First Amendment Dumped . . . Sign a Petition – Get Arrested?

The mayor of El Paso, Texas, is so upset with people who signed a petition that he wants them arrested. How dare these people express their constitutional rights in the United States of America where they are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, warned that hundreds of Christians and other El Paso citizens “are facing jail time for exercising their constitutionally protected right to speak out against Mayor John Cook’s policies.” The following is from Bob Unruh writing for WND:

The issue arose when voters in November 2010 placed on the ballot and passed an ordinance prohibiting unmarried domestic partner benefits in their city. Several members of the city council refused to follow the will of the vote, and voted to rescind the ordinance approved by voters. The mayor joined in the effort.

A number of citizens were outraged, so they started a grassroots campaign seeking to remove the mayor and city Reps. Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega who disregarded the will of the people. They did it by securing names for a recall petition. You can read about the recall effort in an article in the El Paso Times.

The vindictive Mayor John Cook “sued Tom Brown Ministries, Word of Life Church of El Paso, El Pasoans for Traditional Family Values and other local citizens who circulated recall petitions.