Here's another example of how officials at the City of Salem engage in selective enforcement of municipal requirements, another recent example being the notorious instance of the Police Department telling armed "militia" members how to avoid a curfew while enforcing the curfew against Black Lives Matter protesters.
This morning I asked the City Manager, Steve Powers, questions about how it is that Salem Awakening, a religious group with political overtones, has been able to keep holding meetings in Riverfront Park, complete with a sound system, even though a city permit that allows them to do this has been revoked.
It's now 5:20 pm. I haven't gotten a response to my questions.
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Mr. Powers, I’m going to write a blog post today about the religious group that's been meeting in Riverfront Park and using a sound system there even though it has been reported that the City of Salem revoked their permit. See this KTPV story, "Salem churches say permit for nightly outdoor services revoked."

The KPTV story says that the group plans to keep meeting at the park, and as you can see below that’s what has been happening.
Salem Awakening 2020 says it will continue to meet in the park every night through Sept. 7. It says the city has told them it can’t stop people from meeting outside, but that they can’t use their sound equipment without the permit. Organizers say they will not be adhering to that rule, because it causes people to group closer to be able to hear.
So my questions are:
(1) is it now the policy of the City of Salem to allow groups to use sound systems in city parks without a permit?
(2) If the answer to the above question is “No,” then why is Salem Awakening being allowed to do this?
(3) If the answer to the above question is “Yes,” who authorized this change to city policies, and is it currently being applied fairly to all groups, not just religious ones?
(4) My wife, Laurel, is the organizer of an atheist discussion group that, after meeting via Zoom for several weeks, now gets together on Sunday at Bush Park, where they (obviously) sit outside. Sometimes it is difficult for members of the group to hear what others are saying. Since the City of Salem is allowing the Salem Awakening group to use a sound system in a city park without a permit, is it also OK for my wife’s group to use a sound system at Bush Park for their group without a permit?
I look forward to your response ASAP, since as noted above I will be writing about this today. This issue is being discussed on Facebook, as shown by the screenshots below.
It doesn’t put the City of Salem in a good light to have what appears to be another instance of selective enforcement where certain groups are given a free pass on city requirements. (This controversy also came up in the recent Black Lives Matter protests.)
— Brian
Dear Steve Powers,
THANK YOU for being a good American and upholding the U.S. Constitution!
The 1st amendment clearly states:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The vast majority off Salem residents are behind you.
God bless and keep you!
Posted by: Skyline | July 13, 2020 at 10:05 PM
I really want to see what the reaction of the proponents of freedom of religion would be if people of minority faiths held such gatherings without permit.
Posted by: Navneet | July 14, 2020 at 01:10 AM
The City has changed it story about why the reservation and sound permit for Salem Awakening 2020, which plans to go on nightly until September, was cancelled. First they said it had to do with COVID-19 health concerns and the need for the City to have paid employees do "social monitoring" at the event. Then yesterday in an email to Susann Kaltwasser the City Manager said "the City can't prohibit groups based on a group's speech or political statement." Which is it Mr. Manager? This smells bad. Meanwhile, if this goes on until September, many people will get sick and some people will die. Idiocy. This is just one example of why the pandemic is raging in the US when other more civilized countries have managed to tamp it down. I'm also disappointed in our Governor exempting indoor church services from her latest ban on indoor gatherings of more than 10. What's that about? Very foolish. The People's Church and other churches in Salem will continue the community spread of the virus.
Posted by: Jim Scheppke | July 14, 2020 at 09:41 AM
All I can say is "God's favor".
Posted by: Cathy | July 17, 2020 at 09:14 PM