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ANN ARBOR, MI – On Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 3:00 p.m., Federal District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington will hear Attorney General Eric Holder’s motion to dismiss the first court challenge to the federal “Hate Crimes Act.”  The hearing will take place in Courtroom 214, 1000 Washington Avenue, in Bay City, Michigan.

This hearing will be the third court appearance by the Thomas More Law Center this week.  On Monday, July 12, the Law Center appeared at the arraignments of four Christian missionaries arrested in Dearborn, Michigan. [Click here to see “Dearborn Four” press release]  This afternoon, July 13, the Law Center and co-counsel David Yerushalmi will appear before Federal District Court Judge Denise Page Hood challenging a municipal bus authority’s refusal to display the controversial “Leaving Islam” ads. [Click here to see “Leaving Islam” press release]

The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor Michigan, filed the federal lawsuit in February of this year challenging the constitutionality of the federal Hate Crimes Act, against U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.  The Act adds violence based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” alongside race and color motivated violence deserving special federal protection by means of tougher criminal penalties.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, on behalf of Pastor Levon Yuille, Pastor Rene Ouellette, Pastor James Combs, and Gary Glenn, the president of the American Family Association of Michigan (AFA-Michigan).

The sole purpose of this law is to use the threat of federal prosecutions and long jail sentences to silence Christians from expressing their Biblically-based religious belief that homosexual conduct is a sin.  It elevates those persons who engage in deviant sexual behaviors, including pedophiles, to a special protected class of persons as a matter of federal law and policy.

As president of AFA-Michigan, Gary Glenn is often publicly described and listed as an “enemy” of those who promote “gay rights” and other aspects of the homosexual agenda.  In 2006, for example, The Advocate, a “gay-rights” periodical, described Glenn as “[a] relentless foe of gay rights in every context.”

Pastor Yuille is the Pastor of The Bible Church, located in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  He is also the National Director of the National Black Pro-Life Congress and the host of Joshua’s Trail, a radio talk show that airs in Michigan and can be heard in parts of Canada.  Pastor Yuille is often warned by his Canadian listeners that he will prosecuted under the new U.S. hate crimes law for his public ministry similar to how ministers and other religious persons in Canada are being silenced by that country’s “hate crimes” legislation.  As an African-American, Pastor Yuille finds it offensive to equate the so-called “civil rights” struggle of persons who engage in homosexual behavior with the real civil rights struggle of African-Americans.

Pastor Ouellette is the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Bridgeport, Michigan, which has approximately 7,000 members.  He is the author of five books as well as many pamphlets and Bible tracts.  Pastor Ouellette travels across the country preaching God’s Word, which includes the Biblical teaching on homosexuality.

Pastor Combs is the lead Pastor of Faith Church, The Point Church, The Rock Church, and The River Church, all of which are located in Michigan.  Pastor Combs pastors approximately 10,000 church members.  He too preaches the Biblical teaching on homosexuality as part of his public ministry.

The lawsuit alleges that the federal hate crimes law violates the plaintiffs’ rights to freedom of speech, expressive association, and free exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment, and it violates the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment.  The lawsuit also alleges that Congress lacked authority to enact the legislation under the Tenth Amendment and the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.  [Click here to read entire Complaint]

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life.  It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America.  The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

ANN ARBOR, MI – The arraignment of four Christian missionaries on criminal charges will take place on Monday, July 12, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. in the 19th Judicial District Court located at 16077 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan. This is the next step in what has been described as police enforcement of Sharia law in a city dominated by a large Muslim population.

To the jeers and shouts of “Allah Akbar” by the Muslim crowd, the four Christian missionaries were arrested and thrown in jail on June 18, 2010 by Dearborn Police officers at the Annual Arab International Festival held in Dearborn.  One of the arrested missionaries was Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, MD, who was engaged in peaceful dialogue with several Muslim youths.  The other three missionaries, who were merely videotaping the conversation, had their cameras and other equipment illegally seized before police arrested them as well.

Police refused requests by the missionaries to view the video at the scene of their arrest, which the missionaries claimed would completely exonerate them of any wrongdoing.

The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan is representing all of the Christian missionaries.  Because District Judge Mark W. Somers required that all four defendants personally appear before him for the arraignment, the Law Center assisted with the costs of their travel from different parts of the country.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “It’s evident that the Dearborn Police department was more interested in placating Muslims than obeying our Constitution.   These Christians were exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion, but apparently in a city where the Muslim population seems to dominate the political apparatus, Sharia law trumps our Constitution.”

Thus far, police and prosecutors have refused to return the illegally seized cameras and video tapes.  They have also refused to provide the Law Center with the police reports of the incident despite repeated requests.

Arrested on charges of Breach of the Peace are Negeen Mayel, Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, Paul Rezkalla and David Wood.  Mayel, an eighteen-year old female whose parents emigrated from Afghanistan and a recent convert from Islam to Christianity, was also charged with failure to obey a police officer’s orders. She was at least 100 feet away and videotaping Qureshi’s discussion with the Muslim youths when police seized her camera.

Thompson added, “Not all police officers approve of the way their department treated these Christians.”

Robert Muise, Senior Trial Counsel with the Law Center, will represent the Christian missionaries at the arraignment on Monday.

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life.  It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America.  The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

ANN ARBOR, MI – On May 5, 2010, a few patriotic students at Live Oak High School in the Morgan Hill Unified School District in California, were caught wearing pro-U.S.A. shirts depicting images of the American flag.  Outraged school officials angrily gave them options: take the shirts off, turn them inside out, or leave.  The students refused to disrespect their country and flag—so they left.

The furor of patriotic groups across the nation exploded when they discovered the school’s double standard.  These same officials had no problem with students wearing pro-Mexican shirts, body paint displaying Mexican flags, and other displays of their pro-Mexican feelings.
As a result, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, along with local California attorney William J. Becker, Jr. and The Rutherford Institute filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three of the students and their parents, claiming that school officials violated the students’ constitutional rights.  [Click here to read Complaint].

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), commented, “The American flag is a sacred symbol of our country.  Too many Americans—including those of Mexican descent—have suffered and died protecting it.  It’s incomprehensible that American school officials would demand that students remove this display of love for country.  We’re Americans 365 days a year.  The students were right not to surrender our flag.”

A meeting with the parents of the patriotic students on the day of the incident demonstrated the attitude of the school.  One of the parents, herself half-Mexican, took offense at the American flag ban, and stated, “Isn’t this America?”  The assistant principal responded, “Not today, we need to give them [Mexicans] their day today.”

As alleged in the complaint, these students were not allowed to wear their pro-U.S.A. shirts to school; however, other students were permitted to express a pro-Mexico viewpoint through message-bearing shirts and body paint, displaying Mexican flags, and through other forms of speech, such as singing and dancing.

TMLC Senior Trial Counsel handling the case, Robert Muise, commented, “The U.S. Supreme Court has long held that students do not shed their constitutional rights at the school house gate.  The actions of the school officials in this case are not only reprehensible; they are a blatant violation of fundamental constitutional rights.”

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life.  It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America.  The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.