Transcripts: Enjoy Life Forever!

Transcript: Legally Defending the Good News.
Presenter: Under the direction of the Governing Body and the United States Branch Committee, the Legal Department works to protect our legal rights to worship. When restrictions are placed on our activities, we work to ‘defend and legally establish the good news.’
[Text: Case History. Stratton, Ohio]
Let’s examine a case that was taken all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
[Text: Permit to canvass to solicit, etc. In accordance with the provisions of section 116.04 of the Codified Ordinances of the village of Stratton, Ohio, the Mayor of the Village of Straton, Ohio has issued to the above Applicant a Permit, authorising the Applicant to canvass, solicit, peddle, hawk, or sell merchandise or services, by going in or upon private property to which the Applicant is invited. Applicant has registered as required by Village Ordinance. The address or addresses of parties inviting the Applicant appear above in Applicant’s Application. Mayor]
The town of Stratton, Ohio passed an ordinance requiring that anyone wanting to engage in door-to-door activity had to obtain a permit from the mayor.
[Image of sign. Text: No soliciting without permit violators will be prosecuted]
[Philip Brumley. Legal Department]
Philip: The ordinances that were enacted were specifically designed to restrict the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
[Paul Polidoro. Legal Department]
Paul: The Witnesses tried to work the matter out with the municipality, with the village, but the village was insistent that our brothers and sisters obtain permits prior to going from door to door.
Presenter: This permit scheme was upheld in the lower courts in Ohio. Thus, the case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled in our favor and held that such ordinances are unconstitutional as applied to the public ministry of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
[Newspaper headlines: Court Strikes Down Curb on Visits by Jehovah’s Witnesses; Court slams shut Ohio village’s door-to-door law; Court allows canvassing]
Paul: Even now, we still have some municipalities that would like to enforce their permit regulation against our brothers and sisters. We turn their attention to the Stratton decision, and the issue is resolved.
Presenter: Since 1919, Jehovah’s Witnesses have obtained 50 victories before the United States Supreme Court. Just as extraordinary, we have prevailed in the European Court of Human Rights over 50 times.
[Black and white Photograph. Text: At Monessen, Pa. their flagless school was closed, and Witnesses were crowded into a small jail] [Text: Monessen, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 1940]
Philip: Jehovah’s Witnesses do not seek confrontation. They prefer to quietly serve God.
[Black and white photo of 16 brothers. Text: Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Germany. 1945]
But when events unfold that force them to stand up and say: ‘I won’t do this’.
[Black and white Photograph of a brother. Text: Kavála Prison, Greece. 1948]
or ‘I have to do that because my faith compels me to do so’.
[Black and white Photograph of group of brothers and sisters. Text: Siberia, Russia. 1953]
it is remarkable to see
[Photograph of brothers in prison clothing. Text: Kangjoo Prison, Korea. 1993]
the steel-like determination
[Photograph of 3 brothers. Text: Sawa Prison Camp, Eritrea. 2003]
of these individuals who have looked into the eyes of judges, magistrates, and police officers and have simply said: ‘I have to obey God.’
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2014 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania)