| 
|
Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
| Total Views: 4,941,335
|
Article: 21065
[Civil]
Date Posted:
8/19/2009
6:01:35 pm EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 7,311
RSS: 19,864
Comments: 8
|
Man Challenges Ban On Fortunetelling
Author: Rick Rojas Source: Washington Post
Title: MAN CHALLENGES BAN ON FORTUNETELLING
Nick Nefedro didn't need to have his palm read or look to Tarot cards to know that his plan to work as a fortuneteller in Bethesda would fail. His fate was already written: Montgomery County says it is illegal to make money from forecasting the future.
But Nefedro, who says he is a Gypsy, is determined to change that. He has enlisted the American Civil Liberties Union in his year-long fight to overturn the law that calls his livelihood fraudulent. He argues that fortunetelling is part of his heritage and that prohibiting him from working as a fortuneteller amounts to discrimination.
He said the law is nothing more than persecution of Gypsies, who have long been stigmatized as nomadic thieves and con artists.
| Options: [Read Full Story] [Comments Locked]
[Email to a Friend]
|
|
Community Thoughts: There are 8 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Legitmate Reasons | Aug 20th. at 2:45:02 pm EDT
|
Finn (San Marcos, Texas) - Email Me
The legitmate reason for regulating such activities tends to trump everything else. Fortuntellers with real powers and abilities will easily be able to prove themselves and demonstrate they deserve permit to conduct their business. It is Win-Win. The real deal gets to do their job without competition from frauds. The issue isn't about choice. Nothing prevents people from paying others to do things. Having laws merely allows people recourse when they aren't satisfied, yet another option to penalize those didn't live up to their side of the barter.
The "real deal" fortuntellers should/would be thrilled that all the fakes giving them a bad name will be prevented from carrying on business. This is why I tend to suspect the motives (and abilities) of anyone who claims there should be no regulation of their industry.
|
| Turn It Around: Consumer Choice | Aug 20th. at 2:05:59 pm EDT
|
Stormsinger (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - Email Me
If I believe the preacher on the TV has a hot line to his god, and that sending him 10% of my paycheck will help pave my way to heavenly glory, nobody in Bethesda or anywhere else will stop me -- or him.
If I believe that I can guess the winning combination of numbers to hit the jackpot, I'll bet Maryland has a lottery I can get in on.
If I believe that a fortune teller or psychic advisor or spiritual counselor has an added insight into my problems, can answer my questions, reassure my fears or give me direction, why in the name of the Free Market and Capitalism should I be forbidden to go to such a person?
I read cards. I've been doing it for over 35 years. I don't believe I'm special. I simply believe that the cards, for me, help sharpen those skills of observation, intuition, hunch and analysis that all people have in one form or another. Most of the people I read for have been satisfied.
There is only one legitimate reason and several ridiculous ones for banning fortune telling:
LEGIT: a fortune teller CAN be (but is not invariably) a scam artist who will promise to remove the curse you didn't know existed but is at the root of all your problems -- for a *usually large) fee. However, this is fraud of the same caliber as winning a lottery in the Netherlands you didn't know you had entered or finding out you are the one person that a shady government official in Nigeria can trust to get millions out of the country. There are laws on the books against it that have nothing to do with the method used to defraud. Results make the case.
NOT LEGIT: it's a tool of the devil; those dirty, thieving Gypsies; it's fake; it's rigged; only "stupid" people go to fortune tellers; all they want is your money (and if I gave it away and went on welfare that would make it all better?) ; it's a scam (see above) ; etc., etc.
He's gonna win his case. Bethesda needs to come out of the 19th century. If people want to go to fortune teller, they will. If they don't, they won't. If he engages in actual fraud, sue him under non-discriminatory existing laws. End of story.
|
| Yet... | Aug 20th. at 11:19:19 am EDT
|
bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
One could walk into any church and have one's future predicted by any minister for free.
|
| Consumer Protection | Aug 20th. at 9:29:03 am EDT
|
Finn (San Marcos, Texas) - Email Me
I view the matter in a simple, direct way. If someone wants to sell their services as a fortuneteller (or any other name which means the same thing) then they should have to prove them adequate to the task. Plumbers must be able to plumb. Mechanics have to be able to fix your car. Carpenters who build your house have to be able to do the job. If they do a shoddy job, the consumer has recourse.
This means that fortunetellers who sell their services as genuine must be able to pass some sort of test showing that they can actually do it. Otherwise they must have a massive sign that says "WE ARE NOT REAL. THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT VALUE ONLY. YOU WILL GET JUST AS GOOD ADVICE THROWING A DART AT THE PAPER." I have no problem with those who claim they can see the future, talk to the dead, read your aura, and so on. I merely state that in the interest of consumer protection, they must prove their competency the moment they start charging for it.
|
| These Laws Where Originaly Against Gypsies | Aug 19th. at 8:59:11 pm EDT
|
Arie Willow (Sydney, New South Wales) - Email Me
Laws prohibiting charging for fortune telling where originally targeted at gypsies.
Weather you believe in the ability divination or not is immaterial. In either case a Fortune teller is spending a considerable amount of time with a client. So they are providing a service and it seams reasonable that they be able to charge for their time.
Weather you view this as true divination or mearly as entertainment, well that is up to you.
Weather or not fortune telling should be regulated in some way is an interesting question however, as their definitely are con merchants who use reading sessions as a way of finding emotionally vulnerable people who can then be exploited in other ways, such as being told that they are cursed and need to pay for further ritual work to lift the curse.
|
| Seriously? | Aug 19th. at 8:13:04 pm EDT
|
Eric Redbear (Madison, Wisconsin) - Email Me
Predicting weather is based on scientific observation, very clear pattern recognition and historical trends. Stock futures (not to defend the industry) are also based on historical trends, knowing the market (or having insider info) , understanding the statistics & the global economic climate. It would be similar to betting on a football game or horse race based on knowing the histories, players, home/away, etc. - statistics.
Telling a stranger's specific future based on the turn of a card, the shape of the clouds, the position of Mars or the particular tingling in your rectum is bogus. And to make money off gross generalizations while pushing vague "maybes" on usually desperate people is akin to FRAUD.
Second...what's "I'm a Gypsy" got to do with anything? Anyone can do this stuff. Just because I have Cherokee ancestors, does that mean I have some better "connection to the Earth?" And just because I have Irish ancestors, does that mean I have some special ability to understand Gaelic?
It's time to grow up, folks. Did Miss Cleo teach you nothing?
|
| Arrest The Stock Markest, Too | Aug 19th. at 7:58:06 pm EDT
|
Sea Raven (New Haven, Connecticut) - Email Me
What makes the stock market tick? FUTURES. Oil futures, livestock futures, agriculture futures... need I say more?
|
| Arrest The Weather Channel. | Aug 19th. at 7:44:10 pm EDT
|
Traveler Farlander (Dallas, Texas) - Email Me
If the law isn't carefully worded, one could argue that attempting to forecast what the weather is going to do violates that law. If you're a paid weatherman and you're ever wrong about what the weather is going to do, that would arguably be fraud, so far as I'm reading the county representative.
|
Disclaimer: The Witches' Voice inc does not verify the accuracy of the details stated in this listing, nor do we vouch for the value of the goods or services presented here... As with all contacts and financial dealings in cyberspace, we encourage you to use caution and wisdom in your dealings with strangers.
Political Statements: Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren's Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches' Voice, Inc. TWV is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization.
|
State/Country flags created by 3dflags.com and are used with permission
Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2009 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.
Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.
Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.
Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you
can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.
Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.
| |
