Spiritual Counselor Fights Chesterfield County

for Her Right to Operate a Business

I looked forward to getting away from the increasing crowds and smog of Los Angeles, where I am from, and setting up a new life and business in Virginia. Major life changes are difficult under normal circumstances, and being persecuted, unwelcomed, and disallowed from earning a livelihood is tantamount to destroying one’s spirit and all sense of hope.

I am a psychic and spiritual counselor, who has helped a great many ease through very difficult and often heart-wrenching periods in their lives, and for this, Chesterfield County, VA deems me an undesirable human being. As a result, I need to re-think the idea of becoming a tax-paying citizen, contributor to the local economy, or business owner in Virginia.

Forbes Magazine has consistently rated Virginia as the best state for business. Apparently, they have no idea of what goes on in Chesterfield County, Henrico County, and even the capital of Virginia itself, Richmond.

Somewhere along the line, government officials of these counties and the city of Richmond have chosen to manipulate the Constitution where “certain” individuals are concerned; particularly The First Amendment, which guarantees the very fundamental human right to freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. Moreover, an individual’s civil liberties, which in theory protect us from governmental abuse of power or its ability to interfere unduly with the lives of its citizens.

Being psychic isn’t a crime; we are ALL psychic. Based on the popularity of television shows such as Medium, Eli Stone, Heroes, Ghost Whisperer, The Listener, and others that highlight using psychic and/or spiritual abilities to benefit humanity, it would appear that most of the country agrees―with the exception of government officials of the aforementioned Virginia counties and Richmond, who view psychics and/or spiritual counselors in an entirely different light.

Imagine my surprise when TWICE, I was refused the ability to obtain a business license so I may lawfully operate my business as a spiritual counselor in Chesterfield County, VA, which is also where I currently reside.

I had successfully registered my fictitious business name of Psychic Sophie Spiritual Community Counsel with the clerk of Chesterfield County Court, and the next step was to submit my business license application to County of Chesterfield, Commissioner of the Revenue.

Once there, the clerk observed my full business name, and the word “psychic” raised a red flag. Immediately, she asked me if I was a fortuneteller, to which I responded, no, I am a spiritual counselor. She excused herself to speak to a supervisor, and on her return, stated that because I am a fortuneteller, I needed to apply for a police permit first; otherwise, I could not obtain a business license. I insisted that I am what I said, a spiritual counselor, not a fortuneteller, but she ordered me to take that up with Chesterfield County Police dept. The clerk said if they deemed I was not a fortuneteller, I could obtain a business license. I have this in writing.

I was then shuffled between Chesterfield County Police dept and Commissioner of the Revenue offices, in their joint attempts to pass-the-buck of whose department had full responsibility and/or authority to issue a business license for my particular business, as both claimed it was the other.

The bottom line, no one would allow me a business license without a police permit, and I continuously asserted my refusal to apply for a police permit, as I was not what they insisted—a fortuneteller.

The police department handed me two sheets of paper; one entitled “Fortune Teller, Defined” and a copy of the county ordinance, “Article XI. Fortune-Tellers, Sec. 15-246.” Both of these documents are what the police dept and commissioner of revenue assert is the basis for their assessment as to what a fortuneteller is, and further, how they are “legally” entitled to enforce that any businesses engaging  in fortunetelling must first obtain a police permit, before the issuance of a business license.

This might appear innocuous on the surface; after all, these documents were drafted by the Chesterfield County attorney’s office, and meant to indicate what is “lawfully” upheld in this county. However, the demand for a police permit is far from innocuous, and is, in fact, not only devious, but a complete violation of one’s Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties.

I reiterate, I am not a fortuneteller, but both governmental agencies have asserted otherwise, and demand that I obtain a police permit. What they don’t tell you is once you complete the application for a police permit in order to operate as a “by force and labeled” fortuneteller, your business is immediately classified as a Zone C-5 business. Based on my research, there are NO business locations in all of Chesterfield County limits; including working from home, which are zoned to allow or accept a C-5 business operation.

What that means is that while Chesterfield County officials are trying to appear as though they are not being discriminatory by issuing a business license (with the forced police permit), they are simultaneously disallowing the operation of your business or the ability to earn a livelihood anywhere within Chesterfield County limits―a literal Catch-22 and a moot point to obtaining a business license in the first place! What a perfect way for the government officials of Chesterfield County, VA to “keep out” what they deem as undesirables! For the record, I should be zoned as C-3, a community business operation.

