is now targeting anti abortion activists as possible domestic terrorists by labeling first amendment protected protests as stalking.

Rev. Flip Benham, the National Director of Operation Save America, was found guilty of stalking after speaking out against abortions at three “abortion mills.” in the Charlotte area.

A press release by the group was published today:

Charlotte, North Carolina:   In an effort to silence the First Amendment Rights of Christians carrying the message of life to three abortion mills in the city of Charlotte, the “Homeland Security” unit of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department has united with the abortion industry to get the job done.

Rev. Flip Benham, the National Director of Operation Save America, will appear at the Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte to appeal a “guilty’ verdict for “stalking.”  The charge of “stalking” is simply the latest of many blatant attempts by the abortion industry and the city of Charlotte to remove from the streets gentle Christians who offer mom’s a real choice at abortion mills.  There have been lawsuits, injunctions, temporary restraining orders, and every other imaginable strategy, to silence the Gospel of Christ.

This new North Carolina “stalking” statute is so egregious because it can be used by virtually anyone to silence the First Amendment rights of another by simply saying that he or she “feels” threatened.

Regardless of your views on abortion, the idea that Homeland Security agents are now involved in policing political speech is another chilling example of how deep the police state in America has become.

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All I have is Christ!

Please watch this five minute video.

Thank you all so very much for coming to the Appeals court to encourage me.  I knew my court appointed attorney did not know Christ.  I found that out last Thursday morning when we met for the first time.  I knew he was a Democrat, a Quaker, pro-abortion, and going to vote for Barack Obama again this year.  I knew the cards were stacked against us in the court room..  I knew that two of the judges would be very ideologically and theologically opposed to the stand we take for Christ. 

I thought I would be pretty much alone.  Oh, I knew that God would never leave nor forsake me but, for whatever reason, I felt forsaken when I arrived at the Charlotte School of Law – alone.  I entered the building, turned down the hall to the left, found a seat at the end of the hall and just sat down – alone.  I was feeling pretty sorry for “Me.”  It was hard for me to pray.  I didn’t want to pray.  I felt forsaken by a country I love and am very thankful for.  I felt forsaken by God’s church.  I was having a pity party of unbelievable magnitude.  The whole world had shrunk to just me – poor, pitiful “Me.”  And I was all alone, though there were many people in the room with “Me.”  I was alone.

I was thinking only of “Me” – alone!

My son David put out a very moving appeal for folks to pray for his dad this April 2, 2012, and an invitation to come to the court hearing.  Tears welled-up in my eyes.  Then, many of you emailed me or left messages on my phone that were all pointing me to Jesus.  But I was busy with “Me.”  Though I appreciated all the encouraging words,  I simply felt forsaken.

Have you noticed how many times I have talked about “Me” and how “Me” was “feeling.”

God brought to my selfish, whiney little mind a picture I had seen earlier that morning.  It was a picture of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who was hung earlier this very same morning.  He was hung from a crane that was brought in just for that purpose by the Iranian regime.  He was hung because he was a Christian.  He died for his faith.  He died well.  He had run his lap of the race.  He finished the course.  (we did receive a notification that Pastor Youcef has been executed in Iran but no other news outlets have verified this that we are aware of, we hope and pray that his execution has not been carried out and that Pastor Youcef is still alive) It was “my turn now!” 

It was then that I saw Kathy Pavkovic and Lisa Metzger at the end of the hall.  They were coming to encourage “Me” to run the race marked out.  They did not come sympathize with poor pitiful “Me.”  They had come to encourage me to gut it up, shut-up, and continue storming the gates of hell.  By the way, I found that I was not alone.  I was not forsaken.  Then I saw my son David and all of our grandkids walk into the courtroom surrounded by our great friends from “Cities 4 Life.”  They were looking to “Me” as a man who follows hard after Christ.  I have a calling.  I have a Savior.  His Name is Jesus.

I do well understand John’s doubt when he was imprisoned (Matthew 11:1-6) and Jesus’ admonition to him “…blessed is the man who does not fall way on my account.”  I have come to understand my wretched “Me” a little bit better now. 

