Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

muriel_volestrangler

(101,154 posts)
Sun Jun 2, 2013, 07:15 PM Jun 2013

Atheists challenge churches' free parking permits

The National Secular Society (NSS) is challenging Woking borough council in the courts, warning that the exemption amounts to direct discrimination against non-believers who must still pay to park in the town centre on Sunday mornings.

The issue has become increasingly contentious as more councils scrap free evening and Sunday parking in pursuit of additional streams of income. The charges were initially denounced as a "tax on worshippers", so a number of local authorities – including Wyre council in Lancashire and Canterbury city council – responded by setting up "worship parking permit" schemes.

Woking, which established its scheme in May 2012, is the authority that the NSS has chosen to target for a test case, exploring whether the preferential treatment amounts to a breach of the Equality Act 2010.

Their letter of claim, sent by lawyers Leigh Day, explains that the local Anglican Christ Church, evangelical Coign Church and Trinity Methodist Church have all been provided by the council with ticket validating machines. Woking United Reform Church gives out council-backed parking permits to churchgoers valid between 9.30am and 1pm on Sundays.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/02/atheists-churches-free-parking


What's interesting is that the council had legal advice before doing this, which said it "amounts to indirect discrimination", but could be justified, on the grounds that churches are a bunch of nice guys (not the exact legal wording, but pretty much what the reasoning is).
14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
 

BlueJazz

(25,348 posts)
1. "tax on worshippers" Heh ??. So you burn up 5-10 bucks worth of fuel and then bitch about..
Sun Jun 2, 2013, 07:23 PM
Jun 2013

...2 dollars for parking.

Look..you have a choice..either be deluded or cheap...You're not allowed both.

Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,473 posts)
2. I see that atheists are whinging about being discriminated against again
Tue Jun 4, 2013, 05:40 PM
Jun 2013

Poor dears. I wish they would grow up and stop their constant complaints about how the nasty believers are being cruel to them.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
3. Why should one person have to pay to park in a certain facility, and another one doesn't?
Tue Jun 4, 2013, 06:13 PM
Jun 2013

Leave religion completely out of it for now. What do you think are valid reasons for charging certain people but not others?

Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,473 posts)
6. Don't you have something real to fight?
Wed Jun 5, 2013, 12:23 PM
Jun 2013

Like, say, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act? That would be worth bringing suit about, not "Why should we have to pay for parking on Sunday?"

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
7. First off, this isn't my battle.
Wed Jun 5, 2013, 12:26 PM
Jun 2013

I don't live there and I'm not personally affected.

I asked you a question. Will you answer it?

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
8. Your post is an excellent example of Christian privilege in action.
Wed Jun 5, 2013, 12:47 PM
Jun 2013

And yet another weak passive-aggressive attempt to smear non-believers.

How expected.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
9. The image that comes to my mind...
Wed Jun 5, 2013, 01:36 PM
Jun 2013

is that of Southern racists and some of their enablers who, in the 1950s and 60s, would have dismissed concerns over such things as separate drinking fountains. "What's the big deal? You have your own drinking fountain right next to mine. Don't you have bigger battles to fight?"

Or the defenders of marriage inequality - "Why are you hung up on the word marriage? You can have a civil union and get most of the benefits you are looking for - don't you have bigger battles to fight?"

It's an overall effort to trivialize and dismiss legitimate concerns - generally employed by, as you so accurately noted, those in positions of privilege.

Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,473 posts)
13. Your post is another example of atheist whinging
Thu Jun 6, 2013, 08:03 AM
Jun 2013

To bring suit because you poor ickle atheists have to pay for parking on Sunday is evidence of your whinging over trivial slights. I do not have to smear non-believers -- you smear yourselves. Grow up. Life is not always fair.

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
14. Thank you for supporting my original assertion about your sense of privilege.
Thu Jun 6, 2013, 11:14 AM
Jun 2013

Jesus is really, really proud of you, I'm sure.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,154 posts)
4. They're complaining about the council, not 'the nasty believers'
Tue Jun 4, 2013, 06:53 PM
Jun 2013

and the discrimination was started because the council listened to the whinging of the churchgoers, but decided to only make it free for them.

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
5. I think the bigger story is how our austerity is being shoved down on local governments
Wed Jun 5, 2013, 09:58 AM
Jun 2013

Why are local governments feeling compelled to require people to pay for parking on Sunday? Because state governments are putting the squeeze on because the federal government is putting the squeeze on.

Once they decide to cancel free parking on Sunday, well religious folks have the natural complaint that this effects them more than other people, and non-religious folk have the natural complaint that the religious folk are getting benefits that the rest of society doesn't.

Bryant

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»Atheists challenge church...