A Georgia man is threatening to sue the city of Ringgold after he claims his constitutional rights were violated by police last Friday night, when officials asked him to stop bothering strangers’ children about his beliefs in the Christian deity figure Jesus Christ.
Cleveland, GA resident Daryl Banther and his 8-year-old son were reportedly handing out religious pamphlets and questionnaires at an annual celebration in Ringgold when he was confronted by the city manager and chief of police, who interrupted his proselytizing because a parent filed a police report about a strange man in the parking lot approaching children.
He left after repeated requests and was not arrested, but Banther vowed to return the next day. He then contacted the media and informed a reporter for WTVC-TV that he did just as promised, returning on Saturday night to find that he was not hassled at all.
Appearing on camera, he claimed that Christians no longer have any rights in America, then seemed aghast that an atheist could possibly file a lawsuit to force government officials to stop showing a preference for a religion.
“They were all harassing me because I have a constitutional right to do what I was doing,” Banther insisted. “If I’m anything else, I have rights,” he said. “…But as a Christian, we have rights no more. They’re taking all the Christian rights away and I’m going to stand for what’s right this time.”
Apparently "standing for what's right" did NOT include following the guidelines in place for the event.
The city told the station in a prepared statement that the event, the 1890s Day Jamboree, has “established procedures” for participation, like getting approval to put on any kind of exhibit. “Those exhibiting must have prior approval, and have a booth to operate the activity they are conducting,” the statement explained.
So it wasn't that he was handing out information that was the problem, the problem was he was that he had not bothered to get approval or sign up for a booth, like every other participant had done.
But wait, it gets better!
Despite the man’s insistence that America has taken all the rights away from Christians, the city-sponsored event last Friday evening was a southern gospel music festival, featuring The Heritage Quartet among others.
Yes this poor guy had his Christian beliefs attacked at a Christian music festival, containing booths that offered Christian materials and pamphlets by individuals who could follow the rules. The poor bastard!
This idea that Christians are losing their rights or being persecuted in this country is so ridiculous that you almost cannot believe that anybody really thinks it to be true. But these people are told repeatedly that the forces of darkness are arrayed against them and ANY time they are restricted from an activity they immediately believe THEY, or their religion, are under attack.
You know there's a reason they call it a "persecution complex."
“But these people are told repeatedly that the forces of darkness are arrayed against them and ANY time they are restricted from an activity they immediately believe THEY, or their religion, are under attack.”
ReplyDeleteThis; I’ve been told I was demon-possessed many times, when I burst someone’s sense of entitlement.
As an aside, I sometimes muse on how many of these people are sincere, and how many are just part of a club that can’t refuse them. I had an aunt overhear two young ministers laughing at the true believers during some sort of Lutheran convention. She was a devout old lady and she was devastated.
This guy is perfect baby daddy for Bristol.
ReplyDeleteDarwin meets Romney! Seamus and the kid!
ReplyDeleteWhile driving on the Pennsylvania turnpike, we saw a little girl locked up in a cage with a dog in the bed of a pick up truck
imgur.com/hIbnDoZ
"A Pennsylvania couple was arrested Monday night after motorists spotted them allegedly transporting their 10-year-old daughter inside a dog cage on the back of a pickup. "
www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/28/pennsylvania-parents-arrested-after-driving-daughter-in-dog-cage/
they all fantasize about being martyrs.
ReplyDeletewww.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/28/disabled-atheist-blogger-really-doesnt-want-your-prayers/
ReplyDeleteA disabled 22-year-old Duke University graduate named Megan has started a blog to discuss her experiences with aggressive Christians who want to lay hands on her and pray in an effort to heal her. According to The Friendly Atheist, Megan, who has a rare connective tissue disease called epidermolysis bullosa, had heard people all her life asking, “What’s the matter with Megan?” and has named her blog “The Matter with Megan” in response.
”Having a visible disability is like shark bait for ignorant people lacking scruples,” she wrote in a blog post called “Please Don’t Pray with Me (In Airports)”. “I swear, the mere sight of crutches is like blood in the water.”
She needs a taser to keep these Xtian Nutcakes away. Filing battery charges against those that actually touch her would be a good idea too.
And America points and laughs. Hard right-wingers like this moron think Muslims are deathly afraid of/repealed like vampires by bacon rather than simply don't eat it.
ReplyDeleteThe best part is that from what I've read and heard, Allah is actually a pretty understanding and forgiving dude when it comes to shit he forbids. So like, if it was "eat pig or starve" you could totally eat pig as a devout Muslim and Allah would be cool about it. But no, clearly if some bigot like Todd dangles it in front of you or throws it at you or some shit you won't get to go to heaven or whatever.
These zealots don't think they have to play by the rules and then they're all "help help I'm being oppressed!" What about my right not to have you try to shove your religion down my throat?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Pat, that is what THEY call being oppressed. It is our complaints about their big freaking mouths and their loud clamoring for Christian teachings in public schools that causes them to claim they are being attacked when we try to stop them.
DeleteAnd it is simply impossible to make them understand that WE have rights, also.
And, MAN!, do they get mad when you prove to them - or at least use proof anyone else would accept - that we have those same rights and also that this is NOT a christian country. It simply causes their brain to shut down if you try to explain that while a majority of people in this country may CLAIM to be christians, it is NOT a christian nation - by law!
And it is the "by law" part they can't seem to grasp. Or that they want to change.
It's the fanatic in them. And fanaticism for ANY reason is dangerous!
I would LOVE to see a recording of what happens to this guy (or at least what SHOULD happen to this guy) if he gets into court. Personally, if I were a judge and this nut came before me, I would fine his ass without hearing his suit, simply because he failed to do what everyone else DID - apply for a permit and booth.
He broke the law. Make him PAY for it!
If he had been denied the ability to get a permit and a booth, then maybe he could whine legitimately. And the ACLU would be there to help him, since that's what they do -- make sure that all voices are heard. Since he didn't bother to follow the rules set down for the exhibition, then he's got no complaint.
DeleteI'd complain to the police if he bothered me or my children, and that would be MY Constitutional right to do so.
To paraphrase Uncle Buck (John Candy): "Here's a quarter. Go hire a rat to chew those things off your neck."
ReplyDeleteAtheist Charity raises over $100k for Blitzer'ed Oklahoma Tornado Survivor
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/28/1212095/-Atheist-Charity-raises-over-100k-for-Blitzer-ed-Oklahoma-Tornado-Survivor
Stupid should hurt.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great if it DID?
DeleteTrust me, sometimes stupid does hurt.
DeleteI have the hospital bracelet to prove it.
12:43, it is only stupid if you do it AGAIN - which, of course, is what these idiots keep doing! OVER ...AND OVER ...AND OVER ...AND....
DeleteMaybe THAT'S why we dislike them so much.
Christians are above the law. Things like permits do not apply to them. A strange zealously religious man approaching children - what could go wrong?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we start teaching Civics again in our K12 education system. Then maybe by the time some of these kids grow up they'll have a clue as to what their "constitutional rights" to be an asshole really includes.
ReplyDeleteCivics is still taught in many schools in the country. I taught civics for 33 years in a small school system in GA, until I retired from teaching in GA in 2009. A major problem in some small towns/systems in GA is that you can teach civics, but the churches and parents teach their kids things which conflict with civics. It seems, imo,that a type of religious brainwashing takes place in areas like this. Everyone the kids come into contact with believe the same things and they exert tremendous pressure on them to conform. This oftentimes causes the kids to ignore what they learned in civics and embrace what they learn in their churches and from their parents. I had shown presidents' back-to-school messages to my students for years, but many of the students didn't get to watch President Obama's message because he's a "Muslim." Many people wouldn't believe how insidious false beliefs are in some places unless they have witnessed it for themselves.
DeleteAgreed, I am in awe of your strength for hanging in there for all those years! You have my unmitigated admiration!
Delete
ReplyDeleteReally, Mr. Zealot, one very important point to remember is that your various Christian churches, mainstream as well as cult-like "Christianist," take advantage of tax exemptions for their buildings, donations to their operations, etc.
As far as I know, atheists and agnostics get no such special treatment. In fact, we, as taxpayers, are supporting religions in which we don't believe.
That, really, is a violation of our Constitutional right -- there will be no established religion
Please go to church and pray all you want to that we don't go to your version of hell. But, outside of church, the boundary of what you can do is when you actively violate our right to privacy and peaceably to assemble.
When you see gladiators and lions move into your town, then you can say you're being persecuted. In the meantime, go away quietly.
btw -- the Pope just said that, in his opinion, God blesses everyone, including atheists. We didn't need his imprimatur, but it's nice to hear this new liberal view of all God's children. However, I believe your type of Christian hates the Roman Catholic kind of Christian, right? So Christian of you.
Try Indiana - vouchers yes, but actual school choice? NO. there simply ARE no secular options. the main beneficiary is the pedophile RCC which had empty school buildings on hand.
DeleteDepends - there's a fundy RCC wing, too.
DeleteHe suffers from Christian American Entitlement Syndrome. If he wants to experience real Christian persecution let him move to the Central African Republic.
ReplyDeleteOr Pakistan!
DeleteTHIS guy would be up on charges of blasphemy in about an hour there. And he would be too stupid to shut his mouth once charged.
Creepy guy, plus he is physically frightening to look at...the poor kids!
ReplyDeleteWell gosh if he is quick enough he can contact $arah's ghostwriter and get a chapter or two included in her 'War on Christmas' whine fest due out in Oct*. (*Just enough time for her to figure how how much her own Xmas commercialization costs will be this year and rake in enough to cover it all.)
ReplyDeleteThis guy is the reason so many here in Ga vote to send wackos to our state legislature and to Congress. They think that if they say they're strong Christians and pro-life, this is all that is needed for them to govern effectively. This is why there are so many stupid, uninformed, nutty Tea Partiers in our state legislature and sitting in Congress with that (GA-R) beside their names. I don't doubt that this guy, if he wanted to, could mount and win a campaign for Congress and get elected in Ringgold.
ReplyDelete“If I’m anything else, I have rights,” he said. “…But as a Christian, we have rights no more. They’re taking all the Christian rights away and I’m going to stand for what’s right this time.”
ReplyDeleteI suppose he didn't read the "In God We Trust - everyone else must pay cash" sign.
This fake Christian "persecution complex" is what makes them compare their situation to the Holocaust, something that absolutely infuriates me. Frankly I consider fake Christians who read more passages from the Old Testament than they ever do from the New to be, well, just that, fake Christians. And no one kind of religion has any MORE rights than any other in this country and I wish they would learn it! This country was founded on the principle that NO ONE religion would trump all of the others or any other belief for that matter. I am so sick and tired of how absolutely ignorant too many Americans are about how things are supposed to work.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom