The answer is yes, according to an unusual ad in Sunday's Montgomery Advertiser. The half page ad was placed by the city's Freewill Missionary Baptist Church, who's pastor has bought TV ads in the past to urge city residents to work together to lower the murder rate..."Enough is Enough!" was the theme of the campaign. That same phrase is included in the Sunday ad, but now Reverend Edward J. Nettles, Sr. wants folks to pay attention to much less egregious offenses: not having car insurance or a license, driving unbelted, and playing your car stereo too loud. 
On a similar tact, Montgomery officials this week started enforcing a new ordinance that prohibits parking on residential front yards. If you throw down gravel and some railroad ties you can park a fleet, but park a single car on the grass and there's a $50 fine waiting for you.
Rev. Nettles' admittedly unconventional approach to ministry, and the city's new parking regulations, remind me of the clean-up New York campaign of Rudy Giuliani. He started having police enforce every violation, reasoning that the small lawbreaking contributes to the big problems. Did it work? New York's crime rate did go down, though there's disagreement whether Hizhonnor's clean-up campaign helped. Montgomery officials may be hoping Rev. Nettles campaign fails. They can't afford to lose all the revenue from those vehicle violations.
Q: "Would Jesus Buckle Up?"
ReplyDeleteA: "Yes."
The greater question, perhaps, is whether Rev. E. J. Nettles, Sr. can get his flock to obey the authorities that be, citing Christ as an example. And indeed, for the believer, He is the example. Yet even for the non-believer, He's not a bad example to follow.
Of course, the only bad thing about is, that you eventually get murdered. But, the good part is that after three days, you come back to life, and get crowned King of Kings - but only if you've never committed any sin, or done any wrong! Not a bad deal, I'd say!
As you and other well-read individuals probably know, according to the Scriptures, Christ did not break any law either Jewish or Roman - which was the (inter?)national authority at the time.
On a somewhat slightly, more serious note, there's probably nothing wrong with using a pastoral "bully pulpit" to encourage folks to save money (and lives) by obeying the law.
Maybe the heavy-handedness of the MTG City Council in their new law should've taken another, more civil approach - especially if they're trying to get junk cars off folks yards - by ensuring they all have current license plates.
But IMO, this is more a case of City Hall Gone Stupid, more than anything else. Suddenly, cars will be lined up on the curbs (or roadside) like homeless folks in a Great Depression Era soup line.
And get this! The curbs/roadside in FRONT of folks houses belongs to EVERYONE!
Yup... ANYONE can LEGALLY park in front of your house.
Isn't THAT nice?!
Maybe folks could park in front of the mayor and city council members' houses to protest!
All nice-n-legal, you know...