This 45-minute video (which starts with 30 minutes of sermon) captures the tense atmosphere leading up to and including the assault on Kerrigan Skelly of PinPoint Evangelism (37 minutes into the video, when the preacher is pushed off his ladder) during the 2011 Bele Chere festival. The video also shows the immediate police response and the arrest of the person pushing the preacher (42 minutes into the video). Notable also are the crowd reactions throughout.
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Looks like stereotypical response to Christianity by hate-filled Lefties and Atheists to me. Asheville is the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah of our region.
Thanks for pointing this video out. Kerrigan is a good guy and a warrior for Christ. His website is http://www.pinpointevangelism.com
By Thunder Pig
08/09/2011
Mr. Skelly attended Bele Chere with the express intent of harassing festival-goers and creating a disturbance. He harassed, he disturbed, and this unwelcome incident was the result. Unfortunately, it seems he got exactly what he wanted.
By Jake
08/09/2011
That guy that pushed him may have been hate-filled, but I doubt he was a lefty or atheist. He and his wife seemed to be telling him how they were Christians too. (At least that's what I think I heard through all the cursing and threats.)
By brebro
08/09/2011
This is sad on a lot of levels. My question is this, there are at least 2 APD officers there 3-4 min before the incident. Why did they not defuse the situation? the multiple F-u's and threats the guy was using would have drawn the APD to intercede any other time. On top of counting at least 3 times where he drew his arm back indicating he was going to either punch him or do what he did.
If this were a on the sidewalk between 2 drunks, I bet they may have done something...Were the APD officers instructed otherwise regarding this particular group? I'm just syaing there may be more to it.
By NW
08/09/2011
Kerrigan is a jerk and should not have been spouting his christian hate to a party crowd!
He is not a warrior ... he is an idiot!
By dpewen
08/09/2011
Those who can sit through this self-righteous buy-bull thumping ('waahhhh, oh...the persecution') to get to the actual altercation have much more patience than me.
By Dionysis
08/09/2011
You are correct ... we basically just ignore them except for putting money into the drummer girl's tip jar to drown them out ... they are terroists similar to the taliban!
By dpewen
08/09/2011
"Christians" do their own fair share of persecution.
Dude went there to egg people on and get somebody to attack him, so he could whine about persecution of Christians. creep!
"Christian on Christian" conflicts; http://tinyurl.com/3fokdq8
From the pit of Sodom and Gemorrah, to the sanctimonious pharisees in our surrounds...clean up your own act, that should keep you busy for your lifetime!
By D. Dial
08/09/2011
Pssst... you can move the sliding progress bar thingy at the bottom of the screen past the beginning to get to the action.
By brebro
08/09/2011
"Pssst… you can move the sliding progress bar thingy at the bottom of the screen past the beginning to get to the action."
Now that's MUCH better! I guess I should have known that, but I've not watched many Youtube or such videos. Thanks.
What I see is someone wanting to provoke and to be 'persecuted' meeting up with a hothead ready to comply.
By Dionysis
08/09/2011
And the God of Abraham said to the preachers of the street, Go forth into the City of Asheville, and whosoever shall showeth the greatest display of Testosterone shall enter into the Kingdom of the Sandwich Board Circuit for all eternity; and YouTube shall bear witness to your Sanctimony so that there shall be digital evidence in court of your Persecution by Unbelievers.
Yea, verily.
By Betty Cloer Wallace
08/09/2011
I think somebody could make a few benjamins next year..by renting out b.s. bullhorns to passers by who've been sanctimonously blasted by these self appointed "do-gooders." Rent a b.s.bullhorn (with deposit for drivers license for security) for ten or twenty minutes, then return for security deposit. Blast their eardrums for a change.
By D. Dial
08/09/2011
Great idea, Ms. M, but let's make sure that we first ordain those renting the bullhorns in order to protect them with the 1st Amendment. I think you might find it a hilariously easy task to make instant ministers.
By Jake
08/09/2011
This begs the question; Why does the city allow these guys during Bele Cher? Every year they essentially instigate a scene. Clearly, the vast majority of the public do not appreciate being 'condemned' as 'sinners' by some jerk with a megaphone or stool. And while that doesnt justify the actions of this person (who, incidentally appears to consider himself more Christian than the man he pushed), one has to ask why the city chooses to empower such a contentious bunch in the first place. Can a preacher for Satan get the same kind of platform from the city of Asheville?
