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Religion Trumps Free Speech In Arizona

Started by Solitary, September 01, 2014, 04:10:50 PM

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Solitary

PHOENIX (Reuters) â€" A 22-year-old Arizona man calling himself "Dark Lord" has been arrested for allegedly burning a Bible and urinating on it outside a Christian-oriented homeless shelter in northern Arizona, police said on Friday.


Eric Minerault was booked into the Yavapai County Detention Center late on Thursday on suspicion of one count of unlawful symbol burning stemming from the incident at the Gospel Rescue Mission, Prescott police spokesman Lieutenant Ken Morley said in a written statement.

Police were called to the scene at about 9 p.m. by a mission representative reporting that someone was burning something on the mission’s front steps, Morley said.

Officers found Minerault standing on the steps, with a burned and wet Bible on the ground near him. He quickly admitted to the act.

He told officers the mission was selected because he believed it was a place of Christian worship and he was “cursing the Christians,” police said.

Asked why, officers reported that he said because he was the “Dark Lord.” Minerault was clad in black and was wearing a black-and-red robe and a pentagram necklace.

He remained at the detention center on Friday afternoon on the misdemeanor charge, sheriff’s officials said.

Dan Pochoda, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said the arrest raises questions as to whether Minerault’s First Amendment freedom of speech rights were violated.

But Pochoda, who was not familiar with the charge cited, said courts have upheld laws that bar symbols like crosses from being burned.


He should have just peed on it. 

And if you don't like it it, just do this: JACKSON, Miss. (AP) â€" A Mississippi sheriff says a man was beaten and shot two weeks after calling authorities to report a cross burning in his yard, and investigators are trying to determine whether the attack was prompted by people being upset that the man was visited by his mixed-race grandchildren.


Deputies were called to a disturbance Friday night in a rural community outside Raleigh. Craig Wilson had been shot in the stomach and was taken to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, said Smith County Sheriff Charlie Crumpton. He was in fair condition Tuesday, a hospital spokesman said.

Investigators heard "numerous" reports from relatives about what might have started a confrontation between Wilson and 37-year-old Jeff Daniels, Crumpton said. Among other things, the sheriff said investigators were checking whether it might have been connected to people being upset about visits from Wilson's mixed-race grandchildren. The children's mother is white, and their father is black, the sheriff said.
Solitary
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

Shiranu

Eh, the first guy sounds like he had it coming. If a Christian was to do the same outside an atheist place of business (I'm not sure what they would use, maybe "The God Delusion"?) I would be concerned that they were a threat to the safety of the owners.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

MagetheEntertainer

That dark lord guy sounds pretty stupid anyway, he probably just did it for attention.  I probably wouldn't be too happy about somebody burning ANY kind of book on the front steps of my house for fear that they might be trying to burn down my property.

Hakurei Reimu

Fires are legitimately serious business out west at the moment, due to droughts and all. In fact, I don't think I can think of a single city that permits open burning without a prior permit.

That dark lord fellow sounds fucking nuts, too.

But the granddaddy being shot for having mixed-race grandkids? What the fuck?
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Hurt

I don't agree with what he did but
Quoteunlawful symbol burning
should not exist in the United States.
Cui Bono

Jason78

I wonder what symbols are unlawful to burn?
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We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato

Green Bottle

The Dark Lord needs psychiatric help...   :clap: :wall:   

God doesnt exist, but if he did id tell him to ''Fuck Off''

Mike Cl

What is it with Arizona?  They need to be chipped off and moved between Alabama and Mississippi--easier to watch the idiots that way.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

AllPurposeAtheist

#8
Fire code violation at best, perhaps attempted arson and public urination which will put him on the sex offender list.. c'mon AZ... Get yer shit together and charge him with the real crimes and not the shit that tugs at emotions, but otherwise will likely get tossed out of court.. dipshits..
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AllPurposeAtheist

Hey, here in Columbia, SC they actually tossed a pastor in jail for a day because his pentecostal church was making to damned much racket singing and wooping it up in a residential neighborhood. See? They really ARE being persecuted for their faith.. I'll expect a huge natural disaster locally anytime soon as punishment from GOD! /snark
It already rained a little since then!
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Lachish

#10
Quote from: AllPurposeAtheist on September 13, 2014, 09:50:51 AM
Fire code violation at best, perhaps attempted arson and public urination which will put him on the sex offender list.. c'mon AZ... Get yer shit together and charge him with the real crimes and not the shit that tugs at emotions, but otherwise will likely get tossed out of court.. dipshits..

Yeah. My cousin stated a couple of his friends are now registered sex offenders for public urination in Arizona.

Edit: what he did is an arrestable offense no matter his immature rationalization.