8.20.2007
A Quick Civics Lesson
Remember the Christian Civic League in Maine? You know, the ones who stalked and outed a Democratic Party County Chair as a Pagan, and then edited negative comments on their site regarding their actions? Well, they are still obsessed with Rita Moran (the official they "outed"), but now they are looking to spread their Christian "love" with the local Pagan community.
"Coverage of the Maine Pagan Pride Day 2007 was abruptly halted Saturday morning, August 18, in Portland. Coordinator Richard Vinton unilaterally decided to bar the Christian Civic League of Maine Record from the public event after an objection was raised by an adult male participant of the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) Abrahadabra Oasis (Portland, ME) Satanic "Ritual of the Pentagram" Workshop."
Now I'm not going to get into the details of why this "reporter" was ejected from the UU Church this event was being held at, especially since we only have his side of the story. But I do want to address the comments made in the article by CCL Director Michael Heath.
"These same pagans who cling to the First Amendment for their freedom of religion, trample upon it by rejecting freedom of the press. Their audacity and hypocrisy is at the same time stunning and pathetic."
The First Amendment right concerning Free Speech, and a Free Press, doesn't mean that a (perhaps hostile) reporter can't be ejected from private property, even if an event on private property is a "public" one. Freedom of the Press was enshrined to prevent governmental censorship or reprisal.
"It applies not just to a single person's right to publish ideas, but also to the right of print and broadcast media to express political views and to cover and publish news."
But that freedom doesn't cancel out other Constitutional rights, including property rights, which allow for the ejection of reporters from private property (nor do you "reject" Freedom of the Press by doing so). The fact that the CCL was able to publish their story (including the photo an attendee didn't want taken) proves that their right to Freedom of the Press was left un-trampled. As to whether or not the Maine Pagan Pride Day organizers acted appropriately, I'll have to hear their side of the story before passing judgment, because for some funny reason I don't trust the Maine CCL to be unbiased.
ADDENDUM: Heathen blogger Jarred gets Maine PPD organizer Richard Vinton's side of the story:
"He [w]as asked to leave because he was causing a disturbance. He entered a workshop that was already in session and began taking photos of the class members and interrupting the instructor. He misrepresented himself as a member of the press but holds no press credentials and it became very clear the he intended to continue being a disturbance."
Disturbing a religious workshop in progress? Interrupting the instructor? Hardly the actions of responsible journalist, in my opinion.
Labels: Christian Civil League, Freedom of the Press, Maine, Paganism, Rita Moran
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