JAHS Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 Anti-Religious Harassment For Profit Hits The Santa Clarita Valley "It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. Parents arrive early with their children to church while the pastor rehearses his final Sabbath remarks. As smiling Sunday School teachers greet the children, suddenly, masked cameramen dressed in all black arrive in the parking lot and begin taking pictures of the families arriving while hurling insults at the Sunday School teachers. “F— you Karen,” hollers one cameraman in a black mask as he gives the Sunday School teacher the middle finger and takes a picture of her license plate. His associate, another cameraman dressed in all black, except a skull-face biker mask, hollers “Allah alyi Akbar” as he stops a car and films the VIN number on the dash through the windshield while waving military signals to others, supposedly hiding in the bushes. The pastor runs out to see what the commotion is, but the cameramen refuse to identify themselves as they harass and intimidate cars coming into the parking lot, snapping photos of the drivers and their license plates while hurling insults. Afraid the church is under some attack, or, that some violent protest is about to happen, the pastor calls police and orders the church on lockdown. Several late-coming church members try and confront the cameramen. As one of the cameramen tries to take a picture of his children, their father pushes the camera away. The cameraman sprays him in the face with pepper spray claiming to be the victim of ‘assault’. By now the police arrive and the father is in handcuffs, while the cameramen gleefully film from the public sidewalk. They will make about $2,000 from this video. Congratulations, your church just completed its inaugural “First Amendment Audit” and there is nothing you can do about it. Or is there?." ----------------- Apparently these guys are making money on YouTube by posting the films and photos they take of members license plates and VIN numbers. They claim their harassment is constitutionally protected “First Amendment Audits” and they are “educating” the public on the First Amendment. Some have been arrested for doing this. Anyone else hear of this happening elsewhere? 1 Link to comment
Popular Post bsjkki Posted July 19, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 19, 2021 I liked these advice given in the article if this happens at your church. 5 Link to comment
Popular Post Teancum Posted July 19, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 19, 2021 1 hour ago, JAHS said: Anti-Religious Harassment For Profit Hits The Santa Clarita Valley "It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. Parents arrive early with their children to church while the pastor rehearses his final Sabbath remarks. As smiling Sunday School teachers greet the children, suddenly, masked cameramen dressed in all black arrive in the parking lot and begin taking pictures of the families arriving while hurling insults at the Sunday School teachers. “F— you Karen,” hollers one cameraman in a black mask as he gives the Sunday School teacher the middle finger and takes a picture of her license plate. His associate, another cameraman dressed in all black, except a skull-face biker mask, hollers “Allah alyi Akbar” as he stops a car and films the VIN number on the dash through the windshield while waving military signals to others, supposedly hiding in the bushes. The pastor runs out to see what the commotion is, but the cameramen refuse to identify themselves as they harass and intimidate cars coming into the parking lot, snapping photos of the drivers and their license plates while hurling insults. Afraid the church is under some attack, or, that some violent protest is about to happen, the pastor calls police and orders the church on lockdown. Several late-coming church members try and confront the cameramen. As one of the cameramen tries to take a picture of his children, their father pushes the camera away. The cameraman sprays him in the face with pepper spray claiming to be the victim of ‘assault’. By now the police arrive and the father is in handcuffs, while the cameramen gleefully film from the public sidewalk. They will make about $2,000 from this video. Congratulations, your church just completed its inaugural “First Amendment Audit” and there is nothing you can do about it. Or is there?." ----------------- Apparently these guys are making money on YouTube by posting the films and photos they take of members license plates and VIN numbers. They claim their harassment is constitutionally protected “First Amendment Audits” and they are “educating” the public on the First Amendment. Some have been arrested for doing this. Anyone else hear of this happening elsewhere? Disgusting. Simply disgusting. 7 Link to comment
Popular Post SeekingUnderstanding Posted July 19, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 19, 2021 20 minutes ago, Teancum said: Disgusting. Simply disgusting. Some things feel like they should be off limits. This reminds me of Westburo Baptist funeral protests, abortion clinic protests, or protests outside "adult" facilities. When people are harrassed going about living their lives, especially when their privacy is invaded, it feels like a significant line has been crossed. https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/13/us/in-shifts-utah-mormons-protest-at-adult-bookstore-in-nevada.html Quote Waiting and watching were Rebecca Hartley and a handful of others, just as they have done day and night for nearly two years. On this summer day, they were the front-line soldiers in a battle pitting the mostly Mormon residents of nearby Southern Utah against a pornography shop operator in this booming Nevada casino stop. "Truck, truck! We've got a truck," Ms. Hartley yelled. Ignoring the rain, the protesters sprang into action. Most ran after the truck, waving signs at the driver. One wrote down the truck's license number on a thick log filled with the numbers of previous visitors. "You're sick," one protester yelled as the man, head down, quickly strode into the adult bookstore. 6 Link to comment
JAHS Posted July 19, 2021 Author Share Posted July 19, 2021 I checked out some of the Youtube videos they have done of our Church buildings and temples and I sure you will all be happy to know that we are given Passes on most of them. Didn't see any videos of the Santa Clarita building. 1 Link to comment
Kenngo1969 Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 JAHS, How do you feel about "Ninja"-ing Smac97? That's hard to do! 1 Link to comment
JAHS Posted July 19, 2021 Author Share Posted July 19, 2021 6 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said: JAHS, How do you feel about "Ninja"-ing Smac97? That's hard to do! Special 😊 Of course he may have thought it wasn't worth posting. 1 Link to comment
Calm Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 1 hour ago, JAHS said: we are given Passes on most of them. Meaning? Link to comment