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Looks like stereotypical response to Christianity by hate-filled Lefties and Atheists to me
I suspect it 'looks that way to you' because that is what you are looking for. Actually observing the video, though, one is left with the impression this man doing the shoving considered himself a Christian as well (based on the things he is actually saying). How you are able to determine his political orientation is beyond me. Convenient assumption?
By bill smith
08/10/2011
Well, then, Jake. Let's set up some kind of official organization with a ministerial name to Ordain Ourselves, and then we can ordain those who rent bullhorns. And sandwich boards would be a good gig too.
All suggestions welcome.
By Betty Cloer Wallace
08/10/2011
Placing credit where credit is due...the little drummer girl was the big winner in public opinion...And her example is worth copying, with more drums, b.s.bullhorns, sandwich boards, or whatever necessary to make a point.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
So this is a MtnX Blogwire story? Where did the video originate?
And $$$$$$ to the silver drummer girl!
By Betty Cloer Wallace
08/10/2011
Last year there was talk of doing some sort of activity to counter the street corner preachers. But it looks like nothing happened after a lot of talk.
Hopefully there is enough disgust for people to band together to make a point next year and counter the fire and brimstone with some rebuttal. Maybe even make so money renting bullhorns.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Betty Cloer Wallace: My apologies for not including the credit for the video. The video is listed as by skellys3, who is Kerrigan Skelly, the preacher who was assaulted. His video channel is called PinPoint Evangelism.
You can get to Skelly's video channel by viewing the video on YouTube and then clicking on skellys3.
By Jeff Fobes
08/10/2011
You can get to Skelly’s video channel by viewing the video on YouTube and then clicking on skellys3.
Uh uh. Not me. I'm not giving this guy any hits and I get enough pop-up ads for things I am not in sympathy with now.
By Ken Hanke
08/10/2011
Ya know, Asheville and its citizens are always bringing up how "progressive" and tolerant and accepting of all people they are, irregardless of their sexual orientation or race or religious beliefs. So, why is this the preacher's fault? He is just voicing his opinion, which he is legally and constitutionally protected to do so. The man who assaulted him obviously has anger issues and needs help. I realize that the street preachers are loud and annoying, but they have a right to voice their opinion whether you or anyone else agree with it.
By Where's the tolerance?
08/10/2011
Don't bother exposing yourself to more sanctimonious fire and brimstone, from a fear driven YouTube star wannabe. What was in the video above is about the gist.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Did anyone actually sit through and watch the first full 35 minutes of the video?
By LLJK
08/10/2011
No, I didn't since I attended Bele Chere and saw all these idiots yelling at people and condeming gays and women in general. @tolerance, do you realize these guys are terroists, just like the ones we are all suppose to hate if they are muslim?
By dpewen
08/10/2011
The man who assaulted him obviously has anger issues and needs help.
Apparently, he felt compelled by the power of Christ.
By bill smith
08/10/2011
"...why is this the preacher’s fault? He is just voicing his opinion, which he is legally and constitutionally protected to do so."
This so-called 'preacher' shares some of the blame for what happened by virtue of him purposely behaving in a manner designed to excoriate and demonize the crowd; his style was to provoke and to (it seems) be subjected to 'persecution' (as he noted in his thumping session about how Jesus was persecuted, how Christians are persecuted, etc.). He got what he was after, and now is using it to bolster his standing (a real 'Christian warrior' alright).
If someone advocating acceptance of gays were to stand on a soap box and vilify the crowd for being straight, how tolerant would that likely be accepted?
Yes, 'voicing his opinion' is his right, but where is it written that voicing one's opinion means interfering with others' activities; where is it written that a soap box and megaphone are part and parcel of expressing one's opinion?
I believe in Franklin's 'marketplace of ideas'. If his message is that compelling, then people will want to hear it, and not need to be bludgeoned with it.
By Dionysis
08/10/2011
From the footage it looks like APD sends their rookies out on Bele Chere duty. Who was the senior APD officer on duty? I saw two APD guys who seem to have some seniority. They have to have some standard operating procedures for diffusing these conflicts before arrests have to be made. What are those conflict resolution procedures?
The free speech of the street preachers is a difficult factor to manage. These guys are insulting everyone who walks by and that obviously pisses people off.
I once had an APD officer tell me and a pal to leave our own community space (what is now called Roger McGuire Green) when we silently made a single pass in the background of a Shindig on the Green event. All we did was hold up a tiny 2’ x 3’ sign the read ‘Taylor Petition’ (ref. former US Rep. Charles Taylor and his disethics). The Shindig on the Green organizer apparently didn’t approve of that particular indiscreet use of the 1st.
