"DISORDERLY CONDUCT." Elim Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Church have both been CRIMINALLY cited, twice each, for the two worship services they held this past Sunday.
And, because the criminal citation form does not (yet) have a checkbox for "worshiping God" or "preaching the Gospel," the police -- at the direction of Mayor HeavyHand -- got creative and cited the churches for "Disorderly Conduct." That's what the police cite you for when you drink too much and get in a fight with others at the bar.
If this weren't so tragic, it would be extremely comical. Pastors and Churches cited for "Disorderly Conduct" because they held safe, socially-distanced worship services under the most careful and ordered conditions possible. Let that sink in!
Each citation (and there WILL be more) carries several hundred dollars in fines, to be established at a future court hearing where the Pastors and Churches will be required to appear.
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In the meantime, the federal court in neighboring Wisconsin has issued an injunction against the Small Business Administration, FORCING it to include STRIP CLUBS in the coronavirus financial relief program because: (THESE ARE ACTUAL QUOTES FROM THE COURT'S ORDER)
1) "nude dancing is a form of expression protected by the First Amendment";
2) "we have here a general law singling out a disfavored group [strippers] on the basis of speech content"; and
3) "the loss of First Amendment freedoms, FOR EVEN MINIMAL PERIODS OF TIME, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury. ... [The strippers] have shown that their inability to obtain [taxpayer relief money] will prevent them from exercising their First Amendment right TO PRESENT EROTIC DANCE ENTERTAINMENT."
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I promise you that I am not making this up. I could not be this creative. Pastors get cited for "Disorderly Conduct" and FINED hundreds of dollars for holding responsible, socially-distanced worship services, while strippers must be treated equally and given taxpayers funds so that they can exercise "their First Amendment right to present erotic dance entertainment."
If you think there is something wrong with this picture, join and PRAY for #LibertyCounsel, Pastor Cristian Ionescu, Pastor Daniel Chiu and the Romanian churches of Chicago, as we fight for Justice and to right this terrible wrong. This will not stand.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hmihet Vice President of Legal Affairs & Chief Litigation Counsel
LIBERTY COUNSEL
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