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Taking Liberties: Arrested for reading the Bible?

Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

rocket88 said:
What would be your point in reading Green Eggs and Ham is the important question.
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Because he wanted to read Green Eggs and Ham. There doesn't have to be a reason. Public performers "perform" all the time on the street - they aren't charged with an illegal demonstration.

rocket88 said:
This guy knew he'd get arrested, which is why he went and did it, and why somebody taped it for him. It was a theatrical performance designed to be posted on YouTube and get the mindless sheep of the Religious Right all riled up.
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Perhaps he did - but then again, most everyone has a phone with recording capability on them these days, so to say it was obviously staged may not be the full truth, but it's certainly a possibility. And let's face it, they may have wanted to make a point - if that is the case, they certainly are making one.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
They were, according to reports, 50 feet from the DMV, therefore it's public property.
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It looked like they were in the parking lot. Parking lot is still on the property.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

soccerboy22 said:
Which apparently is a violation of this code in CA,
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Reports show the DMV was closed at the time, and they were 50 feet from the entrance. Are you alleging they impeded the business of a closed business?
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

rocket88 said:
It looked like they were in the parking lot. Parking lot is still on the property.
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Can you post the link that shows the parking lot is conclusively on DMV owned land?
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
They were, according to reports, 50 feet from the DMV, therefore it's public property.
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From my understanding, they were still in the DMV parking lot though, which still does not put them on public property.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

soccerboy22 said:
From my understanding, they were still in the DMV parking lot though, which still does not put them on public property.
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Link showing the parking lot is DMV property?
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
Reports show the DMV was closed at the time, and they were 50 feet from the entrance. Are you alleging they impeded the business of a closed business?
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No, I am saying, they were asked to leave, didn't and the cops were called.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Kal'Stang said:
The more appropriate question would be "what was he convicted of?". Just because a person is charged with something does not mean that they are guilty of something.
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Ok. What was he convicted of?
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

soccerboy22 said:
No, I am saying, they were asked to leave, didn't and the cops were called.
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And they didn't have to leave because what Meyer was doing is protected under the 1st Amendment - so they didn't, nor I think did they have to IMO.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
Link showing the parking lot is DMV property?
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Unless it is a shared lot with another place (kinda like a express DMV is sometimes), the DMV would be the only one to have it. Thus it is the DMV property.

I don't know how it is in other states, but in Nevada, if you are waiting before it opens you are waiting at one of the main DMV (like in Reno) and therefore it would be DMV property for that one.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
Perhaps he did - but then again, most everyone has a phone with recording capability on them these days, so to say it was obviously staged may not be the full truth, but it's certainly a possibility. And let's face it, they may have wanted to make a point - if that is the case, they certainly are making one.
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To me, what tells me it was staged was two things. His cohort turned to the camera and gestured as if to ask "are you getting all this?" Also, he had a prepared remark for when he got cuffed.

The video is inconclusive as to where this happened. In the parking lot is still on the property no matter how far away from the entrance. It wouldn't be the first time that government rented office space from a landlord. When I went to Immigration for my kids 3 1/2 years ago, that was in a storefront next to an actual retail store. That's most likely rented.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
And they didn't have to leave because what Meyer was doing is protected under the 1st Amendment - so they didn't, nor I think did they have to IMO.
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Actually if the guy reading the bible was threatening that people are going to go to hell if they don't repent, that could qualify as captive audience. Yes, I know it's a stretch, but I've seen things stretched way farther and win.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

TheNextEra said:
Actually if the guy reading the bible was threatening that people are going to go to hell if they don't repent, that could qualify as captive audience. Yes, I know it's a stretch, but I've seen things stretched way farther and win.
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It could, but it won't. Not in a court of law.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

rocket88 said:
To me, what tells me it was staged was two things. His cohort turned to the camera and gestured as if to ask "are you getting all this?" Also, he had a prepared remark for when he got cuffed.
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Could be... yet that doesn't really say much as to the legality. Perhaps Meyer wanted to be arrested and make this an issue. Who knows.

rocket88 said:
The video is inconclusive as to where this happened. In the parking lot is still on the property no matter how far away from the entrance.
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No that's not necessarily true. If this was in a strip mall or shared location with specific plots, the parking lot may be in the ownership of the actual land owner who sub-divided the area, or it may be part of the public domain.

rocket88 said:
It wouldn't be the first time that government rented office space from a landlord. When I went to Immigration for my kids 3 1/2 years ago, that was in a storefront next to an actual retail store. That's most likely rented.
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Then if it's rented, the DMV doesn't own it.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Ockham said:
And they didn't have to leave because what Meyer was doing is protected under the 1st Amendment - so they didn't, nor I think did they have to IMO.
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And I would agree with you if they were on public property. But from the link I provided to you in a different response, they still seemed to be on DMV property. But if they were, and it seems they were still on DMV property, you cannot disregard a request to leave by the security officer because of your first amandment rights.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Neal N. Bloeme said:
The church is going to win this if they use "captive audience" as the reason for arresting these men. This CHP officer is an idiot.
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I don't think they would win. If people testify they felt threatened, they could have a case. I've seen cases with less win.

Either way, I agree the cop was an idiot for the reason he gave about doing it on your own property as the sole reason.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

TheNextEra said:
Actually if the guy reading the bible was threatening that people are going to go to hell if they don't repent, that could qualify as captive audience. Yes, I know it's a stretch, but I've seen things stretched way farther and win.
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I rarely see Christians threaten people... it's possible just not very probable.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

When a Chaplin opens congress with a prayer, is he preaching to a "captive audience"?
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Neal N. Bloeme said:
It could, but it won't. Not in a court of law.
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Like I said, I've seen less cases win. I wouldn't bet on the church winning that's for sure.
 
Re: Man Arrested For Reading The Bible Out Loud

Neal N. Bloeme said:
When a Chaplin opens congress with a prayer, is he preaching to a "captive audience"?
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If he is threatening they will go to hell if they don't do something, Yes.
 
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