Thursday, April 9, 2020

Greenville Tickets Drive-In Churchgoers

Greenville banned drive-in services for churches and issued tickets last night to those who attended such services. Mayor Errick Simmons posted on Facebook:




The past few weeks have been unprecedented for our local, state, federal government as well as our businesses, restaurants, colleges, schools, churches, and our families and all residents. We have seen businesses, courtroom hearings, restaurants, churches, weddings, funerals, graduations, and events either closed, postponed, cancelled, or affected in some way due to COVID-19.

For the most part, our churches, our businesses, and individuals have done the right thing. Folks want to do the right thing. The success of us flattening the curve depends on folks doing the right thing. The decision to put the latest Executive Order regarding churches is a data driven decision. The high number of cases we have today is due to church gatherings, funerals, and weddings. Please do not put others at serious risk.

This is no infringement on the right to religion or right to worship. Although it impacts on our traditional way of gathering to worship, it does not prevent us from worshipping. We need our pastors and worship leaders to be creative so that people lives are not at risk. Please post your services on social media, Facebook Live, Zoom, and other platforms and help your neighboring churches do the same. Pastors, musicians, and video production teams are allowed in church buildings as long as there are less than 10. Based upon CDC guidelines, we have to have gatherings less than 10.

Despite this COVID-19, I applaud our folks from health care workers to first responders, from our businesses to our churches, who all have been very creative and innovative in adapting to local, state, and federal mandates, orders, and guidelines to save lives.

Today, I have received several calls from pastors and religious leaders on innovative and creative ways to worship, receive tithes and offerings, and serve communion. Some include setting specific times in which church members can come to pay tithes and offerings and pick up communion before Sunday worship service. We applaud all of our faith based leaders to preaching and teaching the Word of God under these exigent circumstances and temporary moment in time. I, too, long for the time we all can return to exalting God together in our traditional way of worship.

The Mayor said his order banned drive-in church services.   The Mayor wasn't playing because Greenville police issued tickets to anyone who attended a drive-in church service last night.  James Finn posted on Facebook:

 Unbelievable thing happened tonight. We have been having our Church services preached inside the Church and broadcast over the radio. People are in there cars in the parking lot listening. We were surrounded by police and given tickets. The police said the mayor wanted to make a example of us.
Chris Owens posted a video of his citation.


Charles Hamilton, Jr. posted on Facebook:

The police in Greenville, MS went to Temple Baptist Church this evening and gave everyone there a ticket for $500 because they had a drive in service.

Everyone was in their cars with the windows up listening to pastor Arthur Scott preached on the radio.

What is harmful about people being in their cars listening to preaching with their windows up? Christians do you all see what is going on?

Don't think we have heard the last of this one.  Stay tuned.

61 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is Christian Persecution plain and simple. If we are truly living in the end times, then let no man or woman stand against the servants of Jesus!

TheClintonscantsuicideusall said...

I do have to agree with past posters, this shit is getting out of hand. Betting all will be tossed in court.

Anonymous said...

This is how it begins. You are going to eventually be so afraid, hungry and broke that you submit to whatever they demand. Whether it be to stop worshipping the Lord, or to take their vaccines and tracking devices.

Anonymous said...

I don’t get people believing they are persecuted in Mississippi for being Christian. How big of a victim complex do you have? Come back to reality folks, sucks you got a ticket but don’t try and pretend it is a way to stop or slow down Christianity.

PO PO SHIT SHOW said...

This is a black church in a predominantly black city with a predominantly black executive leadership including the chief of police and mayor. I listened to the video of the white guy who was being ticketed and it showed others receiving tickets and the cop mentioned an AUGUST court date. Imagine these folks being rousted by the Po Po and wondering for the next four months where they're going to get five hundred bucks. Tickets will either be canceled or tossed out in court.

Anonymous said...

Hope Errick Simmons enjoys his last term as mayor.

Anonymous said...

To 9:36.....and I'm sure you REALLY don't want to take our guns either; do you ???

Anonymous said...

I seriously doubt that those ticketed are telling us the entire story. I'd need to do a little social media sleuthing to see the back story, but I don't care enough to do it.

Bill Dees said...

Looks to me like people in Mississippi are very easily triggered when they can't do exactly what they want to do.

Anonymous said...

Is there any data showing that sitting 8-10 feet apart in cars in a parking lot poses any significant risk of transmission?

The burden should be on the city to produce that evidence. If they can't, this is just petty authoritarianism and should end.

Anonymous said...