By Viking
08/10/2011
Let’s set up some kind of official organization with a ministerial name to Ordain Ourselves, and then we can ordain those who rent bullhorns. And sandwich boards would be a good gig too.
All suggestions welcome.
How about "Pushback Ministries"?
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
There's physical assault, then there's verbal assault. Do enough verbal assault on a large crowd of partying people, and you're just liable to get physically assaulted.
Just as leaving valuables in obvious sight in an unlocked car, sets one up to be robbed, (and makes one a participant in their own victimization)..this guy placing himself in the midst of a large crown and spewing forth venomous words will eventually reap some consequences.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
And sandwich boards would be a good gig too.
This would be mine:
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret"
Matthew 6:6
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Do enough verbal assault on a large crowd of partying people, and you’re just liable to get physically assaulted.
Exactly right - and the first preacher in this video ("Brother Bill" from "CryToGod Ministries") was clearly provoking this guy, repeatedly calling him a 'murderer', just because he was challenging the preacher's judgmental attitude and defending his wife, who the preacher had called a "hypocrite". He just starts chanting at the guy:
"Knock me out & go to jail. Knock me out & go to jail. Knock me out & go to jail."
Who says that to a drunk, angry man who's defending his wife? Someone who's inciting violence, that's who.
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Just like criminals learn to play the system to their advantage and trample on people, these "street preachers" are doing the same thing. Spewing forth what just might be pathological hate rants.
So the community has an opportunity to use the system too, in creating way to counter the venomous hate coming from this charletans.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
"Little Silver Drummer Girl Ministries"mm ??????
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
"Thank God for Satan" Ministries?
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
You all do realize, don't you, that all of this is simply giving these street "preachers" the attention they so desperately and pathetically crave?
By RHS
08/10/2011
My pushback idea is to make up a large placard with the phrase "CLOSET HOMOSEXUAL" with an arrow under it and then stand right next to one of these Bible-barfing yahoos with the arrow pointing right at him. Because you know it's true.
By Troublemaker
08/10/2011
How about a variation on the Westboro Baptist approach:
http://www.altpress.com/images/uploads/news/Westboro-Baptist-Church.jpg
Maybe flourescent signs that say "GOD TOLD ME PERSONALLY THAT HE HATES THIS GUY" and then an arrow at the bottom of the sign that you can point at the preacher...
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
You all do realize, don’t you, that all of this is simply giving these street “preachers†the attention they so desperately and pathetically crave?
That's a legitimate point. However, this was the same argument made that we shouldn't protest the KKK (in 2007?) when they marched here (and yes, I am lumping these people together). But when we did, it was effective - there were hundreds of protestors and only a handful of supporters, and we made them look ridiculous, and they haven't come back.
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Barry I believe you've have some experience with the women's clinic harrassment demonstrations. How do the escorts handle these harassment issues?
Yes, I do believe the street corner preachers are harassing the crowd. The they whine when someone like the man pictured who has enough.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Barry I believe you’ve have some experience with the women’s clinic harrassment demonstrations.
Not here. It's been years since I was active in clinic escort. I don't know what the practices here are like.
Elsewhere, it's often quite jovial, the relations between clinic workers/escorts and protestors. ...Right up until one of the "Christians" snaps and pulls a gun out & starts shooting, that is.
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Well nittin' jovial about this connivin dude.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
http://podpocalypse.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/fuck-this-guy-pic/
By Orbit DVD
08/10/2011
I want to buy this guy a beer.
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Religion, nice to see it brings out the best in people. Now if only the Best people would come out, it might improve everything.
By Bjorn
08/10/2011
Ok people. Just because you don't agree with someone doesn't give you the right to shove them off a latter. Just because he had it coming doesn't make it right. Get real. I'm stunned to see so many people place blame on the preacher. To me, street preachers are part of bele chere. If you don't like them, then don't go to bele chere. Asheville seems to be so anti bele chere anyways these days.
By FISHERFISHERFISHER
08/10/2011
FYI: “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.†Ezekiel 16:49
By Lesley
08/10/2011
Asheville tolerance in true fashion, I wish I had such an open mind that I get violent at the hint of a different opinion.
Yet another shining example of Asheville's lack of diversity. Bravo Asheville!!!
By Asheville Dweller
08/10/2011
The First Amendment also gives us the right to stand outside their church on Sunday morning and use bullhorns to shout blasphemies at them as they leave their church. How do you think they would respond to that? Give them a taste of their own medicine.
By Troublemaker
08/10/2011
Just because he had it coming doesn’t make it right.