I want to thank you all for your prayers, presence and fellowship with “Me,” as sorry as I am, during these very small sufferings for Christ.  They are so little compared to all that He has done for “Me.”

I agree with the video.  “All I have is Christ,” and you to encourage me to “run to the roar.’

Thank you all!

In Christian love,

Flip

PS.  Please don’t forget to pray for Clifton Howell and Jo Scott who will be going through the very same thing I just went through as they appeal their case before a three judge panel at Denver School of law on Wednesday, April 4, 2012.    

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Free Speech in Colorado Has a Big Day In Court

Ken and Jo Scott have been given a platform few of us will ever have.  Their case is a Civil Lawsuit brought against them by St. John’s Episcopal Church to force gentle Christians to stop proclaiming the Gospel of Christ on a public sidewalk outside of the Church.  150+ law students and their professors will attend.  The hearing will take place at the Denver University Law School.

Pray for Ken and Jo and pray that the Name of Jesus will be lifted high. ~ Flip

 Hello All,

A panel of three Appeal’s Court Judges at the D.U. Law School will hear Oral Arguments in favor of free speech on the public sidewalk in front of St. John’s Episcopal church on Wednesday April 4th at 3:30 PM. Attorney Rebecca Messal will argue for Clif and I.  She just won the FACE Case for us.  150 + afternoon Law students and their professors will also attend .  D. U. provides their law students an opportunity like this twice a year. Our case is their class project.  St. John’s is suing us under the Nuisance and Conspiracy to Commit Nuisance laws. They challenge the right to protest on a public sidewalk.  St. John’s ordained a woman priest that is on the Board of Planned Parenthood and they support abortion and homosexuality.  We were consistently able to get  visitors to leave and members to quit the church. There are several Judges that are members there. They were not happy with us, so the Episcopal Church initiated a Civil Lawsuit and got an Injunction against us that has kept us away for several years.

If you attend the Oral Arguments, there will be reserved seating for the guests of Ken Scott and Clifton Powell, please arrive before 3:30 p.m. for seating. Our lawyers ask that all attending dress in their Sunday best.  No tee shirts.  I’m doing what they are asking.  The Thomas More Society out of Chicago is footing the bill and their number one Attorney Thomas Brejcha will be attending, to Assist Rebecca Messall and Monica Flanigan of Hackstaff Law Group in Denver.

If you can’t attended, please pray for them to be anointed to speak to the Colorado Appeal Court Judges to see the truth.

Thanks again and God Bless!!! 

Ken and Jo, and Clifton Powell

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Personhood Kansas – Why Personhood?

Bruce Garren, a longtime friend of ours and one who has been instrumental in heading up the “Personhood” movement in the state of Kansas, has written a short and concise article articulating the reason why “Personhood” is the only piece of legislation that has God’s imprimatur.  As Bruce unsheathes the Sword of the Spirit in response to those (Pro-lifers) who are attempting to regulate abortion rather than ending it, see if your heart does not pound within you.  ~ Flip

If not personhood, what is the plan to end abortion in Kansas?

by Bruce Garren

I have heard the Rev Flip Benham, Director of Operation Save America, proclaim on several occasions that, “Abortion will end in America when the church of Jesus Christ makes up her mind it will end – and not one second sooner.” This certainly falls under the heading of bold statements. There a many parts of this proclamation that a person could question, such as how could Rev. Benham possibly know this to be true? Why is it that only the church has the power to end abortion, and how can a claim be made without honestly considering the power of the United States government to influence the outcome? All are good questions I’m sure Rev. Benham would be willing, if not eager to respond to, but I want to focus on another aspect of his claim. I want us consider the reality that there could truly be an end to abortion in America.

Like many of you, I have been fighting against abortion for what seems like a long time. Also, like many of you, I have applied myself in a number of different strategies. I have voted pro-life, written editorials, contacted legislators, attended rallies, taught classes, held signs, prayed, and fasted. All of which I have found to be worthwhile efforts, but none have succeeded in themselves to end abortion. Until recently, none of these activities were actually part of a plan to end abortion once and for all. Certainly, everything we have done had as its primary goal the end of abortion in America, and the hope was always be to save as many innocent lives as possible, but none provided a plan to actually end child killing once and for all.

