All:

Mitchel posted the email below on another list.  I do not know how many of
you have heard of Reverend Billy of the "Church of Stop Shopping."  You
would have to hear him give a sermon to share in the fullness of his
message.  :)

Anyway, I thought the story might give you a smile.  Reverend Billy was
arrested in NYC while reciting the first amendment during the monthly
bicycle ride of "Critical Mass."  You have to live in NYC political culture
(which I do not/I am a sort of fellow traveler :) ) to fully understand.

Larry


From: "John Moran" <[log in to unmask]>


Sisters & Brothers--

Rev. Billy [Bill Talen] was arrested Friday at Union Square, charged
with harassing the police

who were policing the bicyclists of the monthly Critical Mass ride as
it was about to start.  Apparently

he was reciting the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to them:
two counts of second

degree harassment; released without bail; due in court in August. The
Rev. is the guiding spirit

of the Church of Stop Shopping. The NYTimes quotes him as saying "We
were full of the holy spirit

of the First Amendment."

Critical Mass supports non-polluting forms of transportation, a cause
that Mayor Bloomberg says

he supports too.  But his administration has clamped down on the
Critical Mass rides, which the

Giuliani Administration accommodated.

Atty Norman Siegel, who is quoted by the Times as saying he witnessed
the arrest of the Rev.,

will represent him in court.  In his view, "Reverend Billy has a
First Amendment right to recite the

First Amendment."

Amen.

--John

[See NYTimes, July 1, '07, p. 28 Metro]