Pastor Terry Jones to appeal ruling in Dearborn

[Bragi]

Source: Detroit Free Press

The Rev. Terry Jones is to file an appeal today in Wayne County Circuit Court over a Dearborn court's decision against him last week that thwarted his plans to protest outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, an attorney said Monday.

"It was a clear violation of the First Amendment's right to free speech," said Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel for the Ann Arbor-based Thomas More Law Center, which is representing Jones.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110426/NEWS05/104260398/1001/news?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freepLocalNews+%28freep.com+|+Local+News%29

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I don't support Jones' views in the slightest, and I think his legal representatives are politically-driven polarizing bigots.

Having said that, I support this appeal because the original judges ruling is a free speech disaster that basically gives mobs who threaten violence the power and right to limit the free speech of others.

I fully expect the appeal to be successful all the way to the SC, if necessary. I hope the ACLU gets directly involved.

- B

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. Yeah, Jones is a dirtbag

This is a matter of free speech and he should be allowed to protest.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. We desperately need to avoid giving legitimacy to the Hecklers Veto

[cleanhippie]

3. agreed. there is no free speech unless we protect speech we disagree with.

Jones is scum, IMO, but he has the same rights as we all do to protest whatever he wants.

[atreides1]

6. True

But, the reality is that the community also has the right to protect its citizens from any possible dangers that might be the results of that protest.

From what I read he was just being asked for a peace bond.

Peace Bond
It is a court order where it requires a person to deposit a sum of money as bond that would guarantee that he/she would not bother or threaten the other person and will not commit a breach of peace. If the same person is found to bother or violate such agreement, the bond will be forfeited and it can lead to arrest as well.


It's like insurance...if there isn't any trouble, then you get your money back.

[Bragi]

11. You wrote:

the reality is that the community also has the right to protect its citizens from any possible dangers that might be the results of that protest.

The intent of the ruling was not to protect bystanding citizens from danger.

The only people purported to be in danger were Terry Jones and any protesters who joined him who the court felt might be in danger from illegal violent acts committed by people opposed to their views.

[PavePusher]

12. Cool. So, we can apply it to voting too, amIrite?

If your candidate wins the election, you get your money back....

[Yo_Mama]

17. So if someone objects to what you want to say enough to smack you down

Only a person with the money has the right to speak?

The Supreme court has been quite negative about this theory.

Demonstrating is not bothering or threatening. What the county did was to make it illegal for this guy to protest. Worse, it arrested him before he even did anything. This is the most serious type of anti-free speech activity, and the SC will not tolerate this.

Personally I think Jones should have his ass kicked - there's something about demonstrating outside of places of worship that generally sparks my NO-meter - but it is essential for the rule of law that it not be the government which kicks his ass.

Bragi is quite right that such theories and actions were used to try to suppress the southern civil rights effort. And this is why I cannot believe this is happening now, after all this should have been settled.

I might not like it, but I'll defend anyone's right to picket or demonstrate peacefully. And no one should be arrested for speech or expressive conduct that has not been offered.

[Dogtown]

4. Complete agreement.

Still, I hope the appeal costs those jerks a fortune.

[Bragi]

5. Probably won't cost Jones anything

I think Jones is basically a pauper. However, the legal foundation that is backing the appeal is a right wing anti-Sharia group that is probably well-funded by the Kochs or some other dubious right wing source.

I figure their money will be happily spent in exchange for all the PR their cause will get as a result of the appeal of this court ruling.

That's why I want to see the ACLU get involved. They can focus on the rights issue without defending and promoting the views being expressed.

[AlbertCat]

7. Free speech...Yeah!

But, IMHO... because of what we know about the situation...

this is yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded theatre.

Pastor Jones can protest in a less volatile area.... like the Westboro protesters. His protest is not the issue... the issue is location.

[Bragi]

9. This is nothing like yelling fire in a crowded theatre

This is someone whose right to free speech was curtailed by a judge because it was felt that people opposed to his views would engage in illegal violence.

In short, Jones' right to free speech is being curtailed by people threatening violence against him.

If this ruling had stood in the 1960s, then violent racists would have been allowed to silence Martin Luther King.

[PavePusher]

13. Ah, "Free-speech Zones", amIrite?

[nykym]

8. So let him speak and hold his protest

No bullhorns or microphones, no shouting, voice levels must be kept to a minimum and will be monitored, no signs larger than 8.5" x 11". no blockage of traffic patterns, no littering etc. etc. Make it as difficult for him to carry out his protest as Bush did to protesters.

[Bragi]

10. So Bush should be our standard for free speech tolerance?

I don't think so.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. So how much does he want for damages?

I'm sure he's in it for the money.

So the city didn't grant him permission to cause a traffic jam on a road with five churches on Good Friday? The city offered alternative sites, but not in a spot that would block traffic.

And now he's represented by Tom Monaghan's (Domino Pizza) Thomas More Law Center, a rabid Catholic/Christian source of lawsuits.

http://www.thomasmore.org/default-sb_thomasmore.html?607348584

I'm sure Monaghan, the lawyers, and Terry Jones will make out like bandits on this deal. Hell, maybe Jones will be able to afford a suit to wear to court. Or at least a leather jacket without all the scuff marks.

:hi:

[Bragi]

15. What makes you think $ motivate him?

Jones is virtually a pauper and there is no evidence I can see that he is motivated by money. He seems to be motivated simply by his Bible-based extreme Xian religious views.

Thanks for the info on the Thomas More Centre. I agree it looks to be a radical Xian front group.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

16. I hope there's no big money involved

the city doesn't need the expense. The cop overtime etc from his visit last week was pegged around 50k.