Nobody in this thread has said it was right to assault this preacher, but that it was a sad, predictable result of shouting hate at a crowd of drunk strangers. Maybe you should go back & read before misrepresenting this discussion.
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Asheville Police routinely shut down street performers who use amplification. When a fellow musician respectfully inquired with an officer why there was a double standard for the numerous "Christian" street "performers" that were allowed to use amplification in clear violation of city code, the officer just shrugged, offering no explanation.
This kind of thing undermines the trust in the system that promises justice for all, and without trust police are nothing more than badged bullies with a license to kill. Even with simple hypocrisies like this, the system is compromised.
By Andrew J Fletcher
08/10/2011
Much as I dislike Facebook, here's a group I found:
Americans Against PinPoint Evangelism
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111308132226631
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
From the wall discussions, looks like this Pinpoint Evangelism is attempting to become "Westboro #2"
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111308132226631&v=wall
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Then when you google pinpoint evangelism + westboro baptist you get this, (these guys are in the business of spreading hate.)
http://tinyurl.com/3gegllz
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Googling around this PinPoint guy, I've found more unpleasantness. He coordinates his protests to stand next to Westboro Baptist sometimes (maybe because next to them, he looks somewhat normal). He has caused a lot of dissension among other evangelicals, with several criticizing him for misunderstanding this scriptural passage:
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Matthew 5:11-12
Meaning, he does what he does in the hope of being attacked, because he believes that this will earn him points with God. What a sad, perverted view of life...
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
Googling "pinpoint evangelism" + "counter protests"
brings up some interesting happenings.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Personally, I thought the open-hand shoving was rather mild and did not rise to the occasion of the street preacher’s extremely venomous verbal assault on innocent bystanders.
Perhaps a semi-aggressive bitch-slapping would have been more appropriate, if the insulted Christian bystander did not feel inspired to go for a full cold-cock of the street preacher.
The AVL animal control paddy wagon came out to my house a couple of weeks ago because my favorite hound dog Elvis was barking at a growling, spitting, insolent groundhog in the backyard. Elvis was causing far less public-nuisance disruption than do the street preachers, but the groundhog got off scot-free, while Elvis now has a criminal record.
Sometimes things just don’t make no sense.
By Betty Cloer Wallace
08/10/2011
Personally, I thought the open-hand shoving was rather mild and did not rise to the occasion of the street preacher’s extremely venomous verbal assault on innocent bystanders.
I have to disagree, as much as I dislike this preacher and what he does. Knocking him off a stepstool with that force, at that height - I would've expected him to get up (or not) with a cracked skull. They were both lucky he was not seriously injured.
By Barry Summers
08/10/2011
The wife's re-appearance at 44:20 is classic.
By torahthumper
08/10/2011
From the Google magic research, he goes around setting up these situations to get someone riled up enough to react then whines about how persecuted he is (God can see through this manipulation) and I don't think this is gonna get him a seat at God's right hand.
By D. Dial
08/10/2011
Barry, here’s my favorite street preacher bitch-slap, albeit the children are the real victims—being exposed to such venomous diatribes at a supposedly kid-friendly city-sponsored festival!
Look at the little boy in the background. What must he be thinking? Probably the most long-term psychological damage is for children to hear the misogynistic street preachers talking trash to the women, accusing them of unseemly sexual behaviors that will doom them to hell for all eternity.
http://ashvegas.squarespace.com/journal/2010/8/2/bele-chere-street-preacher-slapped-on-the-streets-of-ashevil.html
All in all, though, I suppose it is a step up from bear-baiting and dog fighting.
By Betty Cloer Wallace
08/11/2011
"You all do realize, don’t you, that all of this is simply giving these street “preachers†the attention they so desperately and pathetically crave?
That’s a legitimate point. However, this was the same argument made that we shouldn’t protest the KKK (in 2007?) when they marched here (and yes, I am lumping these people together). But when we did, it was effective - there were hundreds of protestors and only a handful of supporters, and we made them look ridiculous, and they haven’t come back. "
That's not how I remember it. It was actually back in the later 90's -- 1997/98 or so. This chapter of the KKK had held rallies in other cites that went largely ignored, but when they got a crowd here they were eager to return because they got what they wanted. However, the ended up being denied a permit because their leader had made comments about wanting to return and make Asheville "another Greensboro" a reference to the infamous 1979 Klan rally there. The city was able to cite this as a threat of violence and deny them a permit.
By RHS
08/11/2011
Look at him insulting this woman with a camera in his hand. In pre-youtube days, these guys would get right by God by flailing away on themselves with a cat-o-nine-tails. Now, they hope to erase their obvious hateful nature by provoking someone into hitting them, so they can show the world & cry about what victims they are for preaching God's word.
