See that nice mall? Seems like a welcoming place. Ah, but don't talk about God in there. In 2006 Matthew Snatchko, a youth pastor, initiated a conversation about God with three shoppers at the Roseville Galleria mall.
The women gave Snatchko permission to broach the subject, but a nearby store employee said they "looked nervous," so he ordered the evangelist to leave. After Snatchko refused, mall security arrested him.
Snatchko was later released and never charged with a crime, but he and the Justice Institute decided to challenge the constitutionality of Roseville Galleria's restrictions on conversations about topics such as religion and politics.
"He wanted to make sure that neither he nor anybody else got harassed again at this mall or the 55 other malls this company owns throughout the United States," said McReynolds, part of the Pacific Justice Institute.
In 2008, a California superior court ruled that the mall's ban on controversial conversations with strangers didn’t violate freedom of speech. But late last month Snatchko and the Justice Institute appealed to the state’s 3rd Appellate District in Sacramento. All parties in the case are now waiting for the court to schedule a date for oral arguments or issue a ruling.
Now, if this fellow had been abusive or had been cornering people to force them to listen to him, the Mall would seem to have a case. I bet if Planned Parenthood showed up to talk about "choice" they would be welcomed with open arms.
If need be, I hope this one goes to the Supreme Court. Read the rest here.
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