Although reducing the number of unborn children killed can appear to be a worthwhile interim goal for us, it can never ever be what our efforts lead to. We must not lose sight that reducing abortion is not and cannot be our goal! Even one child legally lost to surgical or chemical abortion would bring as much shame on America as the 1.2 million that were killed last year. I believe that’s what Ambassador Alan Keyes means when referring to the compromising the life of even one unborn child: “It’s the devil’s game – Satan would be happy to end all abortion if only he could get all of us to consent to killing one child.”

Our national shame is not from the number of unborn children legally murdered in our hospitals and abortion clinics each day, but it comes from our willingness to permit even one unborn child to be killed without our outrage.

Recently, I was part of a discussion about ending abortion in our state with several high-level government officials. After some time, and after the officials castigated the personhood strategy, I finally relented. I asked a particular gentleman a question that has gone unanswered. “Okay, I understand you don’t like personhood as a way to end abortion in Kansas. So, if not the Kansas Personhood Amendment, what is your plan to end abortion during the Governor’s term of office?” I couldn’t believe what I saw and heard next. He looked stunned and ill prepared for the question. “Well, we are several years away from that still,” he said.

After that discussion, I came to realize that our problem is not the disagreement on the personhood amendment strategy. The issue is that, among the personhood opponents, there is little hope at all of actually ending abortion in a short time frame. They are preparing to battle for the next several decades.

This same outlook is true of many of our leaders. It has been parroted, often from surprising sources. National Right to Life lead attorney, James Bopp, for instance, once charged that “wise leaders recognized from the beginning that one of their foremost tasks was to keep abortion alive as an issue.” And having compared the pro-life movement to the prohibition movement, he claimed that if we were to pass a ban on abortion, “No one would read [our] literature, attend [our] ‘rallies,’ or donate to the cause.”

In his response to Bopp, Robert Muise, Esq. of the Thomas More Law Center wrote: “The obvious problem with keeping abortion alive as an issue, is that keeping abortion alive means killing the unborn. Each day abortion remains an issue—and the law of the land—is a day in which innocent life is destroyed…If succeeding in reversing Roe v. Wade and ending the slaughter of millions of innocent lives each year means “no one would read [NRTL] literature, attend [its] ‘rallies,’ or donate to the cause,’ then that is the price of victory we should be willing to pay.”

If you are like the many Kansans we have talked to across the state who want to see child killing not just reduced, limited, or restricted but ended in Kansas once and for all and you want to be part of a plan, tell everyone you know that you want the decision in your hands. Tell them you want to be able to vote on the single most critical vote of your life. Tell your family, friends, community leaders, church members, and legislators that you want the Personhood Amendment on the statewide ballot.

Do not leave this vote in the hands of anyone else. Don’t trust anyone to represent your position on child killing. The Personhood Amendment provides you a way to end abortion in Kansas and a plan in which to do it.

Rev. Benham is right, and it is long past time for the church of Jesus Christ to speak out boldly about the slaughter of the children. We have a way to end the killing in Kansas and it’s called the Personhood Amendment, but it looks like you will have to insist that it be put on the ballot. If you want to be heard by the powers that be in Kansas, you will have to speak loudly, clearly and persistently! Tell them, “I want to vote on the Personhood Amendment because I want to end the killing, NOW!”

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Miracle in Denver!

The Department of Justice has dropped all of its charges against Ken Scott.  That’s right!  Every civil charge brought against our great brother in the Lord Ken, has been dismissed.  \

Enjoy!

U.S. Department of Justice Drops ‘FACE’ Lawsuit Against Denver Pro-Lifer

DENVER, March 22, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — Today, Thomas More Society attorneys secured agreement from the U.S. Attorney General’s office to dismiss all of the civil charges pending against Denver pro-life advocate Kenneth Scott, who had been accused of physically obstructing clients and employees of the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains abortion facility. The Attorney General’s office filed suit last year in Denver’s federal district court, charging Scott with ten separate violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, asking the court to assess a $10,000 civil fine and an injunction keeping him 25 feet away from the abortion facility.

