Christian Civic League to Sue Maine House Clerk
From the CCL daily email newsletter (take with a pound of salt):
Pro family activist Joan R. Gibson of Levant Maine took time off work yesterday to spend her day in the people's house, the State House. That was not, however, the only time she spent being a good citizen. She spent hours preparing multiple page handouts for all 186 elected officials who work in the building. Her Senate distribution yesterday went off without a hitch. Her distribution in the House of Representatives, however, was forbidden after it was labeled "hate speech." It was, of course, nothing of the sort. Her literature laid out an argument against homosexuality that cites a large number of sources, many of them homosexual writers or advocates. [...]
Joan was taken into the Clerk's office -- after a 90 minute wait -- and told by the Clerk, with a witness present, that her literature was "hateful." And the Clerk refused to allow the distribution.
The League's lawyer believes this case is actionable under both the Federal Constitution and the Federal Civil Rights Act. Joan Gibson has agreed to move forward with legal action. A letter is in the works to begin the process.
Visit the new Maine Politics.
posted by @ 8:25 PM 
2 comments
2 Comments:
Ms. Gibson may have a case. The Supreme Court has made clear that if the government makes a forum available, it can't censor the speech based on content.
I know that to have anything distributed in the House, a House member must ask that the material be distributed on their behalf. If Ms. Gibson had such a sponsor, I do not see how the Clerk could legally refuse to distribute the material.
Posted by George
I wish someone would sue the CCL for using the word "Christian" in their name. I've read and reread the Bible but I still can't find the passage where Jesus says "Blessed are those who hate gays and lesbians." Maybe it's in the King George (W) version?
Posted by David