A legal skirmish is brewing in Chicago, over the issue of public prayer outside a Planned Parenthood facility.
From FOX:
A Chicago man says he’s fighting charges of disorderly conduct for simply standing on a public sidewalk and praying.Joseph Holland, a 25-year-old graduate student at Northwestern University, says he was standing still praying the rosary outside a Planned Parenthood facility in downtown Chicago July 3 when police arrested him for violating the city’s new “Bubble Zone” ordinance.
The law, passed in October, states that a person cannot approach within 8 feet of another person without consent “for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education or counseling” within 50 feet from any health care facility.
It also says a person cannot “by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction” intentionally interfere with any person entering or leaving any health care facility.
But Holland says he didn’t approach or interfere with anyone.
“I was just standing by the building praying the rosary and one of the Planned Parenthood volunteers came up to me and started yelling at me that I needed to move 8 feet away, but the thing is I didn’t actually approach anyone; I was just standing by the building and the building doesn’t actually have a bubble,” Holland told FoxNews.com.
You can read more at the link, and see Joseph Holland in action, below.
posted August 2, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Dear Deacon Greg:
At least in this instance you have a real law that exists on the books, even if it is being manipulated to achieve that which it was not designed for.
In Canada, we have thought police with our Human Rights Commissions, but here in Ontario we have a weird temporary injunction that was created in 1994 by the leader of the provincial government, and his Attorney General, which created a 60 foot bubble zone around abortion clinics.
Linda Gibbons has been arrested countless times and is currently spending about her 600th consecutive day in jail for defying this temporary order.
http://freethroughtruth.blogspot.com/2010/07/linda-gibbons-real-pro-life-hero.html
She is a real pro-life hero, and young Mr. Holland may get to join her.
God Bless You
Michael Brandon
posted August 2, 2010 at 4:09 pm
We are living in an Orwellian 1984, a Huxley’s Brave New World. The persecutions are going to get worse.
posted August 2, 2010 at 4:17 pm
The clinic appears to have two individuals manning the door and Mr. Holland appears to be standing in or near the one to the right’s spot. Joe should have had the common decency to take a step or two to his left.
Is Joe praying to God or the doorman? Really.
posted August 2, 2010 at 4:40 pm
a person cannot approach within 8 feet of another person without consent “for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education or counseling” within 50 feet from any health care facility.
I’m a litle confused. If no one is supposed to display a sign within 8 feet, then at least one of the guys is violating that rule.
I’m not pro-abortion. I also believe in these two men’s right to pray to pray near an abortion clinic. However, the guys are standing right next to the door. Then to act as if they don’t know why in the world they were arrested is like my little brother sticking his hand an inch away from my arm saying, “I’m not touching you… I’m not touching you…”
Just confused by this. Maybe someone could explain.
posted August 2, 2010 at 9:02 pm
BUT SNEAK into our COUNTRY steal someones ideas..smuggle in drugs, fly the MEXICAN FLAG and get a FREE PASS to get away with anything you want to do. BARACK IS COMMITTING TREASON on this country…
posted August 2, 2010 at 9:03 pm
*That’s steal SOMEONE’s I.D’… Sorry for the typo
posted August 2, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Dee Dee, what the heck are you talking about and what does it have to do with the topic at hand?
posted August 3, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Dee Dee
I am wondering when Barack is going to be blamed for the sun to be setting on us….or rising for that matter!
posted August 3, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Follow the rules, don’t get arrested. Rather simple, right?
posted August 4, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Here in Obama’s hometown, all animals are equal, just some are more equal than others. It would appear that the rights of free speech and free assembly are gone if one is a faithful & devout Catholic in Chicago. It would also appear that the clinic “deathscorts” can attack anybody with impunity; you should really show some of those video clips as well.