You can have free speech at the court house if you have $500,000 insurance

[madfloridian]

Remember the uproar in our county last year about the nativity scene in front of the courthouse in Bartow, Florida? A Baptist church sneaked onto the grounds during the night to put it up, though already forbidden to do so.

Then along came this sign:


Now we find the ACLU is testing this $500,000 insurance requirement, just ahead of a Baptist church here.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051202/NEWS/512020363/1134

ACLU Request Faces Decision
County to decide whether to enforce its rule requiring $500,000 of insurance on displays.

BARTOW -- A new showdown over free speech begins today.

County officials are expected to decide whether to approve or reject an application from the American Civil Liberties Union to use the new free speech zone outside the county administration building.

The ACLU's application does not include the county's required $500,000 insurance policy, which has been a controversial element of the new free speech zone.

"It is a test of the policy," said Rebecca H. Steele, director of the ACLU's West Central Florida office in Tampa. "From the research I've done, the $500,000 insurance requirement is too onerous . . . it's an unconstitutional chilling of free speech."

The ACLU may challenge the issue in court if the application is rejected, Steele said during a phone conversation with The Ledger on Thursday.

"If the county denies it, we'll look at their basis for denial and move from there," she said.

County Attorney Joe Jarret said he expects to make a decision on the ACLU's application today.

Free speech is expensive in more ways than one.

[ixion]

1. get yer Free Speech right here... only half a million

:eyes:

the mind boggles.

[coyotespaw]

2. But Fox News told me the ACLU were bad people who hated Christmas

there must be some freeper heads exploding over this, assuming they ever find out.

[madfloridian]

3. SO, did the First Baptist Church of Bartow pay for the 500,000 insurance?

"It narrowly nipped the First Baptist Church of Bartow, which set up the Nativity scene last year. The church also submitted an application last week to use the site."

Are they really that afraid we are going to steal their Christmas away from them, to spend so much of church tithes on this issue?

Or did they pay it. More to come.

[Cronus Protagonist]

4. It's INSURANCE, so the actual cost would be much less

FYI - not that I care either way.


http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

[madfloridian]

5. I changed the subject line, and I do care a lot.

I care because it is going against the previous policy and pandering to the Southern Baptists who called me unpatriotic for opposing the war.

I care very much.

[DBoon]

6. Could the insurance be revoked for a controversial exhibit?

You would lose your coverage if the topic or presentation pissed off enough people?

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. I would insure my exhibit for $500,000 easily

Just insure it against attack by alien spacecraft. The cost will be cheap and the insurance company will never have to pay out....

...just a thought.