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J. David Popescu is a perennial candidate for public office in the Canadian city of Sudbury, Ontario, who has run in several federal, provincial and municipal elections.〔Chris Polehoykie, "Gordon the favourite in historic election", ''Sudbury Star'', 14 October 2000, A1.〕 He was convicted of willfully promoting hatred against homosexuals in August 2009,〔("Popescu guilty of promoting hatred" ), ''Sudbury Star'', August, 2009.〕 and currently faces charges of advocating or promoting genocide and willful promotion of hatred against homosexuals in his February 2015 by-election campaign.〔 ==Private life and early campaigns== Popescu worked at Inco in his twenties, but quit in 1972 after converting to fundamentalist Christianity. He has said that he does not campaign to win votes, but rather to warn citizens of the judgment he believes will be visited upon them by the Christian God if they do not live their lives in accordance with Biblical commands.〔Chris Polehoykie, "Candidates a sincere, but inexperienced, group", ''Sudbury Star'', 12 November 2000, A3; Harold Carmichael, "Gordon 'deserved to win,' rival says", ''Sudbury Star'', 14 November 2000, A8; "Candidate wants to spread God's word", ''Sudbury Star'', 17 January 2006, A4.〕 Popescu believes that the decisions of elected officials have made it difficult for citizens to avoid what he considers to be sinful activity. "The casino, pornography and undoing the Lord's Day are opening the door for sin that destroys," he said in the 2000 municipal election. "If we violate (God's) standards, we're doomed from the start."〔Chris Polehoykie, "Gordon promises to cut taxes in new city", ''Sudbury Star'', 20 October 2000, A1.〕 On other occasions, he said that popular music stores should be closed because they "promote Satanic music", and that Sudbury's annual Dragon Boat races should be canceled because the boat designs invoke the devil.〔Bob Vaillancourt, "Mayoral candidates talk roads, God", ''Sudbury Star'', 18 October 2003, A1; Laura Stradiotto, "Mayoral candidate blasts debate", ''Sudbury Star'', 7 November 2003, A3.〕 Popescu has also said that natural disasters and other catastrophes are divine judgment for earthly sins.〔Chris Polehoykie, "Candidates a sincere, but inexperienced, group", ''Sudbury Star'', 12 November 2000, A3. Following the 2000 election, Popescu said that victorious candidate Jim Gordon "deserved to win" for the work he had done for the city. See Harold Carmichael, "Gordon 'deserved to win,' rival says", ''Sudbury Star'', 14 November 2000, A8.〕 He has used his political campaigns to distribute a self-produced video, in which he delivers a series of sermons. In 2003, the ''Sudbury Star'' noted that this recording contained messages directed against homosexuals. In one sermon, Popescu says, "God burnt five homosexual cities alive, including women and children, as an example of what we are supposed to do to them. Instead, our evil government gives them rights."〔Rob O'Flanagan, "The Bible guides candidate's campaign", ''Sudbury Star'', 24 October 2003, A3.〕 Popescu was charged with assault against his elderly mother in 2003, after a family member reported seeing a large bruise on her arm.〔"Law and morals candidate accused of assaulting mother", ''National Post'', 13 June 2003, A8.〕 Testifying at a bail court hearing, Popescu said that he had given his mother a "small swat and a light shake" to get her attention during a dispute over the placement of towels in their home.〔("Radical fringe candidate faces charges of promoting hate, genocide" ). ''Northern Life'', September 3, 2015.〕 He expressed remorse for his action, but argued that it was not serious and did not constitute assault. He also testified that he had been violent toward his mother in the past, but said that this abuse had ended more than 25 years earlier. Acting as his own representative at trial, Popescu said that he had committed "unintentional assault" while "disciplining" his mother.〔Denis St. Pierre, "'I wanted her to feel it ... to get her to listen'", ''Sudbury Star'', 23 October 2003, A1; Rob O'Flanagan, "The Bible guides candidate's campaign", ''Sudbury Star'', 24 October 2003, A3.〕 Under cross examination from the assistant crown attorney, he also testified that he had lived with his mother his entire life, had not worked in the community since 1972, and survived off his mother's small pension.〔Denis St. Pierre, "Bible-thumping candidate charged with hitting mother", ''Sudbury Star'', 13 June 2003, A1; (Denis St. Pierre, "Comments appear to have 'crossed the line,' police say" ), ''Sudbury Star'', 30 September 2008, accessed 3 October 2008.〕 Popescu, who lived at a Salvation Army men's shelter after being granted bail, was found guilty of assault following a day-long trial. The presiding judge expressed "very grave concerns" about the effect of Popescu's controlling behaviour over his mother. He was sentenced to three years probation, and required to report for a psychological assessment.〔Lara Bradley, "No jail time for mayoral candidate", ''Sudbury Star'', 25 October 2003, A3.〕 He subsequently received part-time work at the Salvation Army, and continued to protest his innocence.〔"Candidate wants to spread God's word", ''Sudbury Star'', 17 January 2006, A4.〕 During the 2007 provincial election, he distributed a DVD entitled ''Bible Science vs. Evolution Myth''.〔Harold Carmichael, "Working outside the mainstream", ''Sudbury Star'', 8 October 2007, A6.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「David Popescu (politician)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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