The attacks on pro-life Americans continue to ramp up across the nation.
Now it’s even become forbidden to wear pro-life shirts and hats.
And one Colorado man was unjustly kicked out of the Colorado State Capitol, but then this amazing thing happened.
The Colorado Capitol has removed language from its webpage banning “political” apparel after being threatened with legal action.
Arbitrary enforcement of the rule by targeting pro-life activists
The legal action was threatened due to the Capitol Sergeant at Arms ‘arbitrarily’ enforcing the rule.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) sent a letter to the Colorado sergeants-at-arms back in July demanding the rule be changed.
The letter was in response to what happened to Jeffrey Hunt, a professor at Colorado Christian University.
Hunt was removed from the Capitol Senate gallery simply for wearing a shirt that said “Pro-Life U.”
Pro-Life U is a reference to Colorado Christian University’s strong pro-life community.
He was at the state Capitol during a vote on abortion-related bills.
On August 14 FIRE announced that the Capitol gallery rule prohibiting “pins or apparel expressing political statements” has now been removed from the Capitol’s website.
“I am thrilled at this outcome,” said Hunt. “Now, Coloradans are free to share their voices, particularly at the state Capitol, where the work of the people takes place.”
The July letter from FIRE threatened the Capitol sergeants with a lawsuit, alleging the ban was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech and expression in a government building.
They also pointed out that the rule was being enforced in a “viewpoint-discriminatory manner.”
“The Capitol Gallery Rule’s ban on ‘political’ pins and apparel violates the First Amendment,” the letter stated. “When the government seeks to silence political expression, it bears a heavy burden to justify its censorship. The Capitol Gallery Rule cannot meet that high bar.”
Pro-gun control is allowed but pro-life is banned
Weeks before the May incident, a group wearing pro-gun control shirts stating “Angels Against Gun Violence” were allowed access to the same gallery without issue, according to the letter.
“Jeff should have been allowed to express his opinions in a non-disruptive manner, but the rule was overbroad and gave officials too much leeway to arbitrarily enforce the ban,” Josh Bleisch, an attorney for FIRE, said in a statement. “Now that the ban is no more, Coloradans can wear a political shirt where politics happens.”
FIRE also argued that the Capitol’s rule prohibiting disruptive behavior in the gallery was good enough and that it made the ban on silent political expression unnecessary.
This is especially true when those in power use the rule to target only one type of expression.
And inevitably that is what happens.
The radical Left, pro-abortionists, and the anti-gun crowd are allowed to go so far as to disrupt the legislative process with no fear of repercussions.
Yet anytime a pro-life activist dares to even wear a shirt or pray silently, they face arrest, prosecution and even jail time.
It’s time more pro-life activists began to fight back like Hunter.
Stay tuned for Pro-Life Press for more on this developing story.