The agreement to dismiss the charges followed in the wake of a ruling last January by United States District Judge Philip Brimmer, denying the federal government’s bid for a preliminary injunction against Scott. Judge Brimmer ruled that the Attorney General had failed to prove that the government was reasonably likely to prevail at trial.

“This is a monumental vindication of the free speech rights of those who offer assistance at the nation’s abortion clinics,” said Peter Breen, executive director & legal counsel of the Thomas More Society, which represented Scott. “The charges against Scott, like a flurry of other charges the Justice Department recently has brought against pro-lifers all over the country, were fundamentally flawed and repugnant to the United States Constitution. The Government here sought to criminalize leafleting on a public sidewalk, which is clearly protected by the First Amendment, even when that leafleting occurs outside an abortion clinic.”

The Thomas More Society retained Denver attorney Rebecca Messall to assist with the defense of Scott. The agreement resulted after a settlement conference held this afternoon at the Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse in Denver.

A copy of the signed settlement agreement may be viewed here.

More information about the case can be found here.

About the Thomas More Society
Founded in 1997, the Chicago-based Thomas More Society is a national public interest law firm that seeks to restore respect in law for life, marriage, and religious liberty. The Society is a nonprofit organization wholly supported by private donations. For more information or to support the work of Thomas More Society, please visit www.thomasmoresociety.org.

Christian Newswire

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How to Remove The Gospel From the Streets

The devil never retreats from the ground he attempts to take unless the Church of Jesus Christ forces him to retreat.  This is just the way it is on this earth, whether or not we like it or agree with it.  The devil is always doing his best to shut us up.  This article in the Times –Picayune describes his latest attempt to remove street preachers from proclaiming Christ on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.  The preachers are still preaching out there as of today.  The police aren’t quite sure about this new city ordinance and how many suits are going to be leveled against the city.  If the Church of Jesus Christ rises up in New Orleans and storms the gates of hell on Bourbon street – believe me – the gates of hell will not prevail.  Never have, never will! ~ Flip

Published: Friday, January 27, 2012, 11:00 PM     Updated: Saturday, January 28, 2012, 7:55 AM

When the New Orleans City Council passed an ordinance in October prohibiting “aggressive solicitation” by people who allegedly harass or intimidate French Quarter residents and tourists while asking for money, it included a seemingly unrelated provision that attracted no attention at the time.

southern_decadence_opponents_bourbon_street.jpg

Alex Brandon, The Times-Picayune archiveAnti-gay campaigners were photographed on Bourbon Street during Southern Decadence in 2003.

That sentence, almost at the end of the eight-page ordinance, said: “It shall be prohibited for any person or group of persons to loiter or congregate on Bourbon Street for the purpose of disseminating any social, political or religious message between the hours of sunset and sunrise.”

Although the law, sponsored by Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer, spelled out the justification for the crackdown on aggressive panhandlers, it offered no explanation for the blanket ban on letting people assemble on Bourbon Street at night to voice their views on politics or religion.

When someone complained about the law this week, however, it was not to challenge it as an infringement on First Amendment freedoms. Instead, former mayoral candidate Leo Watermeier complained to Palmer and Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson in public emails that religious demonstrators, sometimes with large signs and bullhorns, have been showing up on Bourbon Street on Friday and Saturday nights, yet police have taken no action against them.

Watermeier wages an annual battle with the small group of anti-gay campaigners who show up during the Southern Decadence festival, using bullhorns and picket signs to convey their message that homosexuality is evil and that its public celebration during Decadence is particularly abominable.

Brendan McCarthy can be reached at bmccarthy@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3301. Bruce Eggler can be reached at beggler@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3320.

 

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Pro-Life Activist Prevails Against the U.S. Department of Justice

Here is more great information on Ken and Jo Scott and God’s intervention on their behalf against the tyranny of our own federal government.

Here’s the story via the thomasmooresociety.org website.

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