Posted on 10/31/2007 7:00:35 PM PDT by Jay777
Listen to this man's insanity! Westboro Baptist Cult of Hate loses suit against the father of a fallen Marine, then their leader displays the mind he already lost!
(Excerpt) Read more at stoptheaclu.com ...
How long will it be until some abortion provider or patient uses this precedent to sue pro-life activists claiming emotional trauma? Yes, I know it is not the same at all to us rational people, but to a judge there may be little difference.
These Westburo folks need to be shut down via public condemnation and counter-protests (through fine organizations such as the Patriot Guard) not by the government.
Yelling fire in a crowded building poses a direct danger to the crowd assembled. The mere act of protesting does not.
I’ve read reports where family members have had panic/anxiety attacks, which could possibly lead to real heart attacks/strokes, whatever.
This phoney preacher and his ‘family’ are a menace. I say don’t let them within 5 miles of funerals—let them say all they want in the next county over! Let the families of our brave heroes grieve in peace!! This is AMERICA, by GOD!!! >:-(
No, but it does cause emotional distress to the family, and that is what this Marine’s father sued for and won. They have their free speech and the consequences that come along with it when you express hate.
Let’s say (theoretically) that I am a Democratic local officeholder who has just announced an outrageous plan to triple you car taxes. You understandably come picket outside of my office to express your strong displeasure. I become distressed because of this, and eventually have a heart attack.
Should I be allowed to sue you?
Again, the circumstances are not the same but to say that the speech could theoretically lead to some harm is not enough to limit it.
Not everyone in a theater where people stampede to the exits might get killed either, but still *SOME* will suffer due to the actions of the person shouting “FIRE!!”—I say all the families who have been hurt by this man and his family should have a class action suit against him, and bring up each and every physical/mental/spiritual/emotional consequences due to Phelps’ actions!
I have no sympathy for this looney tune, especially preaching hate in my Heavenly Father’s Name—none. >:-(
Well, what can be said? CNN’s talking head tried very hard to hold Phelps’ feet to the fire, and did an admirable job.
And Phelps was made to sound very silly indeed.
Well done, CNN, credit where credit is due.
*DieHard*
I utterly fail to see how the first amendment protects incitement to violence. Which is what phelps is all about.
And what happens when the Ninth Circus Court of Appeals decides that a pro-war rally can be considered an incitement to violence? All it takes is someone to make the leap that if War=Violence, then promoting war is inciting violence.
Do you really think that sort of thing is that big of a stretch from previous rulings?
Well, yes it is different.
Incitement to violence has never been “protected” speech. Not ever.
“Whatever one thinks of Phelps, what he is doing at these funerals is holding up signs. Code Pink does this with impunity in the Capitol.”
Code Pink does this outside Walter Reed Army hospital every Friday night...
Exactly. And all it takes is for a court to assert that since war is violence, then pro-war speech is an incitement to violence. I know, it sounds stupid, but how many really stupid judgments has the Ninth Court spewed out over the past decades?
The legal system in this country is based off of case law, which is all about previous rulings. If this judgment against Phelps proceeds sucessfully through the appeals system, then that makes it that much closer to the idea that pro-war rallies might be considered illegal.
I don't think Phelps' rhetoric comes anywhere close to an incitement to violence. I think you are making a huge mistake of judgement here. An incitement to violence is when one person tells another that he should commit a violent act. This is not at all what Phelps does.
This is quite simply a terrible analogy, as others have pointed out. First of all, it is illegal to falsely shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater. This is because such a shout can be expected to cause reasonable people to rush for the exits and people may be injured unnecessarily as a result. Reasonable people should be able to observe a bozo holding up a sign that says "God Hates Fags" at a funeral and simply go on about their business without anyone getting hurt as a result. It is a completely different situation.
Dude! You have completely and utterly embraced the leftist rationale for speech codes. Shame on you! What the heck is "hate"? Seriously. Where in the First Amendment is the "hate" exception? Keep it up and your grandchildren will go to jail for saying "I love America" in public. Think about it!
Of course, you are correct. This is a terrible judgement. Problem is no one here will be consistant enough to admit it.
Well, of course I meant ‘illegally’-d’oh! If there really is a fire, then it wouldn’t be illegal—I’m talking about the prank kind of behavior.
In either situation, people would be/are getting hurt because of others—do we really have to wait until the grandfather of a slain soldier drops dead at a funeral after seeing Phelps and Co’s shenanigans? I don’t think so. Like I said in another post-get a restraining order and Phelps for 5 miles away and let them spout their crap *there*. Leave those poor families and friends ALONE!!!!! >:-(
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