Republican Supply-side Jesus (not the real one) must be very disappointed that a Dearborn, MI jury denied him a permit to demonstrate the hatred Republican pseudo-Christians have for other faiths at the local Mosque. Nevertheless, the case involves some critical issues.
The Rev. Terry Jones said he intends to return to Dearborn, Mich., this week to protest outside City Hall against what he called a violation of his First Amendment rights. The Quran-burning pastor from Florida was briefly jailed by Dearborn police Friday after a trial stemming from an unusual complaint filed by Wayne County prosecutors.
"It was a total violation of our constitutional rights," Jones said Saturday from Detroit Metro Airport, where he waited for a flight to Florida. "It was a mockery of the judicial process."
He’s considering suing Wayne County and Dearborn authorities, he said, and he plans a rally Friday.
County prosecutors filed a complaint Friday to keep Jones away from the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, saying his plans would breach the peace. A jury sided Friday with prosecutors, and Jones was led to jail and ordered not to appear at the mosque for three years.
"I was shocked," Jones said. "I was horrified."
"We were arrested and had not even committed a crime. … It was clearly influenced by the mosque."
Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. said the constitutional right to free speech cannot interfere with public safety, which was his concern if Jones protested at the mosque… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <The Star-Telegram>
On a personal level, I could not be more pleased to see the evil this man and his Republican minions intended fail. That he foolishly refused to pay nota $1 peace bond and went to jail for it brings a smile to my face.
However, there is the First Amendment it consider. On the one hand, it is not an absolute right. I like to say, “My rights end at the tip of your nose.” Free speech does not cover libel, defamation of character or perjury. I may not yell “fire” in a crowded theatre. During the 2004 and 2008 Republican conventions, I complained vehemently that protestors were relegated to free speech zones, far from the action and press coverage. As badly as I personally want Jones so treated now, how can I support it without being a total hypocrite?
What about the right of Muslim citizens? Don’t they have the right to worship free from harassment brought on by Republican hate?
This is a new issue, as it is the first time in my lifetime that a major political party has actively endorsed hatred and recruited individuals and groups that practice it. Twenty years ago, people like Jones cowered and kept their mouths shut, not wanting to face public outrage from all quarters. But that’s before the Republican Party made hate socially acceptable.
I wish I had a solution. I need to think on this some more.
10 Responses to “Republican Hate Monger Claims Rights Violated”
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1) On Alter road there is no public parking this is where the Islamic Center is located
2) There are 4 other Christian churches right alongside of the IC, his demonstration would have caused severe disruption to their Good Friday services, with the possibility of forcing the churches to cancel them as well as disrupting the Muslims right to pray at their mosque
3) The original peace bond was $50,000, after the jury came back and said that his demonstration most likely would disturb the peace of the community the court ordered it reduced to $1. Which he still refused to pay. The judiciary in MI has upheld the Peace Bond law since 1927. If he had paid the peace bond he would have been allowed to protest but not on Alter road. He was jailed because he said in open court that he would not comply with any ruling that did not give him his way. As a part of his ruling the judge said he must not approach the IC for a period of three years. Beyond that he could have gone anywhere in Dearborn to protest. Ford road for example is the main street through Dearborn and many more Muslims would have seen and heard him there than would have at the IC. Of course the police on a busy thoroughfare would have a harder time protecting Mr. Jones than if he had gone to a “free speech zone”
4) 5 applications for a demonstration permit were submitted to the city of Dearborn including one from the IC itself. All 5 were denied well in advance of this ass’ trip to Dearborn.
5) Most of them who were outside of the courthouse in a posture of demonstration against Jones and Sapp were not Muslims but activists from around the metro area and were not Muslims.
6) One of the applications submitted, investigated and denied but their people showed anyway were Ku Klux Klan members. Though their presence was not a consideration of the court and the jury only heard the official name of the group without any back ground info on who they were, their presence alone would have started trouble.
7) The evening before the trial Jones “accidentally” discharged his weapon in or outside his rental car in a television station parking lot where he did an interview sitting next to an Imam of the IC. The police did NOT confiscate his weapon because MI has reciprocal rights with Fl concerning gun permits. yet this incident shows the mans instability and he admitted in court that he would be at this demonstration armed. (Not that that would have helped him much seeing as almost everyone around here carries legally or illegally)
8) The man got what he wanted, attention for himself and his congregationless church. he admitted in court that after his original threat to burn a Quran all of his members except for himself, Sapp and Sapp’s wife who is the contact person and secretary for the church, had abandoned his church.
