Supreme Court: Anti-gay funeral picketers allowed

[aGameOfThrones]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20110302/capt.37a4f95616254fd2a90a91415358b844-37a4f95616254fd2a90a91415358b844-0.jpg?x=213&y=196&xc=1&yc=1&wc=409&hc=376&q=85&sig=keCHjbEKrptxlc6DqgaumA--

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a grieving father's pain over mocking protests at his Marine son's funeral must yield to First Amendment protections for free speech. All but one justice sided with a fundamentalist church that has stirred outrage with raucous demonstrations contending God is punishing the military for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

The 8-1 decision in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., was the latest in a line of court rulings that, as Chief Justice John Roberts said in his opinion for the court, protects "even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate."

The decision ended a lawsuit by Albert Snyder, who sued church members for the emotional pain they caused by showing up at his son Matthew's funeral. As they have at hundreds of other funerals, the Westboro members held signs with provocative messages, 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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110302/ap_on_re_us/us_supreme_court_funeral_protests

[eduardo89]

Freedom of speech is freedom of speech, no matter how much we may disagree with it.

[qh4dotcom]

Freedom of speech is freedom of speech, no matter how much we may disagree with it.
Exactly

[Zatch]

Couldn't airlines refuse to allow them to fly or something? Or would that be illegal?

[Fox McCloud]

Couldn't airlines refuse to allow them to fly or something? Or would that be illegal?

oh, they could, but when profit margins are under 10%, why refuse customers, especially when there maybe 10-30 of them flying at once?

[sunshine05]

I keep thinking there is something so odd about this group, like maybe the SPLC is behind them or something to try to bait people.

[Vessol]

Perhaps people should have funerals at private cemeteries, why are there government cemeteries in the first place? Then these jackals couldn't bother them.

[Fox McCloud]

Perhaps people should have funerals at private cemeteries, why are there government cemeteries in the first place? Then these jackals couldn't bother them.

not necessarily; they could picket on someone else's property close to funeral, if they had that owner's permission.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Finally the SC does something right.

[Anti Federalist]

Sez Joe Sixpack:

"That's why I think all you constitutional nuts are a bunch of whackos"

[Flash]

Perhaps people should have funerals at private cemeteries, why are there government cemeteries in the first place? Then these jackals couldn't bother them.

I saw a documentary on the Westboro Baptist Church and it appeared as if they don't actually protest RIGHT outside of the cemetery. I'm assuming it has something to do with legal restrictions, since most states have laws in place ensuring the group has a proper distance from the funeral. The clips I've seen showed them on the sidewalk or on some public property. Like I was saying in another thread, in a world where most of the property is OWNED by a group or an individual, controversial organizations like these wouldn't be allowed.

[libertybrewcity]

read sig \/

[doodle]

I will fight for your right for free speech even if you disagree with me.

[AZKing]

People, including news organizations and anonymous, need to realize that these people need to be shunned and ignored. When you confront them with legal battles, screaming contests, or anything else, they use it to justify their cause.

That said, it's good that the Supreme Court did something right for once.

[Zippyjuan]

I asgree that they have the right to protest but I disagree with the way they are going about it. The greiving families they are targeting have no impact on their issue. The death of their sons and daughters have nothing to do with homosexuality.

[Anti Federalist]

I asgree that they have the right to protest but I disagree with the way they are going about it. The greiving families they are targeting have no impact on their issue. The death of their sons and daughters have nothing to do with homosexuality.

I think even WBC realizes that.

It's to draw attention by being outrageous.

[specsaregood]

Why aren't they called anti-war picketers? Last I checked they were against the wars.

[Doug8796]

Because they believe the men and women die because of gay people.

[specsaregood]

Because they believe the men and women die because of gay people.

Looks like they are anti-abortion picketers as well.

[nobody's_hero]

So I guess the family members can always dig up their deceased and have another peaceful funeral at a later date, right? I mean, that happens all the time. There are plenty of opportunities to lay your loved ones to rest.

[eduardo89]

TV documentary written and presented by the BBC's Louis Theroux about the Phelps family, at the heart of the Westboro Baptist Church.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOrz5k0jWdU&feature=related

[Stary Hickory]

Well picketing someone's funeral is scumbag behavior, I support free speech, but I hate jerks who do this sort of thing. In the old days people would handle this stuff personally.

[nobody's_hero]

Well picketing someone's funeral is scumbag behavior, I support free speech, but I hate jerks who do this sort of thing. In the old days people would handle this stuff personally.

I'm thinking the same thing. I blame the demasculination of society. :( There are still a few families I know of who you wouldn't want to piss off.

I'm waiting for these people to drop in on a mafia funeral or something.