Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Life Peace Zones: Monzel under the radar with the Catholic fringe?

Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

Photo courtesy of here.

Brother Steven Gerard Sidlovsky from the St. Anthony Secular Franciscan Order has recently been circulating a petition hoping to establish “Life Peace Zones” in Cincinnati.  These would be binding zoning designations based on Catholic family values.  And it turns out Councilmember Chris Monzel has jumped on board, asking Cincinnati’s Law Department to look into what type of wording might be acceptable for pushing some version of this concept through City Council.

Bro. Sidlovsky recently toured Community Councils with his acoustic guitar, singing a song about “Life Peace Zones” to the tune of “This Little Light of Mine.” It seems the point was to subtly introduce this zoning concept to the communities, establishing familiarity for the weird petition Sidlovsky is now circulating.

Sidlovsky’s petition, presumably sponsored by the St. Anthony Secular Franciscan Order (though no accreditation is provided on the document) says that signing will help “to strengthen Family Values.”

It continues:

...signing this petition will allow:

1.  City Hall council members to promulgate a new local Life Peace Zone codification of Zoning Law that will benefit desiring Cincinnati neighborhoods and business districts.

2.  City Hall council members to redefine the Charter Constitution of Cincinnati to define and clarify Historic Cincinnati Life Peace Zone Neighborhoods, Business Districts, Streets, Corridors, Overlays, etc.

3.  City Hall council members to place a Life Peace Zone banner in City Council Chambers that will also display the respective Life Peace Zone Neighborhoods and Business Districts.

There were four more items, but I only had time to copy the first three by hand.  These, in and of themselves, however, are enough to raise serious concerns.  Firstly, what is this business about how the petition “will allow”?  What kind of language is that?  Why does number two claim that the Charter Constitution will be “redefined”?  What’s going on here?  Why are the Franciscans getting involved in zoning laws?  And what does Chris Monzel have to do with this?

Christa Criddle, from Monzel’s office, said they were not promoting Sidlovsky’s petition specifically, though she did admit that Monzel has asked the Law Department to explore possible language for implementing a version of these “Life Peace Zones.” She gave the example of how a “Life Peace Zone” designation on a business district, as an “overlay,” could allow a community to stop an abortion clinic from opening up shop.

When asked whether such zoning could prohibit an organization like Planned Parenthood—even if they did not plan to have a clinic at a location—Criddle could not provide an answer since no legal wording currently exists.  She said the constitutionality of the concept is still being worked out by the Law Department.

Criddle did specify that, unlike the wording in Sidlovsky’s petition, Monzel is just looking to establish a zoning overlay, and not to change the Charter itself.  But as of right now, there are more questions than answers about Life Peace Zones, and it looks like the St. Anthony Secular Franciscan Order has some mighty big plans with their current petition.

Interestingly, Building Cincinnati has this piece from April about Life Peace Zones, which would seem to shut the door on the concept.  But the new petition, along with the admission from Criddle that Monzel’s office is communicating with the Law Department on this matter, shows the concept is both alive and on the move.

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Hmm... says:
24 Sep 2008  at  10:35 pm | #

So does that mean that Muslims can create business districts & communities based on their values too?  I mean fair is fair right?

cincysuz says:
25 Sep 2008  at  05:56 am | #

I smell a Brinkman.

Lover-of-Life says:
25 Sep 2008  at  07:48 am | #

This sounds like a good plan to me. Let each community decide whether they want these killing mills to be set up in their community.

TJefferson says:
25 Sep 2008  at  12:18 pm | #

And is anyone looking at the separation of church and state/city in this overture? Sorry, Suz, sounds like the Burke arm of the City Links/3CDC militia.

Vera Z says:
25 Sep 2008  at  04:44 pm | #

And who/what groups/what kinds of businesses will be permitted to move into or be forced out of these “Life Peace Zones?  It does sound like a Constitutional matter.  Vera Z

jd says:
25 Sep 2008  at  10:42 pm | #

"The first of the First Amendment’s two religion clauses reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion ... .” Note that the clause is absolute. It allows no law. It is also noteworthy that the clause forbids more than the establishment of religion by the government. It forbids even laws respecting an establishment of religion. The establishment clause sets up a line of demarcation between the functions and operations of the institutions of religion and government in our society. It does so because the framers of the First Amendment recognized that when the roles of the government and religion are intertwined, the result too often has been bloodshed or oppression.”

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/rel_liberty/establishment/index.aspx

Beerman says:
26 Sep 2008  at  07:42 am | #

Who is saying anything about establishing any religion? We already regulate all kinds of things in this country. You people are off your collective rockers.

says:
26 Sep 2008  at  08:13 am | #

Well we certainly know what neighborhoods are considered “the desirables>”

Always the double-standard bs.

says:
26 Sep 2008  at  03:52 pm | #

I was talking to a friend last night, and he wondered if military recruiters would be allowed to open up in a Life Peace Zone!

cincysuz says:
26 Sep 2008  at  07:52 pm | #

Good point Dean. I’d like to hear the answer to that one.

cincysuz says:
27 Sep 2008  at  09:29 am | #

I don’t like to get into the “Priests are Pedophiles” witchhunt because research will show that all religions are rife with exploiters. Jehovah’s Witnesses among the top offenders. Baptists as well. The Catholic Church is just able to track better because of the centralization. BUT...MY family values dictate that a “priest free zone” may be prudent to keep actual living, breathing children safe from the documented, proven, prosecuted and ILLEGAL actions that priests have perpetrated upon innocent children for centuries leaving them, suicidal, drug addicated, devastated and damaged for life. I can strum a few chords. Maybe I’ll compose a little ditty as well to the tune of “This Little Light of Mine.” Something like:

This little hood of mine
No Priests and we’ll be fine
This little hood of mine
They’re known to cross the line
This little hood of mine
Safe childrern all the time

Rape’s a crime
It’s a crime
It’s a crime

A priest free zone. HHmmm. Clean up your own house Catholic Church.

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