Easy to claim the churches,wedding,funerals etc are the cause of the rise in Mississippi or Greenville. How about putting the data where you mouth is! This has become a liberal talking point over the last few weeks. They are starting to blame churches and christian family's for everything from Katrina to who shot JR. Buckle up!

Anonymous said...

The town is losing an ave. Of 725 people a year and has been for 20 years. The sad thing is, of those leaving, they are the most affluent. The poorest can’t afford to leave. I grew up there(and left). This obviously is an ill advised scheme to rob the “have nots” It makes me sick seeing my home deteriorating like this. I don’t know what the answer is, but this is not it.

TheClintonscantsuicideusall said...

I'm waiting for the court cases to begin showing up in the future over this and other violations of civil rights. Also waiting for the Lawyer TV adds to begin.

Anonymous said...

@10:20 Have you seen the pictures from other drive-in services? The people don't stay in their cars. They get out, sit on the tailgates or hoods and shoot the crap with the other attendees. If people could be depended on to actually remain in their cars with the windows up it wouldn't be an issue, problem is they won't.

Anonymous said...

Christians and Nominal Christians do not face "persecution" in the United States (at this time). Those who claim alleged persecution here do a grave disservice to brothers and sisters in Christ living in North Korea, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, etc., etc.

Anonymous said...

We did it reddit! we taught those Xtians a lesson!
Athiests: +1
Xtians: -100

edit: thanks for the gold kind stranger!

Anonymous said...

Be nice if they required people to go out, on threat of fine it they didn't.

Then no one would go, cause "The Gubbernment ain't telling me what to do!"

Anonymous said...

The minute they tried to give me a ticket for some BS like that, is the minute I take the city to court and I wouldn't lose. These po-lice are taking this too far and constitutional rights are being trampled on. Same with PRVWSD. They think they "own" everything in their jurisdiction and can make rules at will. It's about time for someone to scream boogaloo!

Anonymous said...

I can see the argument for the law being enforced, as the statewide order was pretty cut and dry in what is allowed. Too bad that they couldn’t figure out how to use Skype meetings.

Anonymous said...

Wait a second. Police won't write a police report for an accident in a parking lot because they use the excuse "its private property" and they don't have jurisdiction, yet they will write a ticket for this?

Anonymous said...

Yep, the lawsuits are coming.
It will be as bad the CoVid-19 virus.

Calm Down said...

Absolute shame all around. On the Mayor and City Counsel for issuing the order, on the cops who handed out tickets, and on any judge looking to enforce the tickets. We have a shortage of common sense.

Anonymous said...

"Is there any data showing that sitting 8-10 feet apart in cars in a parking lot poses any significant risk of transmission?"

Does it matter? Do they get to make that call? The order is to stay home unless you're going to work, groceries, or for healthcare. Period. They, actually, were specifically warned against doing what they did. The order didn't say "unless everyone is in their car" -- or "if everyone is wearing a mask". It says a gathering greater than 10 people.

This is another example of Mississippians trying to be too cool for school or believing the rules don't apply to them. Just follow the rules. Do you think none of these people stopped for gas on the way home? Did they all go straight home? We don't know -- which is why the order is in place to begin with.

We don't get to split hairs in an emergency. You defy an order, you get a ticket. Period.

Stay home.

Anonymous said...

"This is Christian Persecution plain and simple. If we are truly living in the end times, then let no man or woman stand against the servants of Jesus!"

And if this happened to muslims, I'm sure you'd feel the exact same way. Right.

Anonymous said...

If it happened to the Muslim community you can bet your sweet ass every non conservative talking head in the US would be chastising dumb ole mississippi. Just like the one from New York trying to lecture us on Tate signing confederate whatever it was. Every governor both R and D has done it every year for as long as I can remember. You would figure New York has its own issues with its own Governor to deal with. But back to if it happened to Muslims, yes, it would be the talk of the nightly news for a long time.

Accuracy/Grammar Police said...

It's less than 11, not less than 10.

Oh, and it's "are less than..." not "is less than..."

John Galt said...

every one who received a "summons" should demand a jury trial. The city will be hard pressed to PROVE these folks created any sort of hazard to others. This was an arbitrary show of tyrannical behavior by their public servants.Any further abuses dished out by the good mayor and his goons should be dealt with summarily at the ballot box straight away!

Anonymous said...

On election day the mayor & police chief should be kicked out of office!

Anonymous said...

Black police officer told the white member of the white church that the black mayor wanted to "make an example" of them.

