Folks-skis, this one's outta the book:
California megachurches rebrand as ‘family friendly strip clubs’ to protest
state’s Covid-19 restrictions (VIDEOS)
https://www.rt.com/usa/508039-california-churches-strip-clubs/
Two megachurches decided to open Sunday services with some safe-for-work
joke stripteases, in a cheeky protest against California’s closing down of
churches due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while letting strip clubs stay open.
Before the start of Sunday’s sermon, pastors at two churches opened with
short burlesque dance routines, taking off their jackets and even throwing
their ties into the cheering audience.
“Strip clubs (Not Churches) are exempt from the Covid lockdowns, and are
deemed essential by our governor!” said senior pastor of Awaken Church Jurgen
Matthesius on Instagram. “So we decided we are NOW Awaken family friendly strip
club!” he quipped.
The pastor then rolled with the joke, clarifying, “we strip the devil of
his hold, power & authority over people’s lives!”
With God working in mysterious ways, a similar bit was performed by
pastor Rob McCoy at Godspeak Calvary Chapel. “This is insane!” McCoy later said
of unequal rules set for churches and strip clubs in the state. “Cannot America
see the hypocrisy and the stupidity of all this?” he asked, calling the rules
“tyranny.”
...
So just to be sure, it's great to see churches putting their best feet forward
in the name of our rights to gather, to associate, to make our own individual
personal choices regarding the tradeoffs between safety and freedom, in our own
lives.
And to be sure to be sure, Glorious ACB, that is the recently appointed SCOTUS
Justice Amy Coney Barret, has delivered right on schedule the deciding balance
in favour of our rights and specifically naming the USA Constitution First
Amendment - this is a great day for human rights within our shared common
delusion and heralds solid SCOTUS rulings going forward:
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo - Supreme Court
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20a87_4g15.pdf
Justices lift New York's COVID-related attendance limits on worship ...
https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/11/justices-lift-new-yorks-covid-related-attendance-limits-on-worship-services/
This is an AWESOME portent - now might be the time to bring forth Second
Amendment matters, challendes etc, as well as more First Amendment matters.
One of the more powerful ways for such matters, perhaps the most powerful, is a
principled and peaceful activist, such as Manning, who will not compromise
their principle, not even for bail (WELL done Manning!) leading to a case which
then rises to SCOTUS, or is taken their on an application "to bring clarity by
way of a ruling" in that court's original jurisdiction - we can do something
like this in Oz, but the better way is often to hone the arguments in the lower
courts, to have that time to research and write submissions etc.
Notwithstanding "Nipples" Cuomo's dismissive tripe about this ruling, it
heralds an historic shift in the SCOTUS balance towards originalism, that is
the actual meaning of the constitution (and amendments) WHEN written, rather
than some modern "liberal" tripe.
Certainly our "liberal" enemies^Bbenefactors shall be less inclined to bring
forth extended arbitrary restrictions on our basic liberties given that doing
so opens the real possibility of such SCOTUS precedents being promptly
thereafter created by those on our side of the fence (get a room, believe what
you choose, make your own safety/liberty tradeoff choices, gather as you will,
speak as you will, etc).
We are all in this together.
On Sat, Nov 14, 2020 at 10:27:24AM +1100, Zenaan Harkness wrote:
> The fight is for all - YOUR right to accociate, YOUR right to believe
> whatever the flip you wish to believe, YOUR right to express your
> beliefs, to communicate in public and in private.
>
> You think "the left" is going to protect you, that -you- are such a
> virtuous atheist that you will be exempt from their purge?
>
> You think THIS time it's going to be different, and socialism is
> finally, finally going to work without the bloodshed?
>
> Consider forwarding this to those who might take action in support of
> our foundational rights.
>
> (If you are short on time, perhaps read the last 3 paragraphs.)
>
>
>
> Justice Alito's Warning to America
> Leah Barkoukis @LeahBarkoukis Posted: Nov 13, 2020 4:30 PM
>
> https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2020/11/13/justice-alito-federalist-society-address-n2580025
>
> During a keynote address to the Federalist Society on Thursday,
> Justice Samuel Alito spoke of the "unimaginable restrictions on
> individual liberty" that have taken place during the coronavirus
> pandemic.
