Sunday, May 19, 2013

The Day Free Speech Died in Winter Park, Florida part 2

Could it really happen in America? Could three citizens be arrested on the public sidewalk for reading a Bible, having a camera and holding a "Celebrate Life" sign?  I want to believe that this would not and could not happen in the country I love so dearly, but yesterday it did. 

 The city of Winter Park Florida thought that these three American citizens, were dangerous enough that they called in the city Swat team to body search, hand cuff and arrest fellow prolifers and friends Jay Rogers, Professor Pat McEwen, and Cheryl Bishoff.  They were then taken to the Orange County Jail for booking.

 So why did this city find it necessary to go to such measures to arrest three Christians on a public sidewalk?  Let's go back to last August when a group of peaceful Christians took to the streets and held a public witness in the neighborhood and residence of the newly promoted  CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando, Jenna Tosh.  On a sidenote , this particular center performs on an average of over 100 abortions per week!

 Almost immediately city commissioners of Winter Park went to the aide of Jenna Tosh and  passed a 60-day emergency ban on residential picketing aimed at a specific home.  Later, commissioners approved in a 4-1 vote an ordinance that would make the ban permanent, not without the packed house of concerned citizens expressing their utter dismay and opposition to this ban that prohibits free speech.  Mayor Ken Bradley was the only dissenting vote, expressing his opposition to the ban siting it unconstitutional.

 Since then, warriors for the lives of unborn human beings have gone back to publicly witness and share the truth of abortion in the neighborhood with police coming, telling the Christians they must leave, but never with the threat of arrest.  The police on both occasions seemed to be confused as to what the ordinance really enacted.
Which led to yesterday's Awareness Campaign leading to the arrests of my friends, who love the Lord with all their heart, mind and soul.  While they sat in the jail, we all stood outside of the jail holding signs, worshiping the Lord and praying that God would protect our brother and sisters in Christ and use them for the time they would be behind bars in jail, and that HE did!  

 This is only the beginning, but I believe with all my heart that this is what Jesus meant when He said to be the salt and light of the earth.  Please pray with us down here in Central Florida that God will use these unjust arrests to bring God glory and to challenge this ordinance that bans American citizens from their first amendment rights of free speech!
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8 comments:

  1. She-SheMay 19, 2013 at 6:09 PM

    Obama has named Christians and Pro-lifers as enemies and the brainless believe him. Obama has declared a war against all decent and moral people. Wake up you non-believers the Lord will soon come. Will you have sin mark you as unworthy?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jay RogersMay 20, 2013 at 6:35 AM

    I was there and everything Michele writes here is 100 percent accurate with one exception. The Winter Park SWAT team is often used on weekends to respond to calls as a matter of pure chance. We don't know for certain that they thought these peaceful evangelists were "dangerous."

    Or did they?

    And why did they have to bring a machine gun?

    Hmmm ...

    Of course, that makes the story more interesting. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. His servant for lifeMay 23, 2013 at 4:45 PM

    Yes, much more interesting......

    ReplyDelete
  4. blogmommaMay 28, 2013 at 7:40 AM

    ?? Not saying its right but were you on a sidewalk outside a business or residence? Also does this lady have a personal restraining order against any of you personally or against the church or group you are with??

    Did the police ask the demonstrators to disperse and they did not?

    I just need all the facts so i can wrap my brain around the situation. Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. His servant for lifeMay 29, 2013 at 5:08 AM

    Everyone participating was on a public sidewalk which is expressly protected by our First Amendment rights. And no, this woman does not have any restraining orders against us. The first time prolifers went out, the police came and thanked the prolifers for their conduct and peaceful ways. On the contrary, one of the police officers expressed his frustration over the utter lies that Mrs. Tosh had told the police in reference to the Christians. The police gave no warning whatsoever to the three Christians that were arrested. Thank God, it's all on video, the local swat team just walked up and arrested them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Matthew MontgomeryJune 28, 2013 at 1:19 PM

    more details from one of the arrested parties: http://www.forerunner.com/blog/tosh-40-winter-park-s-swat-team-responds-to-pro-life-campaign and http://www.forerunner.com/blog/tosh-41-busted-while-reading-the-bible-on-public-sidewalk and http://www.forerunner.com/blog/tosh-42-picketing-where-prohibited

    ReplyDelete
  7. His servant for lifeSeptember 24, 2013 at 7:35 AM

    Thanks Matthew!

    ReplyDelete
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