I began to see things take a worse for the small town of Hornell, NY when the local police purchased surveillance cameras to place around the town, allowing Big Brother to rear its ugly head. Now it has gone from bad to worse with a new law that would create unconstitutional "Free Speech Zones." This is in response to a local man, Gilbert Carlton, who, for the past eight years, has been preaching and singing on Main St. The new law would prevent him and anyone who wishes to "gather, remain, walk or stand upon any street or sidewalk in the City of Hornell to protest, support or exercise free speech by voice, sign or any other means."
A federal judge back in 2004 already struck down "Free Speech Zones" as unconstitutional, when a law student at Texas Tech University wanted to make a speech and was denied. Our rights are being taken away in Hornell, and it is up to the citizens to stand up and say "no" to what is a blatant violation of our natural rights as human beings to express our free speech rights of protesting, and for Gilbert Carlton, our right to free expression of our religion.
That is why there will be a protest held Saturday, September 1st, from Noon-3pm at 138 Main Street, in Hornell, NY. All who love freedom, who are outraged at this unconstitutional law, and wish to do voice this travesty should show up in support. Joe Pelych, a city attorney should promptly return to law school to know what is and is not unconstitutional, of which "Free Speech Zones" are unconstitutional.
Feel free to contact Mayor, Shawn Hogan, and city attorney, Joe Pelych to voice your outrage.
Shawn Hogan
Phone: 607-324-7421
E-mail: shogan@cityofhornell.com
Joe Pelych
Phone: 607-324-6111
The local rock band Transparent will be at the protest to perform live in support of our freedom. So come out for some great information, great music, and let all of Hornell hear your voice.
Is there any way that I can protest from Ohio? I grew up in hornell and even as a kid I would see gil out there singing . He never hurt anybody by doing this and it's a crying shame to take this away from him... He has every right to express himself and his beliefs!! Hornell should be ashamed of itself!!!
ReplyDeletethere is no justice in hornell.. the local govt has been bs for the last 20 yrs...all it has done is run small buisness out of town and turn children into criminals
ReplyDelete@Jamie I would suggest calling Shawn Hogan's office and telling him how wrong this is. Many times when a local government's phones are flooded with calls, even out of town or out of state, they will back down.
ReplyDelete@Anthony I agree. It is not Gil who is driving businesses out of town, it is Wal-mart and the local government who does not support small businesses. Years ago I talked to the owner of the movie theater in town, and he was looking to buy the empty lot next to the theater. He wanted a low interest small business loan from Hornell to pay the $20K. Hornell denied him, and when Davidsons Furniture found out he was interested in buying, they jacked the price up to something like $90K. Who ended up buying the lot and building there? Dollar General.
I am a soldier from that little small town of Hornell, and I have seen this man many times singing and smiling and being harassed by Hornell's so called youth, after reading this, it makes me wonder what in the hell I went to war to defend freedom for.... Thanks again Hornell for being a bully to small town buisness, and for bullying a man who is singing about god, and if you think he is being a pest, take a look at yourself in the god damn mirror hornell, Those who live in glass houses should not cast stones......
ReplyDeleteGreat job on fighting the good fight and winning against Hornell. My column for the Greater Niagara Newspapers looked at this issue in this week's installment: http://lockportjournal.com/columns/x2076996025/CONFER-The-assault-on-free-speech
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