Can you? (Let's exclude Halloween, a night when those social rules are suspended.)
It comes to mind because the City Council in the suburban Birmingham town of Alabaster is being sued for interfering with a religious group's soliciting funds door to door.
I don't want to buy your candy, magazines, vinyl siding or step-by-step soul-saving scheme. I disconnected my landline years ago, so I get no solicitations on the phone anymore. Do I have to remove my front door too?
Or I could just move to Alabaster.
The Shelby Reporter story says that the young man was selling books, while the website says that this organization distributes free literature.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that the city of Alabaster is over-reaching. I too am annoyed by religious zealots but there is such a thing as freedom of speech.
Anecdote--when we lived in Maryland we were often hounded by door-to-door evangelists. Finally I developed a plan.
The next time a trio came to the door of my house, I was ready. I immediately asked, "You're Jehovah's Witnesses, right?"
Surprised look on their faces. "Right."
"You came to my house to learn about the Episcopal Church, right? Here's a pamphlet explaining the Church's beliefs!"
They looked at it like it was dog poop and wouldn't touch it. They were gone in an instant and I never saw them again.
Katherine Lee Bates is rotating in her grave.
ReplyDeleteO beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!