Excerpt from Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 17, 2006
article by Beth Warren:
=====
A fourth-generation psychic says she foresees a favorable outcome as she
fights a half-century-old law that takes a dim view of her craft.
Angie Marks, 28, has been reading palms in her hometown of Americus for
six years without any outside drama, but her fortune took a turn for the
worse in 2004. That's when she tried to move her business to Jonesboro,
bustling with more potential clients. Jonesboro officials refused to give
her a business license and then passed an ordinance banning
fortunetelling, clairvoyance, astrology and other similar practices.
A dusty state law, on the books since 1953 but rarely used, allows --- but
doesn't require --- municipalities to ban such businesses.
In an attempt to take control of her own destiny, Marks filed suit
Wednesday against the state, Clayton County and Jonesboro in federal court
in Atlanta. She's got the backing of attorneys with the American Civil
Liberties Union, who call the ban an unconstitutional infringement on free
speech that arbitrarily targets certain business owners with no
explanation....
article by Beth Warren:
=====
A fourth-generation psychic says she foresees a favorable outcome as she
fights a half-century-old law that takes a dim view of her craft.
Angie Marks, 28, has been reading palms in her hometown of Americus for
six years without any outside drama, but her fortune took a turn for the
worse in 2004. That's when she tried to move her business to Jonesboro,
bustling with more potential clients. Jonesboro officials refused to give
her a business license and then passed an ordinance banning
fortunetelling, clairvoyance, astrology and other similar practices.
A dusty state law, on the books since 1953 but rarely used, allows --- but
doesn't require --- municipalities to ban such businesses.
In an attempt to take control of her own destiny, Marks filed suit
Wednesday against the state, Clayton County and Jonesboro in federal court
in Atlanta. She's got the backing of attorneys with the American Civil
Liberties Union, who call the ban an unconstitutional infringement on free
speech that arbitrarily targets certain business owners with no
explanation....
posted by:
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Indiana
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Re: Psychic wants ban overturned
Tue, August 22, 2006 - 6:45 AMThe explanation is that this sort of business was the business of roaming Gypsy's...Romany.....and other con-men. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I can see why it was *originally* implimented.........however, I'm thinkin' that it's not quite unbiased and out-dated. -
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Re: Psychic wants ban overturned
Tue, August 22, 2006 - 7:23 AMThere's a lot of outdated, or just plain daft laws still on the books in every state:
www.dumblaws.com/
Washington -
* All lollipops are banned. (I break this one daily, with the cannister of Chupa-Chups lollis that I keep on my desk at work.)
* People may not buy a mattress on Sunday. (Mattress King and Mattress Direct are both open on Sunday. 'Nista and I purchased our mattress at Sears, on a Sunday.)
* You are not allowed to breastfeed in public. (I've seen this one broken repeatedly.)
* You cannot buy meat of any kind on Sunday. (Yeah, right.)
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