Sorry,l I knew about these goings on and it really pi$$es me off. It makes me angry, and that is the mildest word I can come up with instead of what I really want to say. Now, the Court has ruled it's 1st amendment rights.....now I am 100% behind our Constiution, but damn it, something needs to change when I read this kind of dribble. I really want to know where these self-appointed morally rightous insensitive a$$holes are going to picket next so I can buy my plane ticket, along with letting a few hundred others know where to meet.......sorry, but this is really upsetting to me and I just need to vent. It wasn't bad enough I was spit on during Vietnam because I was a "baby-killer", but now we have idiots getting public air time and recognition for demonstrating at funerals of fallen soldiers and for saying things like "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "God Hates Your Tears".
"WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the First Amendment protects fundamentalist church members who mount anti-gay protests outside military funerals, despite the pain they cause grieving families. The court voted 8-1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. The decision upheld an appeals court ruling that threw out a $5 million judgment to the father of a dead Marine who sued church members after they picketed his son's funeral. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the court. Justice Samuel Alito dissented. Roberts said free speech rights in the First Amendment shield the funeral protesters, noting that they obeyed police directions and were 1,000 feet from the church. "Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and _ as it did here _ inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker," Roberts said. "As a nation we have chosen a different course _ to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate." Alito strongly disagreed. "Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case," he said. Matthew Snyder died in Iraq in 2006 and his body was returned to the United States for burial. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, who have picketed military funerals for several years, decided to protest outside the Westminster, Md., church where his funeral was to be held. The Rev. Fred Phelps and his family members who make up most of the Westboro Baptist Church have picketed many military funerals in their quest to draw attention to their incendiary view that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. They showed up with their usual signs, including "Thank God for dead soldiers," "You're Going to Hell," "God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11," and one that combined the U.S. Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi, with a slur against gay men. The church members drew counter-demonstrators, as well as media coverage and a heavy police presence to maintain order. The result was a spectacle that led to altering the route of the funeral procession. Several weeks later, Albert Snyder was surfing the Internet for tributes to his son from other soldiers and strangers when he came upon a poem on the church's website that attacked Matthew's parents for the way they brought up their son. Soon after, Snyder filed a lawsuit accusing the Phelpses of intentionally inflicting emotional distress. He won $11 million at trial, later reduced by a judge to $5 million. The federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., threw out the verdict and said the Constitution shielded the church members from liability. Forty-eight states, 42 U.S. senators and veterans groups sided with Snyder, asking the court to shield funerals from the Phelps family's "psychological terrorism." While distancing themselves from the church's message, media organizations, including The Associated Press, urged the court to side with the Phelps family because of concerns that a victory for Snyder could erode speech rights. Roberts described the court's holding as narrow, and in a separate opinion, Justice Stephen Breyer suggested in other circumstances, governments would not be "powerless to provide private individuals with necessary protection." But in this case, Breyer said, it would be wrong to "punish Westboro for seeking to communicate its views on matters of public concern." Margie Phelps, a daughter of the minister and a lawyer who argued the case at the Supreme Court, said she expected the outcome. "The only surprise is that Justice Alito did not feel compelled to follow his oath," Phelps said. "We read the law. We follow the law. The only way for a different ruling is to shred the First Amendment." She also offered her church's view of the decision. "I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but here's the core point: The wrath of God is pouring onto this land. Rather than trying to shut us up, use your platforms to tell this nation to mourn for your sins.""
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
Westboro church is known all over the country for this garbage. There is a group though which follows them around to counter protest these animals, here is a video of them.
The 1st amendment though needs to be protected even for people like this. Our soldiers took an oath to defend our constitution and it would be more disgraceful to those who died protecting it if we limited it.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
The way to stop Westboro is to "out" them. They were all set to protest at the Arizona funeral of the little girl who was killed during the assassination attempt on rep Giffords..but they stopped when someone threatened to publicly release their home, cell and work telephone numbers.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
although it truly makes me mad when folks 'follow' crap (and they have every right to) they still have the right to free speech....and I have the right to free speech about those A$$holes, morons, d!ckheads, fools, schmucks,,,,,I wont go on here for fear of offending anyone and wasting anymore of my time about them....now, if this A$$hole was local....you bet I'd be there shoving my language in his face and his god's face...I guess he missed the class with god when god said it would judge and can defend itself....if one has to defend their god then they ARE NOT A GOD......keep to yourself you fool(I would love to tell him that) then get him drunk and beat the crap out of him...or pay someone else to????? It would depend on my mood
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Someone let the air out of their tires in one city and no towtruck would help them!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
While I have to agree with the courts ruling, this church of hell just makes me ill. Our soldiers/veterans fought and continue to fight for our freedoms, just cannot imagine how people can be filled with such hatred and do this at the funerals of these brave young men and woman.
While I have to agree with the courts ruling, this church of hell just makes me ill. Our soldiers/veterans fought and continue to fight for our freedoms, just cannot imagine how people can be filled with such hatred and do this at the funerals of these brave young men and woman.
we like to use hate to incorporate everything ..... I vote it's just plain stupidity, lack of personal responsibility, low self esteem, ignorance and quite frankly very base actions on each individuals part.... not much unlike Manson and company.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
This is a "Church" where people go to hear and learn the words of God and their religious beliefs. Where is this kind of hatred in the bible or any of the teachings ? Hypocrites at best. How can they honestly believe their foul message?
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
Free speech is free speech, whether we agree with it or not.
This country's freedoms allow a 'peace loving muslim' Louis Farrakhan to openly say he hates the jews and is proud when people refer to him as Hitler. And how he refers to the muslim extremist terrorists are 'freedom fighters'.
This country's freedoms allow a peace loving christain Rev. Wright to spew hatred for america.
It allows 'us' to speak our mind here.......whether we agree or not.
Ya gotta take the good with the bad. We are not all like minded.
With the Westboro church.......ya can blame the media for giving them the spotlight.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I just can't believe that the authors of the Constitution ever intended free speech to cover this kind of bull$hit and some of the other intrpretations the courts have upheld.
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
I just can't believe that the authors of the Constitution ever intended free speech to cover this kind of bull$hit and some of the other intrpretations the courts have upheld.
oh yes.....they did.....
Mary had a little lamb London bridge is falling down old lady in a shoe mother hubbard etc etc.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
There are opposing freedoms that should both be protected... The Hate Church's right to freedom of speech, and The Right to privacy of a father to bury his son in peace.
Both should be protected.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Mary had a little lamb London bridge is falling down old lady in a shoe mother hubbard etc etc.......
Sorry, I respectfully disagree. I think they wre trying to protect the freedom to speak out against Gonvernment and Tyranny without consequence. Remember how everything evolved and why. I just can't believe they would condone nor intend to respect such hateful, cruel attacks on families that are only trying to bury their children.
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
Sorry, I respectfully disagree. I think they wre trying to protect the freedom to speak out against Gonvernment and Tyranny without consequence. Remember how everything evolved and why. I just can't believe they would condone nor intend to respect such hateful, cruel attacks on families that are only trying to bury their children.
It goes beyond just speaking out against government it gives us the right to speak our minds even if unpopular on any subject. You have every right to be pissed off but you have no right to stop them from making their arguments because it might be offensive to some. If we ban them from protesting then we will be on a slippery slope, then the next person who voices an unpopular message will be banned and so on. Democracies always failed because mob rule always silences opposition, this is why we have a Republic.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
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