WhatFinger


Disappointed lesbian mayor discovers fascism hasn't progressed as much as she thought . . . yet.

VICTORY: Houston drops subpoenas of pastors



A humiliated Mayor Annise D. Parker and Houston city attorneys have backed off on their attempt to subpoena sermons from local pastors that dealt with the subject of homosexuality, or specifically, that mentioned the homosexual mayor.
In a stunning development for Parker, America's culture has apparently not yet yielded to fascism such that a public official can run roughshod over the First Amendment and demand that pastors turn over their sermons for inspection and possible legal sanction. At least not yet:
Convinced by clergymen from across the country that she had entered a raging national debate on religious freedom she wanted no part of, Mayor Annise Parker on Wednesday agreed to withdraw controversial subpoenas the city issued to five local pastors in connection with a lawsuit over Houston's equal rights ordinance. The mayor's announcement came amid an unabated firestorm over the subpoenas, particularly among Christian conservatives and Republican politicians, who blasted Parker for trying to "silence the church." Parker's decision represented the only viable political option, said University of Virginia law professor Douglas Laycock, a specialist in religious liberty law. Seeking so much material was inflammatory, he said, adding that much of what the city seeks can be obtained by other means.

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"There was so little that seemed relevant and legitimate," he said, "they were better to just completely withdraw them." This is really no cause for any huge celebration. Just because a big city mayor backed off a tactic reminiscent of the Third Reich doesn't mean it's happy days again for America. It's disturbing on many levels that the culture has slouched far enough toward Gomorrah that Parker even thought she might have a chance of getting away with this. This is just a momentary reprieve from the consequences we've got coming. We're still screwed, America, save for a highly unmerited act of mercy. It's also not the end of the story, or at least it shouldn't be. This all started because the City Council passed an insane law that basically obliterates the distinction between males and females for the purpose of governing who can use public bathrooms. A massive petition drive began to repeal the law, and when petitioners turned in more than enough signatures, city officials simply tossed them out on some flimsy grounds because that was what they wanted to do. It was only after a group of pastors joined a lawsuit against this city action that the city then proceeded to issue the subpoenas, not just against the pastors who were parties to the lawsuit, but against every pastor in the city. This was done under the guise of discovery in the lawsuit, but that was a crock. The evidence of that was that the subpoenas demanded any content that mentioned the mayor. Why do that? What does that have to do with the bathroom bill? Nothing. The mayor just wants to know who's criticizing her and her sexuality from the pulpit so she can find ways to use her power against them. In the meantime, the idiotic bathroom law remains in effect. I know the headline says VICTORY, but it's more like a tactical win in an isolated battle. As soon as the left thinks it's safe politically to try this again, they will.


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Dan Calabrese -- Bio and Archives

Dan Calabrese’s column is distributed by HermanCain.com, which can be found at HermanCain

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