Another case has been filed in US Federal Court against prohibitions on fortune telling. This case involves Candice Wohlfeil, a tarot reader from East Ridge, Tennessee.
She’s been reading cards from a booth at a flea market since 2007. In 2008 a Codes Enforcer came by and told her she was in violation of a local ordinance banning fortune-telling. She questioned the constitutionality of the law and was told the City would look into it and get back to her. They didn’t, until this past September when she was told that if she didn’t stop reading cards, she’d be fined $500 per violation. She closed down her booth.
After attempting to contact the City Attorney with no success, Wohlfeil approached the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. They’ve taken up her case and brought it to Federal Court.
As reported by WDEF.com, ACL-TN Cooperating Attorney Donna Roberts of Stites & Harbison PLLC said, “The First Amendment precludes the government from declaring which ideas are acceptable or not. Our client has the right to make predictions, whether for fun or profit, without the government discriminating against the content of her speech.”
I couldn’t agree more. Power to you Candice!