Law Commons^™

Preaching, Fundraising And The Constitution: On Proselytizing And The First Amendment , Mark Strasser

Mark Strasser

In a series of cases, the Court has suggested that proselytizing, whether or not including solicitation of donations, is entitled to robust constitutional protection. The Court recently affirmed that view in Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated v. Village of Stratton. Yet, the relevant jurisprudence is much less clear than either the Court or commentators seem willing to admit. When one considers the cases involving the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), one sees that the protections for proselytizing, especially when involving solicitation, are much weaker than might first be thought. This Article explores the proselytizing cases, …