I think we all know what would happen if this was the other way around.

TheClintonscantsuicideusall said...

@ 3:17. I whole heartedly agree. Over load the system and take it higher if need be. Watch politicians start working at Sprint Mart.

Anonymous said...

Zoom is Chinese. Why do none of you realize you are installing Chinese malware? Just like TikTok and several dozen other Chinese apps.

John Pittman Hey said...

@ 12:49, actually, you've not carefully read the governor's EO. People sitting isolated in their vehicles do not breach the "over 10 persons on the same area." If that did, then the Sonic Drive In would be a non-conforming "gathering in the same area." Each vehicle is its own "area" and that's the way it's being enforced state-wide. Targeting drive-in religious services while allowing cars to congregate at Wal-mart, Sonic, McDonalds, etc., is illegitimate.

Also, "religious services" are classified as "essential businesses and operations" along with food providers, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. and thus the people involved in them ARE permitted to leave their homes to carry out those religious services.

Some people might not like it, but Governor Reeves carefully carved out houses of worship from the order to close.

John Pittman Hey

Anonymous said...

@4:25, if it were the other way around you would be praising the officer and calling the church goers law breaking thugs and you know it.

Anonymous said...

12:49, here, John Pittman Hey...

You apparently didn't read the Greenville City order, which is what was used to fine these citizens.

The Governor can declare what he wishes, but he made very clear that his order was a 'baseline' order and that cities could carve additional restrictions out if they wished. He even clarified this after the confusion with Oxford's Mayor.

If you feel Greenville's order is illegal or unconstitutional, and if you have standing (surely you're not armchair quarterbacking on a blog), then file a complaint and seek an injunction. You can't simply choose to ignore it. Otherwise, let the citizens of Greenville be and pitch in for the 'religiously oppressed' to pay their fine - I'm sure they're taking donations.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Pittman Hey - With all due consideration for your lofty office, I suggest you read the Greenville ordinance. The Governor's edict establishes floor levels. A municipal ordinance, like this one, raises the price of poker. "Drive In Services" are specifically prohibited.

Anonymous said...

Greenville is a cess pool and has been for a long time. You can't drink the water in that place. I hope this isn't a petty money grab.

Anonymous said...

Any Mississippian who thinks they are victims of Christian persecution is delusional.

Anonymous said...

One call, that's all.

Anonymous said...

People ate watching this case from other states as well because precedents are being set. The Governor did not intend things to be handled this way. Google the video of the Gov. Talking with a Bishop in Natchez regarding in- person church services. He stated, “I was asked about Bishop Stanley Searcy’s church in Natchez and whether we had the right to shut it down,” Reeves said. “I don’t believe that I do and frankly I’m glad to live in a country where that is true, and I’m proud to live in a state where that is true, but I do have the right to call the bishop, man-to-man and let him know what we are seeing from the data. I can ask him as a fellow Christian to take this extra step to protect the community. That’s what I did, and he has graciously agreed to ensure that he would come before us today.”

Doesn't sound to me like his mandate was intended to be used this way. Not with force and certainly not tickets for drive- in no contact church services.

Anonymous said...

Simple. Have your car church services in the Walmart parking lot.

Anonymous said...

Just thinking to myself....you know there no other place I’d rather be throughout all this BS other than the great state of Mississippi. Where else can ya be entertained throughout a pandemic?

Anonymous said...

Well, since the first attempt didn't pass muster, I'll try this:

Anyone who really thinks the "government" suspension of civil rights in the plot to subjugate America begins with a black mayor telling his black police chief to go issue tickets at a black church - in Greenville-fucking-Mississippi - is batshit crazy. Not just plain ol' crazy, mind you, totally batshit crazy.

Anonymous said...

So going to Walmart or to the gas station is okay but going driving to a church parking lot garners a $500 fine?

Something is bad wrong here, including from those who defend asinine action with asinine posts.

John Pittman Hey said...

Greenville police busted up another church's meeting tonight after the mayor was warned by the church's attorney not to violate the members' religious freedom.

Anonymous said...

Maybe next time they’ll organize a to-go bake sale/sermon.

Anonymous said...

This is a 2 for one...Restricting your rights...and 500.00 tickets at church make up for lost tax revenue.

Anonymous said...

When do we start voting from the rooftops?

Anonymous said...

It looks like First Amendment to the United States Constitution down not apply to Greenville, MS. I wonder how they got an exemption?

Anonymous said...

