Crumbling First Amendment Watch
Written by: Beck
A public park is
attempting to bar people from their river who have a perverse desire to dunk themselves, fully clothed, in muddy water. The park official's motivation has nothing to do with people being in the water--swimming is allowed. The problem is that these are baptisms being performed. In other words, you can do whatever you like in their lemonade-and-feces colored water (no really, look at the picture) so long as you're not uttering words of religious content at the time.
Tell ya what. Get the have-a-free-book-but-donations-are-appreciated Hari Krishnas (and all their second-class imitators) out of the airports, and we can talk. I'll still be foul mouthed and rude when we talk, but I promise to allow you at least a couple minutes to dig the hole I intend to chuck you into.
But park officials said religious groups seeking to perform a service in the park still need to apply for a permit or else gather under a shelter or inside.
"We don't want to tread on anybody's First Amendment or constitutional rights," said Brian Robinson, director of the Fredericksburg-Stafford Park Authority. "What we try to discourage is anything not formally permitted that just sort of occurs spontaneously."
Translation: "Everything that is not permitted is strictly forbidden!" Where have I heard that before?