The courage to be normal
The courage to be normalShlomo Cohen

Supreme Court justice Yitzhak Amit on Wednesday rejected an appeal by the pro-family Hazon movement, saying Jerusalem's municipality is allowed to remove signs placed in protest of the LGBT "Pride Parade."

The signs, which read: "Mom and Dad = a family. The courage to be normal." were hung in preparation for the Thursday parade. However, Jerusalem's municipality ordered the advertising company to remove the signs since they "hurt the public's feelings."

In response, Hazon appealed to the Supreme Court, asking that the municipality be prevented from removing the signs. Amit responded by writing, "The appeal and request were placed before me at almost 1:00a.m... The request to prevent the municipality [from taking action] should be rejected without issuing a response."

Amit justified himself by claiming, "On the face of things, it seems the municipality is acting in accordance with a municipal bylaw." He added that "it is doubtful if the appeal and request are so urgent."

He also ordered Hazon to pay a sum of 2,500 NIS to "the government's treasury" to cover expenses.

Hazon responded: "We thank the Supreme Court for exposing to everyone the world over the great lie called 'freedom of expression.' This is another important step in a long process during which the Israeli public understands that it is ruled by dictators certain that the State of Israel belongs to their 'dad and dad.'"

Last month, LGBT flags were hung outside the Jerusalem Chief Rabbinate, and pro-LGBT vandals scrawled graffiti on the floor in front of the building.

When Jerusalem's Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Aryeh Stern asked that the flags not be hung along the parade's route, and especially not on or near religious buildings, noting that the flags insult the majority of the public, his request was rejected.