914 kinda like that michigan ad’s comment? Uh huh
And Guv’s essential is the essential- cities cant restrict further who is essential and who Isnt https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/us/mississippi-coronavirus-essential-businesses-tate-reeves.html

Anonymous said...

FIXED: It looks like the First Amendment to the United States Constitution does not apply to Greenville, MS. I wonder how they got an exemption?

The Mayor is SS said...

The wording in the mayor's notice is legally deficient on its face. It should be "may," not "can."

Regardless, it is also clearly unconstitutional. Re: First Amendment.

Mayor is an SS member said...

I hope y'all in Greenville have "one call, that's all" on speed-dial.

Cha ching.

Anonymous said...

https://www.deltanews.tv/news/local/local-pastors-meet-in-greenville/article_4c5a7d5a-7aa7-11ea-bc69-3baa6f4d1cba.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR1g8SbHchrJ5Y9AVbHIwK_deaieTyCUqeRDBgWg1yCmhjKqbe9udK6mMzg

John Pittman Hey said...

@6:04 and 6:26 PM, I have tried to review the text of the actual EO, since the Press Release from Mayor Simmons does not track your characterization of Greenville's "enhanced" orders.

So far, his press secretary hasn't responded to my request for emailed copies of the full text of the orders. I did look on the Greenville city website but couldn't locate them there either.

But generally, I don't agree with you that the churches should just "obey the law" as you put it. Churches have disobeyed the law since Christ rose from the dead, whenever the law ran contrary to Christians' duties of worship to God. The Greenville churches were able to find a way to worship that complied with the Governor's EO.

I hope that some of the premier public advocacy groups will take this to court.

By the way, I possess no "lofty office" at all, and have never pretended to.

John Pittman Hey

Anonymous said...

Soon 11:33, real soon!

Anonymous said...

11:30 claims to have seen video of such church service where people were sitting on their cars hoods talking. But 11:30 offered no link to such a video.

I saw a video of the ticketing in Greenville. The only people outside of their cars were the cops handing out tickets. Please note that there would have been no human interaction at the drive in church service had the cops not demanded the people to roll down there windows to go through the process of getting the ticket, including signing the ticket with a pen from a cop who was not wearing gloves.

But when people deceive to build the narrative, it shows that dignity gets trampled as long as the false narrative can be built.

Summary Judgment said...

If Pittman Hey is correct, and no order has been published and none is available for inspection (which I doubt), then there ya go. Nobody is required to abide by an unpublished edict. Perhaps the honorable Counselor Hey will represent these folk and his first comment to the judge will be "Your honor, What Ordinance?" Summary Judgment.

D. Miller said...

So they need to close all Sonics! Oh and love how the cop is practicing guidelines with NO gloves. He is probably infectious and passing out tickets infecting everyone!

The Little Flower, Ste Therese said...

Really and truly? This is even an ISSUE? Oh, stop it, stop it. The idea that people need to huddle and herd en masse (no pun intended for fellow Catholics) to get their spiritual sustenance is a truly silly thing. Light a candle, read your most comforting scripture (or a Yeats poem, whatever) and STAY THE F**K home. Y’all can group-hug later, maybe. Or not.

(Oops, blooper alert, before anyone leaps in to correct me: Mass is “messe” in French, nit “masse.”

John Pittman Hey said...

Summary Judgment @ 9:20 AM, it never ceases to amaze me how anonymous commentors insist on ad hominem replies to substantive matters. I never said no order was published. What I said was, I hadn't been able to find one. The mayor's press secretary has so far failed to reply to my emailed request for a copy 48 hours ago.

I never claimed to be an attorney, or hold any other exalted position at all.

Why do people find it so hard to rationally address the issues at hand, rather than engaging in ludicrous and unhelpful snark?

But at last I did find a copy of the order, and just as I thought, it did not track the summary that its supporters above provided.

It did not require people to "just stay home" or any such thing. It did not apply to people gathering in their parked cars at Walmart or Sonic or anywhere else BUT in a church parking lot.

It modified the Governor's EO in only ONE WAY: targeting church services. While the Governor's EO included "church gatherings" as "essential operations," the Greenville EO targets ONLY church gatherings.

So no, the Greenville EO was not a sweeping tightening of the Governor's EO. It was ONLY targeted at church meetings, including those which comply with CDC mandates.

I agree with Governor Reeves and many others, that the government simply does not have the authority to shut down houses of worship. The Mississippi Constitution is too clear on the matter.

But that obviously won't stop some from trying.

Power Corrupts said...

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.



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