Gay-Hating Kansas Pastor Gets $14k Free Speech Award
“The city of Wichita will pay a Wichita pastor more than $14,000 as part of a settlement in a case stemming from his 2007 arrest at a gay pride event. In a consent order, issued this week, the city said Wichita police officers and the city violated Pastor Mark Holick’s “rights to free speech, due process, and free exercise of religion by arresting him based on his religious speech in a traditional public forum.” Holick, pastor of Spirit One Christian Center, received a settlement of $11,700 for damages and $2,500 for attorney’s fees, according to City Attorney Gary Rebenstorf. Holick was arrested on a charge of criminal trespassing at the June 2007 Pride Parade & Festival, which was held at Heritage Square Park in downtown Wichita. Holick had said that he had gone to the event to “communicate the gospel message” to people attending the parade and festival.” [Wichita Eagle]
Holick also was the fella behind this “Obama is a Muslim” billboard:
Wichita’s in Kansas, right? Can’t we, like, sell ‘em to France or something? They haven’t done anything since Wizard of Oz…
Probably a nuisance settlement. I.e., not worth the cost of litigating. To the extent that they did violate his free speech rights, they ought to pay.
I bet the good reverand wouldn’t like it if the gays came to his church to spread the “good news” of acceptance.
where do these fundies get off hiding under “freedom of…”, when they just want to use it to take away other peoples’ rights?
Josh, there is a constitutional difference between what can be said in a public place or forum (for instance outside in a space which those hearing the speech may exit) and what can be said in a enclosed, religious oriented space where a community is having a service. In fact allowing anyone to come into any religious service and say or do what they want would violate the freedom of religion, speech, assembly of those worshiping. It saddens me that so many gay people cannot accept that the price we pay for freedom is allowing others to be free.
To put it in as simple terms as possible (in the hopes that even you can understand this) would you accept anti-gay fundamentalists having the right to walk into the services of the Metropolitan Community Churches and proclaim their message.
The pastor is hot….I´d do him
I wish America would ban religion already, it’s a pain in the ass having to deal with all this crap because religion says so.
Religious zealot:”Religion say this, you can’t do it…”
Government:”oh look he’s right…guess we can’t”
the government is too lax with religion, especially because they have so many fucking rights, we barely have any, and everytime we almost get them, another religious zealot points to another fucking bible and says you can’t do it. I wish the government would just get its balls back and say stfu church.
@Josh: What a great idea. I hope someone tries it (outside his church of course,don’t want anyone getting arrested for trespassing).
@Zocotroco:
Such homophobes are typically self-loathing closet cases, so chances are this guy would like to, or has taken it up the ass.
I read the headline thought instantly great Phelps the bigoted fool got money. Nope it turns out to another guy.
I googled this place and found their website and asked them for information about attending their congregation along with my same sex partner.
Maybe more people should express a similar interest!
Outside, of course!
And we all know that Jesus is so hard to find in the USA that he had to go to a Pride event to try to “convert” folks. Ok, they shouldn’t have violated his freedom of speech, but this seems like a publicity stunt to me. We have public nuisance laws in my state and it sounds like he is one.
And if he REALLY wanted to try to convert people at the Pride event, put your money where your mouth is and RENT a booth. Then anyone interested could stop by for a chat.