Makes you weep...
And yeah, I hope that kid gets the mental health care he's gonna need before he becomes a berserker like dear ol' dad.
By Barry Summers
08/11/2011
"You all do realize, don’t you, that all of this is simply giving these street “preachers†the attention they so desperately and pathetically crave?"
If the 'anti-proselytizing preoselytizing' is treated more as performance art and the people- the performers- just stick to their spiel and resist getting pulled into any personal interaction, then I think it would result in the street ministers getting less attention. Honestly, having been to Transformus and witnessed firsthand the fetish for personal megaphone use, it's made me wonder why no-one has come up with this before. It would also be fun if someone read from a Necronomicon evangelic style, too. Anything, really, that people were not expecting- funny, irrevalent, a serious sermon from a non-Abrahamic religion or philosophy. Whatever it is the key is not to respond personally to anyone, especially the haters.
By Just Me
08/11/2011
If the guy was really serious about inviting persecution so he can be more 'Jesus-like', then he shouldn't waste his time here...maybe sneaking into North Korea with his placards and megaphone would be more productive. I'd pitch in on plane fare.
By Dionysis
08/11/2011
It seems to me that the city needs to clearly define categories of people who participate in festivals, including differences, if any, among “religious performance,†“performance art,†“busking,†“extemporaneous visitor performance,†etc.
Also, the city should be democratic about enforcing the equitable use of portable platforms/ladders, amplified sound, designated performance space, whether stationary or roaming, and whether general visitor attendees may use amplified sound or engage in other types of heightened noisemaking, and to what degree.
It appears that up to this point, the self-described street evangelists, allegedly representing an assortment of questionable “ministeries,†have a clear advantage in setting a contentious tone (bullying) and controlling the atmosphere, while city/festival regulations are murky if not prohibitive for everyone else.
Other street performers respectfully invite an audience, but the street preachers harass and browbeat any and all passersby, calling them sinners, murderers, whores, fornicators, and worse, condemned by a wrathful God to an eternity of fire and brimstone—altogether not a fun-filled family-friendly festival atmosphere, especially for children—and any self-respecting crowd is going to react negatively to such taunting and harassment.
The brave-hearted Silver Drummer Girl, perhaps unintentionally, has singlehandedly set a high performance art standard that should be honored by and inspirational for a city that loves its festivals and street entertainment. In fact, for her classy persistence under such trying circumstance, she has become iconic enough to warrant a permanent statue in Pack Square
By Betty Cloer Wallace
08/11/2011
Freedom to screech is a protected right?
By uh-oh
08/15/2011
If we want this to change in future years, than we need to find out why they are allowed to do this. Other than their constitutional right, this is a huge festival hosted by the City of Asheville and it has to have some guidelines. They are probably legally bound in some way (afraid of getting sued), I'm sure though that there is another legal way in which to structure the festival to keep this from happening. Everyone should flood City Hall with their comcerns and ask what the city is going to do about it. It would be best before someone seriously gets hurt or a riot starts at the next one.
By Sabrina
08/16/2011
When someone verbally berates me in public as festival attended by potentially hundreds of thousands of people in the absence of the same behavior for anyone else (an extremely large percentage of which are drunk), I consider myself to have been slandered publicly for which I may seek punitive damages as well as assaulted. For the people who do not work in the legal profession, this differs from a battery which is physical contact. In any case, these two points which I feel are fairly logical and applicable an unnecessary number of attendees constitutes grounds for denying permits or relating these individuals to parts of the city that are not in proximity to festival goers. As far as I am aware, you are entitled to freedom of speech. You are not entitled to an audience.
By DaveMaybe
08/18/2011
We can easily solve this problem by having a Street Preacher Corral, similar to Asheville on Bikes Bicycle Corral! We park the super extroverted religious types on one street, preferably over there next to the Camel Cigarette dealers, and let them all yell at each other and at whomever else is foolish enough to wander over into the gauntlet. First Amendment issues avoided, Pain in the Neck issues avoided. Voila!
By ProblemSolved!
08/18/2011
Everyone wants freedom to do whatever they want, they just do not want anyone telling them they are not wrong. Where is the tolerance and acceptance.
All these comments do not reflect public opinions or the Constitution that protects us all from the Government. I think all you people who hate The Bible and yet claim to be followers of Christ ought to go and live in Afghanistan or Iraq. You will come back thankful for what you have. You want freedom to sin, but you have no freedom from your sins and the wrath of God.
By Bill
08/19/2011