Arizona Couple Persecuted by Local Authorities

[XLFD]

Under the blazing Arizona sun stands an encampment of military tents filled with some 2,000 people. They battle the heat by positioning themselves in front of a few large fans, but they are of little use when temperatures reach 145 degrees. Stun fences surround the perimeter, with four Sky Watch Towers bearing down on the occupants. Facial recognition software and K-9 units keep track of the people moving about, longing for their freedom.

For the residents of Tent City Jail, their time behind bars is an exercise in humiliation: they are forced to dress in pink underwear, they “work seven days a week, are fed only twice a day, get no coffee, no cigarettes, no salt, pepper or ketchup and no organized recreation.” They work on chain gangs, and have to pay ten bucks every time they want to see a nurse. This draconian treatment is not reserved for hardened criminals. In fact, most inmates in Tent City are imprisoned for less than a year for minor crimes, or are simply awaiting trial.

 

It is in this Guantanamo-like facility, surrounded by hardened criminals and subjected to all manners of degradation and hardship that Michael Salman—who was fined more than $12,000 and sentenced to 60 days in jail starting on July 9, 2012, for the so-called “crime” of holding a weekly Bible study in his Phoenix home, allegedly in violation of the city’s building codes—is incarcerated.

What happened to Michael Salman—armed police raids of his property, repeated warnings against holding any form of Bible study at his home, and a court-ordered probation banning him from having any gatherings of more than 12 people at his home—should never have happened in America. Yet this is the reality that more and more Americans are grappling with in the face of a government bureaucracy consumed with churning out laws, statutes, codes and regulations that reinforce its powers and value systems and those of the police state and its corporate allies. All the while, the life is slowly being choked out of our individual freedoms. The aim, of course, is absolute control by way of thousands of regulations that dictate when, where, how and with whom we live our lives.

Michael Salman is merely one more unfortunate soul caught in the government’s cross-hairs, only his so-called crime deserving of prosecution was daring to take part in a time-honored tradition that goes back centuries—gathering with family and friends at home for prayer and worship.

Since 2005, Michael and his wife Suzanne have hosted Bible studies at their Phoenix home for 20-45 family and friends, depending on the day of the week and time. Attendees park their cars on the Salmans’ 4.6-acre property so as not to crowd the street or inconvenience the neighbors. However, after some neighbors complained about the gatherings, city zoning officials started harassing the Salmans, advising them that they were breaking the law because religious activities, even in the home, have to be governed by building codes for churches, rather than residential homes. Of course, these zoning officials had no problem with group gatherings for family reunions, football parties, Tupperware parties or Boy Scout meetings. In June 2009, nearly a dozen armed police officers, accompanied by city inspectors, raided the Salmans’ property, charging them with 67 code violations that apply to commercial and public buildings, including having no emergency exit signs over the doors, no handicap parking spaces or handicap ramps.

For more than three years, the Salmans attempted to placate city officials, even agreeing to install overhead sprinklers in their converted game room, but when zoning officials started insisting that the Salmans actually install paved roads and curbs on their private property, they said “no more.” That’s when city officials really turned up the heat, sentencing Michael Salman to 60 days in jail, more than $12,000 in fines and a two-year probation. Making matters worse, city officials then found Michael guilty of violating his probation by continuing to hold Bible studies on his private property after being ordered not to have more than 12 people gathered on his property at any one time. In addition to increased jail time for Michael and fines, the Salmans will also be subjected to unannounced monthly visits by government inspectors, checking to ensure they do not have more than 12 people in their home at any given time.

The situation in which the Salmans find themselves is not all that unusual. All across the country, in cities, towns and villages of every size imaginable, Americans of all faiths—Christians, Jews, Muslims and so on—gather in their homes for fellowship, prayer and reflection. Yet as communities from New York to California adopt strident zoning codes crafted in such a way as to keep churches, synagogues and mosques at a distance, especially from residential neighborhoods, and discourage religious gatherings, these religious rituals are now being outlawed in America. For example, in an effort to discourage what it referred to as “illegal synagogues,” the Village of Hempstead, N.Y., went so far as to create zoning laws that would make it nearly impossible for Orthodox Jews to hold prayer meetings in their homes.

There was a time in our nation’s history when such an accounting of facts would have sparked immediate outrage. However, having bought into the idea that anything the government says and does is right, even when it is so clearly wrong, many Americans through their own compliance have become unwitting accomplices in the government’s efforts to prosecute otherwise law-abiding citizens for unknowingly violating some statute in its vast trove of laws written by bureaucrats who operate above the law. Yet as Nathan Burney so adeptly points out in his “Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law,” “when crimes are too numerous to count… when you’re punished, not because what you did was wrong, but simply because the law says so… when laws are too vague or overbroad… that’s not justice.”

https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_c...

 

This is a story that illustrates the author's point that federal, state and local governments can and do make incredibly intrusive laws in order to assert their power, authority, and continuity.  This juggernaut of political power must be confronted by the very people those laws, actions, and zoning policies are jeopardized by through the continued encroachment of their rights.  The Salmans are being taught a lesson by their local government through zoning, etc., just like anyone else can be.  I know firsthand. 

[Brian Carlson]

Christians are the new enemy. If this were a Muslim Koran study it would have been okay. The liberal left blames everything wrong with our country on the "Christian Right". Christians have not moved to the right. The liberals have moved to the left. 

[XLFD]

I would agree with you Larry, but I would add that in this case after reading some supplemental material, that the local government has some unconstitutional legislation in its zoning law, which is the big issue here.  Here is a video that the Salman's made about the issue.  When you have raids by the Phoenix Fire and Police Dept. over these laws, the local prosecutor following up on them, you are not living in the America I heard of in Civics class.

   

[XLFD]

Salman argues in the first ten minutes the difference between public and private use, which makes sense to me-- he is using his property for private bible study, just like if you had a private pool party in your enclosed swimming pool with family and friends, etc.  He is not running a public church.  Then he shows his property and some of the neighbor's 'code violations' two houses down.  I like this guy's moxie, but the City Government does not.  He's serving time now.

[Brian Carlson]

This is the work of two different agencies. The Phoenix Police and the Maricopa Sheriff Dept run by Sheriff Joe. Everyone knows about Sheriff Joe, but the Phoenix Police do not have a reputation for being corrupt. Maybe they are on the same level as Sheriff Joe.

[Willy]

This is not a law against people worshiping in their homes, it is a zoning law. My guess would be that the law's existence is due to the fact that many people had converted residences into churches so the Government agency decided to enact zoning laws to prohibit the use of a residence as a church. The problem is the law that is on the books is unconstitutional and goes above and beyond the intent of prohibiting the conversion of residences into churches. The fact that Bible study was added shows how ignorant the Council members are of the Constitution.  A good lawyer would have had this squashed at the beginning by suing the Government agency for a million dollars for violations of their Civil rights. That would have put a stop to this silliness in short order. Mr Salman decided to be a nice guy and do a dance for the authority. That was his mistake. You never appease an agency that is acting contrary to the Constitution.