Get off my porch

Hey, buddy. If I wanted to join your cult I would take one or more of these courses of action:

• go to your church
• put up a sign that says "spiritual help sought" instead of the current one that says "No Solicitors"
• go to your house and ask you all about it.
• stop calling RPD on you

How would you like it if I disobeyed your No Solictors sign so I could attempt to convert your family to my religion while you were at work today? Sound neat? Maybe we could work out some kind of theological Strangers On A Train scenario where we do our best to convert each other's family. Every time you knock on a door I want you to imagine someone knocking on your family's door. Let all your actions flow from that awareness.

Non-sales solicitation/distribution does not require the permit, however ORDINANCE NO. 3544 clearly indicates that potential evangelists (canvassers, in the ordinances terminology) must obey the No Solicitation sign:

Here's the definition of a canvasser:

“Canvasser means a person who attempts to make personal contact with a person at a residence without prior specific invitation or appointment from the residence for the primary purpose of attempting to enlist support for or against a particular religion, philosophy, ideology, political party, issue or candidate, even if incidental to such purpose the canvasser accepts the donation of money for or against such cause.

Here's how the citizen says "don't bother me":

(a) A person desiring that no person conduct solicitation, home solicitation transaction, charitable solicitation, solicitation of funds, the placement of handbills or other advertisements, or canvassing for any cause at such person’s residence shall exhibit in a conspicuous place upon or near the main entrance to the residence a weatherproof card, not less than three inches by four inches in size, containing the words “NO SOLICITORS.” The letters shall not be less than two-thirds of an inch in height.

And here's the "pls obey the residents' wishes bit":

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to go upon any residential premises and ring the doorbell, or rap or knock upon the door, or create any sound in a manner calculated to attract the attention of the occupant of the residence for the purpose of securing an audience with the occupant and engaging in or attempting to engage in a solicitation, home solicitation transaction, charitable solicitation, placement of handbills, or other advertisement, solicit funds, or to canvass for any cause, if a card as described in subsection (a) of this section is exhibited in a conspicuous place upon or near the main entrance to the residence, unless the visit is a result of a request by the occupant.

I didn't request it. I posted the sign on my door. This is why I say "get off my porch".

{while I was writing this post the dispatched officer called me for more info. This contact, like every other personal contact I've ever had with RPD LEOs, was efficient, polite and professional.}