August 27th, 2024 § Comments Off on Tarot Reader Sues Pennsylvania Burough § permalink
Apparently, it’s illegal to be paid to read Tarot cards in Pennsylvania.
Beck Lawrence, professional Tarot reader and owner of the Serpent’s Key, in Hanover, Pennsylvania, discovered this fact when the police visited the shop last October and warned Lawrence that they were breaking the law and could be charged in the future.
The law in question is from back in 1861, and states, in part … “A person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree if he pretends for gain or lucre, to tell fortunes or predict future events, by cards, tokens, the inspection of the head or hands of any person, or by the age of anyone, or by consulting the movements of the heavenly bodies, or in any other manner ….” It goes on. You can read the full statute here.
The penalty for such an offence is up to a year in prison, or a fine of up to $2,500.
So … last week, after consulting with their attorney (and maybe the cards?), and under the full blue moon, Lawrence filed suit against the Chief of Police of Hanover in his official capacity, and against Hanover Borough.
The lawsuit claims that the statute violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution, and the Civil Rights Act of 1871. You can read the lawsuit here.
And check out the video interview below with Beck Lawrence from WGALTV.
We’ll be keeping an eye out for how this goes. I wish Lawrence well.
According to Channel 13 News, on Monday night, Huntington City Council voted 9-2 to repeal Section 529 of the Huntington City Code which had stated, “No clairvoyant, fortune-teller, palmist, phrenologist or person of similar pretensions or profession shall ply or practice his trade or profession in the city for gain.”
Assistant Huntington City Attorney Sam Ransbottom had recommended the repeal, arguing that the law had developed on this issue since the ban was first enacted. Ransbottom warned that leaving it on the books would open Huntington City up to potential lawsuits.
Looks like Council agreed.
Since Monday’s vote was the second reading of the ordinance, repeal of the ban took effect immediately.
June 15th, 2024 § Comments Off on Norfolk, Virginia Repeals ‘Psychic’ Ban § permalink
According to The Virginian-Pilot, this past Tuesday, Virginia’s Norfolk City Council repealed a more than century old law banning ‘“the practice of palmistry, palm reading, phrenology or clairvoyance” for money or other compensation in the city.’
The ban had been in place since 1915 in Norfolk, and in Norfolk County since 1956. Penalties for violators had included possible fines of up to $500 and up to six months in prison.
The City Council voted 7-1 to repeal the ban, which had apparently not been enforced in at least four decades.
Assuming, of course, the readers in the area aren’t doing anything shady … Good News!
September 17th, 2017 § Comments Off on Political Questions § permalink
Tarot doesn’t have to be just a tool for personal self-development and/or readings about what’s going on in your own life. It’s also a great tool for gaining insight into all sorts of non-personal issues, including questions about politics and events on the world stage.
I’ve been pulling cards about politicians and political questions/circumstances for many years now, and I always find them fascinating reads. If you aren’t already doing that yourself, but are interested in trying it out, I’ve listed a few possible questions you might ask your deck below …
•What is the nature of ______________ (name of politician or political player) with regards to ______________ (circumstance or political question)?
•Why are ______________ (name of politician or political player) acting as they are regarding ______________ (circumstance or political question)?
•What are the pros and cons, or different view points regarding ______________ (circumstance or political question)? ← pull two or more cards representing various perspectives
•How does ______________ (circumstance, political question, or political player) impact our democracy?
•How is ______________ (circumstance or political question) likely to play out if things keep moving as they are now?
•What are the biggest issues facing the ______________ (world, country, city or neighbourhood) right now? And what type of action is necessary to help correct what might be going wrong, or support what might be going well? ← pull two or more cards
And on a more personal level …
•How might I act towards achieving political change or support in ______________ (circumstance or political question)?
•How do my personal feelings/situations impact my response to ______________ (circumstance or political question)?
•What can I do to try to understand and connect with other people’s feelings/situations surrounding ______________ (circumstance or political question)?
This list is, of course, just a sample of what you might ask; the options are virtually unlimited. Come up with your own questions and see where your cards take you.
And if you have more than one deck, try testing out the same question with various sets of cards. I find it’s especially interesting comparing the different voices, and it gives me an opportunity to get to know decks I don’t use as often.
Psychic readings were one of the many events scheduled last month by the Township of Manchester, New Jersey for their 150th Anniversary Celebration. As it turned out though, there was a long-standing law on the books making psychic readings on public lands illegal in Manchester.
No person shall tell fortunes, play at games of chance, or use any gambling device within a township park or public lands except as provided by special permission of the Mayor or his designee.
Since they were under a time constraint, but didn’t want to break the law, Council decided that at least for their special event, the law would be suspended and psychic readings would be available at the 150th Anniversary Celebration.
According to Micromediapubs.com, Council President Brendan Weiner said that the Township intends to fully amend the ordinance in the near future.
It looks like the City of Paso Robles, California is about to make some changes to its ‘fortune-telling’ laws.
Since the late 50s, if you wanted to open a Tarot reading business or psychic shop in Paso Robles, you’d have to do it along one particular street in town.
Recently, however, City Council has begun the process of changing the rules so that psychic businesses can set up shop in other areas of the city, including the downtown area.
Though the changes haven’t yet been made official, according to newtimesslo.com, Council will be meeting in the new year and it looks promising.
As of last week, ‘fortune-telling’ is officially legal in Frederick, Maryland.
According to fredericknewspost.com, though psychic readers have been working in Frederick for some time now, the practice was technically illegal. The fine for violation was only $25, and no one was enforcing the law, but still, giving psychic readings (including Tarot) was a crime.
But not anymore … on Thursday last week, the city’s Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to repeal the ban.
Detroit is getting a brand new $450 million arena for the Detroit Red Wings hockey team to call home. Not only do plans by Olympia Development of Michigan include the arena itself, but what type of development can grow around it.
According to detroitnews.com, Olympia Development of Michigan’s new arena district will be based on a ‘deconstructred’ design, meaning that it will include separate buildings within a 45-block area surrounding the venue, as well as the venue itself.
Of those buildings to be controlled by Olympia, certain restrictions will be in place. Authorized development will include dry cleaning businesses, brewpubs, health clubs, professional or medical offices, restaurants, hotels, retail businesses, exhibition halls, and residences.
What won’t be allowed are warehouses, pawn shops, bail bondsman services, businesses that involve firearms or hazardous materials, rehab clinics, topless bars, and what interests me … psychic or tarot reading businesses.
I wonder when the brawling sport of hockey got so high-end, and when private companies (in this case, heavily subsidized by taxpayers) started getting the right to determine where other businesses are allowed to operate or not.
