"I want you to know up front I'm not communist, Nazi or a bad guy. I'm a simple person who loves his country and our city. I ran for office because I think I can make a difference," Murray Mayor Lynn Pett told some 200 protesters who gathered Friday morning in front of City Hall.
The emotional group, rallied by KTKK-radio disc jockey Mills Crenshaw, gathered in support of leaders of a religious congregation who filed a federal suit against the city.The suit filed by attorneys for Scott and Linda Minnis seeks to stop enforcement of a city ordinance prohibiting regular religious meetings in a residential area without a conditional-use zoning permit.
The protesters distributed copies of the U.S. Constitution, waved upside-down American flags and posters reading, "Grow Up Murray" and "Study Our Liberties - Vote Away Ignorance." Speakers criticized the city for violating their constitutional rights to due pro-cess.
"To me this isn't a religious issue. This is a civil-rights issue. My Constitution is being stepped on," said one speaker at the rally.
The rally was organized by Crenshaw and hyped throughout the week on KTKK.
"A little, tiny group of people got together in a private home in this city, and they had the unmitigated temerity to actually study the Bible at home," Crenshaw told the crowd.
"It's a tragedy that there are so many sheep in this state and in the United States of America. You demonstrate the fact that there are people - not just sheep - that will stand up for their rights."
The controversy began when the Minnis family last month was told to quit holding church services at their home after neighbors complained that cars were congesting the street. Scott Minnis, an elder in the Southwest Calvary Chapel, resides at 190 W. American Ave. in Murray.
A notice of violation was issued by the city to Minnis for not having a conditional-use permit. Such a permit is required of all residents who regularly conduct religious activities in a residential home.
Instead of filing for the permit, Minnis sued Murray City. The suit filed Monday challenges the ordinance on the grounds it is vague, overly broad and can lead to selective prosecution, said Matthew M. F. Hilton, a St. George attorney representing the Minnises.
Hilton is president of the Utah Chapter of the Rutherford Institute, a Virginia-based organization involved with constitutional issues such as freedom of religion.
City attorneys said Murray has not been formally served with the civil complaint so they are not under any time requirement to answer it.
But Pett, who has been the target of criticism by KTKK listeners, addressed the issue for the first time at Friday's rally.
"Comments have been made that individuals cannot meet, pray or worship in Murray. That is false. We encourage our citizens to be moral, honest, hard working and worship in the manner they desire - if they desire," he said.
"We do respect all of our citizens' rights and attempt through the planning process to balance these rights and privileges."
He told the group the city has no desire to "regulate, abridge, infringe or impair an individual's rights to exercise religious freedom, free speech or the right to assemble."
But Pett stressed that the city must be able to regulate the use of structures and buildings, making sure they comply to city zoning ordinances and codes.