For those who reside in one of the named counties or Richmond, you may have noticed three “psychic” businesses that are “allowed” to continue operating. The county zoning dept indicated the reason for this was due to their longevity of being in business; thus “grandfathered in” during the changes made by city/county planning dept regarding business zones. Note that the denial of an individual’s Constitutional Rights enacted by Chesterfield County, is being perpetuated by several and separate governmental offices, which are acting in cooperation with each other.

For the moment, let’s review those two pieces of paper, “Fortune Teller, Defined” and the county ordinance, “Article XI. Fortune-Tellers, Sec. 15-246”, both of which I am including exact copies of at the end of this article, and both of which contain slight variations to the following disclaimer:


“Nothing contained herein shall be construed to apply to a person pretending to act as a fortune-teller in a properly licensed theater as part of any show or exhibition presented therein, or as a part of any play, exhibition, fair or show presented OR OFFERED IN AIDE OF ANY BENEVOLENT, CHARITABLE OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE (the caps are mine).

As I have indicated, I am a spiritual counselor. I provide readings to my clients by using my knowledge, psychic abilities, and tarot cards as aides in the counseling process. I am also an ordained Reverend, an educator, and a writer. The definition of “psychic” is NOT synonymous to being a fortuneteller, nor is providing readings using one’s psychic abilities or tarot cards!

Throughout my ordeal, I have attempted to enlighten these government officials away from making false assertions and assumptions about who I am and what I do. I have stressed that unless they knew and understood the definition of psychic, as well as possess a clear and thorough understanding of what I believe tarot cards are, and the means in which I use them and/or my psychic abilities during my spiritual counseling, making any judgments about or against me and my sense of spirituality/religion was based on ignorance and/or prejudice, not truth or facts.

The very disclaimer exonerates me from being labeled a fortuneteller, and I have pointed this out on numerous occasions. Similar to the runaround I was given regarding a police permit, I have also been treated to their interpretation of this disclaimer contained in the ordinance. 

According to numerous county officials, I am not a person who offers aide in the form of benevolence, charitable service or educational purposes, while in the process of my spiritual counseling. When I challenged them about the accuracy of this statement, they claimed that I am not 100% benevolent, because I charge for my services. Because of this assertion by various county officials, they claim that I am NOT exonerated by the ordinance, and I am a fortuneteller requiring a police permit.

The ordinance clearly states any benevolent, charitable, or educational purpose, and does not quantify percentages. Therefore, my and any reasonable person’s interpretation of “any” benevolent aide must surely refer to the very definition of benevolence: showing kindness, having compassion or a disposition to do good, possessing or manifesting love toward humankind and/or a desire to promote their prosperity and happiness. This DOES NOT negate the ability or right for an individual to charge for one’s services, simply because this individual is benevolent—benevolence is NOT synonymous to FREE. Otherwise, using benevolent and charitable in the same sentence of the ordinance would be redundant. It is also quite clear the word “or” is used in the ordinance, not “and”, which stipulates any one of these words is applicable to exoneration of being labeled a “fortuneteller” and being forced to obtain a police permit.

I am most certainly benevolent in my spiritual work, I frequently perform my spiritual readings for free, which is charitable, and I am an educator too.

My spirituality is MY RELIGION, and individuals CHOOSE me to provide spiritual counseling to them. As a result, this becomes OUR First Amendment Right to freedom of religion and the separation of church and state, as well as protection from governmental abuse of power or its ability to interfere unduly with the lives of its citizens.

As of this writing, I have been repeatedly refused a business license, and therefore the right to perform my spiritual business in a lawful manner within Chesterfield County. I have also been repeatedly threatened and warned that if I charge for my services or receive compensation of any kind, I will be served with a summons to appear before the court for performing my business without a license.

We have yet another Catch-22 and another way in which Chesterfield County may rid itself of its “undesirables.” This time it is drastically affecting my livelihood, which Chesterfield County government officials hope will drive me to the point of poverty; leaving no other option but to abandon my fundamental human rights.

Because of Chesterfield County, VA governmental officials, I am at the absolute point of poverty, but I am far from abandoning my rights. 

© By Sophia King 2009
Aka Psychic Sophie

To contact Sophia, call 818-468-6393 or visit her web site at www.PsychicSophie.com.

Attachments:

File	Description	File size
Article XI, Fortune Tellers	Photocopy of Chesterfield County's Article XI, defining necessary steps that "fortune tellers" must take in obtaining a business license	721 Kb
Fortune Teller Defined	Chesterfield County's definition of "fortune teller"	362 Kb