9) If he returns to protest outside of the courthouse next Friday he’s more than welcome. If he disturbs the peace or causes a disruption of the peace he will be criminally charged and he will then go to the Wayne County Jail until he meets his bail, which this time will be more than a dollar.
10) Though no one really wants to hear his hate filled rants against radical Muslims (why doesn’t he go to the Middle East to give his speeches) no one is tying to stop him but rather making sure they are given in a public place can accommodate a demonstration and a counter demonstration. The sidewalk across the road from the IC was not large enough to accommodate either. The churches and mosque are private property and neither side had permission or the right to gather in those parking lots and before the trial all of the parking lots beginning the night before were blocked by Wayne County Sheriff’s vehicles.
11) Dearborn City Complex is public property and if he comes back he will not be in violation of the judges restraining order but i doubt he has filed the required paper work for a permit to demonstrate with the city. So he is inviting a commanding police presence there for his illegal rally.
All of that said the judge was tolerant of his babbling, he walked into court in violation of the courts dress code and was not censured for it, he was not charged for court costs which is common practice here and finally in my opinion though he be a pot stirrer, a racist and a bigot I think the entire intent is for him to rack up air miles so he and Sapp can go demonstrate at a nude beach somewhere. When he returns i am sure we will all be holding signs that say “Welcome to Michigan Motherfucker Thank you for helping the economy prick”
Anything this odious person has to say he has shown he can easily say it world wide through you tube or live stream. Hell maybe if he asks nicely enough Paul Ryan will pay his way here. Henry Ford (home to Ford Motor company) was as bigoted as they come but he hated Jews so in another day he may have been welcome in Dearborn. Just not last Friday
Mark, your comment is magnificent. Points well taken.
” . . . it is the first time in my lifetime that a major political party has actively endorsed hatred and recruited individuals and groups that practice it.”
TomCat, where do you see this trend going in the next few years? How will this trend transform our political landscape?
Ahab, that depends. Both the Federalist and Whig parties got very ugly in their last throes, so I’m hoping this is a sign af the same for the Republican Party. Unless successful in establishing fascist one party rule, they will have to moderate to survive. If they do or go under, the hate-base will crawl back under their sheets in hiding. On the other hand, if they succeed, Germany’s past could become our future.
As a proud card-carrying ACLU member, and as someone who cherishes our First Amendment rights, I am glad to see the ACLU of Michigan offering their help to Terry Jones. I firmly believe that any right that I may have not to be offended by someone’s words/deeds most assuredly does NOT trump another person’s rights to say whatever they want – no matter how noxious, obnoxious, stupid or hate-mongering it may be.
That said, and while this case should be decided on First Amendment grounds, I’m just not sure doing so means that Jones automatically prevails. From what I’ve read (and the further excellent background details provided by TWM), it appears that the issue before the jury was whether Jones should get his permit for the location and time he wanted – not what he was going to say/do or whether he first had to post some type of security bond.
IANAL, but I do recall that SCOTUS has put in place what are commonly referred to a Time, Place and Manner (TPM) restrictions on our freedom of speech:
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Time,+Place,+and+Manner+Restrictions
So it looks like the compelling concern was whether Jones can get a permit to hold his rally at the mosque at the time he wanted. It would seem that denying him such a permit at that specific location at that specific time where it’s likely to cause a major traffic disruption does NOT impinge his First Amendment rights.
Nameless, I did not know of that precedence. Keeping Democratic demonstrators far away during the Republican convention was unconstitutional. Blocking Jones was not.
I am also a proud card carrying ACLU member.
Mr. Terry Jones is a rabble rouser. Hate speech is not protected under the first amendment, nor is disrupting the rights of others to peacefully celebrate their own sacred practices. He should have been jailed and he should be henceforth ignored.
Welcome Sharon! 🙂
I agree, but there is a problem. The right-biased MSM thrive on stuff like this. The more controversial it is, the more more soap it sells. Hence, if it bleeds, ir leads.
At that point, unless the left treats the issue sensibly, the only information available is right wing distortion.
TWM and Nameless – thank you both for that excellent background info. Thinking about a high Christian holiday and a service at the Islamic center- that alone would cause a major traffic disaster. Adding in a demonstration from that asshole would have turned that into a major traffic nightmare. Why not have it on Ford Dr., where he has a good chance of getting run over? 👿
May I suggest railroad tracks? 😈