Officer refused order to ‘push’ Christian evangelists off public college campus
Cop’s right to protect gospel preachers asserted in court
Officer refused order to ‘push’ Christian evangelists off public college campus
By Brian Fitzpatrick
© 2011 WorldNetDaily
Photo from Facebook page “Kutztown University Students Against Repent America Demonstrations”
Does a police officer have the right to disobey an order that would cause him to violate the constitutional rights of, say, a Christian open-air preacher at a public university?
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys today argued a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, one step below the Supreme Court, that could establish the legal precedent that police officers have the same right to disobey illegal orders as members of the military.
“Armbruster v. Cavanaugh is an important case,” said ADF Senior Counsel Tom Marcelle. “A police officer takes an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. If he has that obligation, he also has a right to refuse to uphold orders that cause him to violate the very Constitution he is sworn to defend.
“Whether you’re talking about the Nazis at Nuremberg or police officers at Kent State, courts have recognized in certain circumstances a police officer has a duty not to obey an unlawful or unconstitutional order. The difference is, at Kent State life was at issue. We argued that life is protected by the Constitution, but liberty is also. An order to deprive someone of liberty is no different from an order to take someone’s life,” he said.
“If a soldier or a police officer performs in an unlawful way, he can never tell a judge, ‘I did this because I was ordered to do it.’ Following orders is never a defense. Therefore police officers have a right to disobey orders that are not constitutional and not fear retribution from superiors,” he said.
From Oath Keepers PA State Chapter President, Steve Armbruster: I wanted to thank everyone who has supported both me and my family throughout this righteous fight to defend the civil rights of American Citizens. I am very proud to be a member of Oath Keepers and the Oath Keeper Pennsylvania Chapter President.
We must all take notice to the fact that Christianity breads freedom and liberty. In our quest to free our country from the chains of Socialism and the encroachment of a impending police state, our efforts must be merged with a religious revival. However, this remains the choice of the American people, for only Christ can meet our needs and the decision to do so rests with each one of us individually. God is good….
I plan on taking with me, to my next adventure, the lessons that I have learned from working in law enforcement for many years, since the age of 18 (I am now 43). I got my start in this industry as a military police officer in the First Infantry Forward (Big Red One). This is when I first took my oath and I meant every word of it.
I have announce my plans to run for the office of County Sheriff in Carbon County Pennsylvania and I will run as a Constitutional Sheriff.
My plans do include the creation of a posse program where I will work with citizen activist groups in a non-partisan manor to protect their civil rights. As County Sheriff I will also once again refuse to obey any order, edict or law that takes those rights away.
I will refuse any attempt by the Obama administration to enact unconstitutional gun control legislation that overrides the second amendment by US treaty.
I will also refuse to enforce Federal or State hate crime laws if used in an attempt to punish any pastor, priest or individual for the expression of Biblical precepts.
Martian Luther said it best by stating the following:
“If I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the battle rages the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle-field besides is mere flight and disgrace to him if he flinches at that one point.”
At this point where our freedoms are being attacked, there is the point where I will meet all of you and together we will not flinch.
Freedom at any cost!!
Steven Armbruster
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January 28th, 2011 at 10:52 am
I’m proud of you and will keep you in my prayers. I know how bad it is getting, I recently ran into a retired officer from Houston, Texas, during this conversation I must have hit a nerve because he told me I had no right to ask questions and told me I would not pass the “asshole” test. I didn’t know there was such a thing. But I new from his response we had a fight on our hands so keep up the good work, God Bless you and your family
January 28th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Bully for you Steve. I know Carbon County well and wish you the best of luck on your run for sheriff. Please keep us posted on this case. Kutztown in particular and Pennsylvania’s colleges in general need a lesson in free speech. What was good for the overgorwn hippy administrators in the 60s is good for us tax- and tuition-paying citizens today.
February 4th, 2011 at 2:51 am
I wish you and your family well. Your a stand up and be counted kind of a guy. This country and our communities need more law enforcement officers like yourself. I’m fortunate to live in a state (Utah)that is reletively conservitive. My home state is Delaware and I have many relitives in Kutztown, Reading and Birdsboro. They are not very happy with local government in those areas.
Best wishes for your success. Keep the faith.