JAHS Posted July 19, 2021 Author Share Posted July 19, 2021 23 minutes ago, Calm said: Meaning? Well to them it means that we know First amendment rights that allows them to make video recordings of whatever they want as long as they remain on public property while doing it. And that we can not force them to stop doing it. The videos I have seen however the person with the camera are much friendlier than some of the others that are out there. 1 Link to comment
smac97 Posted July 19, 2021 Share Posted July 19, 2021 1 hour ago, JAHS said: Special 😊 Of course he may have thought it wasn't worth posting. Actually, I thought it was worthwhile. You just beat me to it. If your house ends up toiletpapered in the next few days, it wasn.t me. Thanks, -Smac 4 Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 6 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said: JAHS, How do you feel about "Ninja"-ing Smac97? That's hard to do! 6 hours ago, JAHS said: Special 😊 Of course he may have thought it wasn't worth posting. 5 hours ago, smac97 said: Actually, I thought it was worthwhile. You just beat me to it. If your house ends up toiletpapered in the next few days, it wasn.t me. Thanks, -Smac I beat his time last year on the Church and BYU clearing up misconceptions about changes to the Honor Code. I think that’s my first and only time. It was a red-letter day for me. Link to comment
mfbukowski Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 Welcome to California. So when a family from California overpays for a house in Utah, welcome them as refugees This is life here among the free thinkers, masquerading as the American way. You have to pay to get out. Link to comment
Popular Post Scott Lloyd Posted July 20, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 hour ago, mfbukowski said: Welcome to California. So when a family from California overpays for a house in Utah, welcome them as refugees This is life here among the free thinkers, masquerading as the American way. You have to pay to get out. A Facebook friend of mine said it well: They are welcome here so long as they don’t bring their stupid voting habits with them. 5 Link to comment
why me Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 It is actually a hate crime. Imagine doing this to people going to Temple or to a Mosque? It would be a hate crime and the people doing the harassing would be charged with a hate crime. And if this would happen, it would stop. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 I think I’ve seen YouTube postings from this group before, but it wasn’t churches they were bedeviling but other institutions, like the post office. Apparently, they are equal-opportunity harassers. And I suspect it’s all about the click bait. Link to comment
The Nehor Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 How is this “for profit”? This is a broad phenomenon but despite claims that it is Antifa or Proud Boy it is really largely neither. It tends to be crowed about on the more weirdo Libertarian sites with sovereign citizen leanings and the more weirdo anarchist sites. Of course since it is not an organized movement exceptions could exist with others dogpiling on but they are unlikely to win kudos amongst their peers for it. My guess based on the reaction so far is that this will be seen as a pathetic example of the movement even amongst the weirdos who are part of the movement. The primary objective of these videos is testing limits with law enforcement, government buildings, political figures, and the like. It is meant to be a brave and risky stance against authority to defend rights (it is not, it is stupid). Picking on a church is just sad even by their standards. Then again the whole movement is just sad so maybe they are idiot kings or something. 2 Link to comment
sheilauk Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 minute ago, The Nehor said: How is this “for profit"? They profit by getting advertising revenue from YouTube. Controversial subjects - more hits - more money 4 Link to comment
The Nehor Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 4 minutes ago, sheilauk said: They profit by getting advertising revenue from YouTube. Controversial subjects - more hits - more money I really doubt the people involved in this incident are making that much unless they are getting an unusually large number of outrage clicks due to the publicity. Oh no, this board is part of the problem. Link to comment
Raingirl Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said: I think I’ve seen YouTube postings from this group before, but it wasn’t churches they were bedeviling but other institutions, like the post office. Apparently, they are equal-opportunity harassers. And I suspect it’s all about the click bait. I saw one recently filmed at my local post office. The handling of the situation by the police sergeant was awesome. (Almost as good as the time a local police sergeant shut down a guy who was harassing us by phone) The stupidity of the people behind the cameras on these videos is astonishing. 1 Link to comment
mfbukowski Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said: A Facebook friend of mine said it well: They are welcome here so long as they don’t bring their stupid voting habits with them. Not likely. Think it through. Would you leave our weather for yours? The benefit is fleeing for the sake of freedom. Utah is the new promised land for LDS members hereabouts. What would be the motivation to leave here otherwise? I presently have several relatives moving to Utah- mostly to SLC or Utah county. But some farther north if they like freezing winters and scorching summers. Link to comment
Scott Lloyd Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 10 minutes ago, mfbukowski said: Not likely. Think it through. Would you leave our weather for yours? The benefit is fleeing for the sake of freedom. Utah is the new promised land for LDS members hereabouts. What would be the motivation to leave here otherwise? I presently have several relatives moving to Utah- mostly to SLC or Utah county. But some farther north if they like freezing winters and scorching summers. I like everything about California except the gosh-awful politicians and government. Alas, that’s a lot not to like. Link to comment
The Nehor Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 18 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said: I like everything about California except the gosh-awful politicians and government. Alas, that’s a lot not to like. You forgot the traffic. Link to comment
Calm Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 30 minutes ago, The Nehor said: You forgot the traffic. And that is why I will never live in my home state again most likely. 1 Link to comment
Calm Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 2 hours ago, The Nehor said: How is this “for profit”? From the article: Quote They will make about $2,000 from this video. 2 Link to comment
The Nehor Posted July 20, 2021 Share Posted July 20, 2021 7 minutes ago, Calm said: And that is why I will never live in my home state again most likely. Me too. Link to comment
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