>
> He further warned that religious liberty is "in danger of becoming
> a second-class right."
>
> Alito pointed to cases where COVID-19 restrictions "blatantly
> discriminated against houses of worship," such as in Nevada, where
> the state "was unable to provide any justification for treating
> casinos more favorably than other houses of worship."
>
> What happened in Nevada proved to be part of a broader trend, he
> argued.
>
> The foremost example of this disfavor in the justice’s mind was
> the court’s 1990 decision in Employment Division v. Smith,
>
> https://casetext.com/case/employment-division-department-of-human-resources-of-oregon-v-smith
> written by Justice Antonin Scalia, which “cut back sharply” on
> free exercise by establishing that religious groups are usually
> not entitled to faith-based exemptions from neutral, generally
> applicable laws. Alito lauded Congress for passing, with near
> unanimous support, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of
> 1993 to push back against this very decision. The Supreme Court
> is considering whether to overrule Smith this term in Fulton v.
> City of Philadelphia.
>
> http://scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/fulton-v-city-of-philadelphia-pennsylvania
> And the afternoon of Alito’s speech, the
> Catholic diocese in Brooklyn asked the court for emergency
> relief from New York’s coronavirus regulations similar to that
> previously sought by Calvary Chapel in Nevada.
>
> https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/11/brooklyn-catholic-diocese-asks-justices-to-block-limits-on-attendance-at-church-services/
> (SCOTUSblog)
>
> https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/11/at-federalist-society-convention-alito-says-religious-liberty-gun-ownership-are-under-attack/
>
> Questioning "whether our society will be inclusive enough to
> tolerate those with unpopular religious beliefs," he highlighted
> other recent examples such as "the protracted campaign against the
> Little Sisters of the Poor," Masterpiece Cakeshop, and the Ralph’s
> pharmacy case.
> https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/15-862.html
>
> "You can easily see the point, for many today, religious liberty
> is not a cherished freedom, it’s often just an excuse for bigotry
> and it can’t be tolerated, even when there is no evidence that
> anybody has been harmed. And the cases I just mentioned illustrate
> the point," he said. "As far as I'm aware, not one employee of the
> Little Sisters has come forward and demanded contraceptives under
> the Little Sisters' plan. There was no risk that Ralph’s referral
> practice would have deprived any woman of the drug she sought and
> no reason to think that Jack Phillips' stand would deprive any
> same-sex couple of a wedding cake. The couple that came to his
> shop was given a free cake by another bakery, and celebrity chefs
> have jumped to the couple’s defense."
>
> The First Amendment was not all that was on Alito's mind, however.
>
> “The ultimate second-class right in the minds of some is the
> Second Amendment,” the justice said. Looking to a case last
> term about firearm restrictions in New York City, Alito
> singled out a brief by five Democratic senators that suggested
> the court’s decision to take the case was evidence of its
> capture by moneyed right-wing interests and threatened to
> “restructure” the court.
>
> https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-280/112010/20190812151259076_18-280bsacSenatorSheldonWhitehouse.pdf
> The justices voted to dismiss the
> case rather than rule on the merits.
>
> https://casetext.com/case/new-york-state-rifle-pistol-assn-inc-v-city-of-new-york
> Although he was “not
> suggesting that the court’s decision was influenced by the
> senators’ threat,” Alito was “concerned that it might be
> viewed that way” by the senators and others who want to
> “bully” the justices. “The senators’ brief was extraordinary,”
> Alito continued. “It was an affront to the Constitution and
> the rule of law.” (SCOTUSblog)
>
> https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/11/at-federalist-society-convention-alito-says-religious-liberty-gun-ownership-are-under-attack/
>
> Reflecting on his 15 years on the court, Alito said much "good
> work has been done to protect freedom of speech, religious
> liberty, and the structure of government created by the
> Constitution."
>
> Ultimately, however, defending the Constitution is not in the
> hands of the judiciary alone. "For all Americans, standing up for
> our constitution and our freedom is work that lies ahead," he said
> in conclusion.
>
> And "it will not be easy work."
>
> Address by Justice Samuel Alito [2020 NLC Live]
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYLZL4GZVbA
>
