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Did anti-gay church have rights violated? [ACLU Goes to Bat For Phelps]
Chicago Sun Times ^ | Oct. 6, 2006 | Dave McKinney

Posted on 10/06/2006 8:43:09 AM PDT by Alouette

SPRINGFIELD -- It's not a threat to sue. Yet. The American Civil Liberties Union has launched a broad inquiry into how Illinois is enforcing a new state law designed to keep picketers affiliated with a radical Kansas church from disrupting military funerals.

The ACLU has sent Freedom of Information Act requests to the offices of Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn and several suburban and Downstate mayors and police chiefs to see how members of Westboro Baptist Church were dealt with and whether their free-speech rights were infringed upon.

In Illinois in the last five months, church members have shown up at seven funerals for soldiers killed in the line of duty, carrying signs that said, "Thank God for dead soldiers," and, "God hates fags."

(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Kansas
KEYWORDS: aclu; antichristian; antiiraqwar; antisemites; barkingmoonbats; fredphelps; homosexualagenda; militaryfunerals; notapeacemovement; phelps; veterans; westborobaptist
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To: MadIvan

We believe people should be able to worship and believe as they want, even if they are wrong. I doubt they throw mud in their own sandbox though.


21 posted on 10/06/2006 8:53:48 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg

Ooh, the Patriot Riders defense-freeped the Amish funerals? We got a thread on that?


22 posted on 10/06/2006 8:54:31 AM PDT by Gordongekko909 (Mark 5:9)
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To: CindyDawg
We believe people should be able to worship and believe as they want, even if they are wrong. I doubt they throw mud in their own sandbox though.

This is not about worship and belief, it has to do with being a public nuisance. That is, so far as I know, against the law.

Regards, Ivan

23 posted on 10/06/2006 8:54:40 AM PDT by MadIvan (I aim to misbehave.)
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To: Alouette

Phelps' (D) "church" and the ACLU both have the same goal, defamation of Christians.


24 posted on 10/06/2006 8:54:53 AM PDT by weegee (Remember "Remember the Maine"? Well in the current war "Remember the Baby Milk Factory")
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To: MadIvan
Every thing I have heard about this church indicates it is a family of ACLU lawyer types totaling around 25.

What would be interesting to discover is who funds them, maybe the IRS is checking. It is NOT cheap to travel this nation, especially these past months of HIGH gas prices to harass families burying their lost love ones.

This bunch claiming to speak for God have some face to face accountability coming due.
25 posted on 10/06/2006 8:55:21 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: Alouette
Gee, let's not stop there. How about letting Phelps's lunatics shove microphones and cameras in the faces of the grieving family members during the funeral? Why don't we just let them open the coffin and dump the dead soldier's body on the ground and kick it around for a while?

If nothing else had ever occurred to make me despise the ACLU, this would have done it. I'm enraged about this, and I hope the Illinois government stands up against these anti-American traitors.

26 posted on 10/06/2006 8:57:28 AM PDT by American Quilter (You can't negotiate with people who are dedicated to your destruction.)
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To: CindyDawg
We believe people should be able to worship and believe as they want, even if they are wrong.

"Fighting words" are not included as part of the First Amendment, neither is disorderly conduct. Nor is "hate speech" although we all know that this is never applied to liberals.

27 posted on 10/06/2006 8:58:37 AM PDT by Alouette (Psalms of the Day: 72-76)
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To: TommyDale

God does not like to be mocked by those who slander his teachings.

At the very least Phelps' church is on par with the KKK (not over his "intolerance" of homosexuals, but also other racist and supremacist comments) and possibly all a false front established to smear Christians. Phelps "was" a friend of Al Gore Jr. until their association became political improper. Also, Fred Phelps continues to run for office as a Democrat yet the Party gets no menion in any articles, the way David Duke was used to libel all Republicans (even though he'd previously run for office as an independent and a Democrat).


28 posted on 10/06/2006 8:59:31 AM PDT by weegee (Remember "Remember the Maine"? Well in the current war "Remember the Baby Milk Factory")
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To: American Quilter

Phelps isn't going to live forever, I would be more than happy to attend his funeral with several thousand of my friends. ;~)


29 posted on 10/06/2006 9:00:12 AM PDT by cripplecreek (If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
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To: L98Fiero
These scum are Lawyers (the "Church" members) and believe they are 1st Amendment Experts.

The burden, under the Law, is for the Government to PROVE that the free speech is harmful, and that's what needs to be done here.

This amounts to disrution of the Freedom of Religion for the harassed parties, AND is inciteful to the offended families of deceased heroes.

Let it play out in court, to silence these bastards and remove this toxic waste.

30 posted on 10/06/2006 9:00:15 AM PDT by traditional1
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To: mkjessup

O'Reilly raised an interesting point last night, too. He noted that they are extremely well funded and wondered where their money was coming from. After their over-the-top statements about the Amish, and an earlier FR article about pix with Al Gore, I am wondering if these media slutd are secret Dem/lib operatives posing as Christian fundamentalists to give all real fundies a bad name. The dem/lib talking point is that Christian fundamentalists are just as bad as terrorists.


31 posted on 10/06/2006 9:00:32 AM PDT by sportutegrl (This thread is useless without pix.)
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To: MadIvan

I agree. You asked why their neighbors are quiet. I was wondering if they save it for out of town. I agree though. There is a line between free speech and disturbibg the peace. I'm just so glad the radio host side tracted them. The best of America has already seen the worst of us. That said though, at another time they might have got some serious "time to meet Jesus" preaching from the Amish.


32 posted on 10/06/2006 9:03:10 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: traditional1
The burden, under the Law, is for the Government to PROVE that the free speech is harmful

It comes under the category of "fighting words" and "shouting fire in a crowded theater." We also see that far less serious offenses are prosecuted to the fullest extent if the complainants are Muslim.

33 posted on 10/06/2006 9:04:31 AM PDT by Alouette (Psalms of the Day: 72-76)
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To: Alouette

Yall misunderstand. I'm saying they can believe what they want but they better stay out of my face with it.


34 posted on 10/06/2006 9:05:08 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: sportutegrl
He noted that they are extremely well funded and wondered where their money was coming from.

My guess is that they suckle at the teat of Soros.

35 posted on 10/06/2006 9:05:50 AM PDT by Alouette (Psalms of the Day: 72-76)
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To: Alouette
"It comes under the category of "fighting words" and "shouting fire in a crowded theater."

Absolutely; inciting a riot, basically.

The way Christians are treated, compared to Muslims and Loonie Leftists, there might even be actionable cause under the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause!

36 posted on 10/06/2006 9:06:56 AM PDT by traditional1
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To: traditional1

Amen.


37 posted on 10/06/2006 9:07:06 AM PDT by L98Fiero (Evil is an exact science)
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To: MadIvan
Mike Gallagher gave them a whole hour yesterday on his radio show, so they would not protest at the slain Amish girls funeral. He had the daughter of Phelps; the one who looks like a witch on his show a few days before and offered to give them money to stay away. She refused and said it would be the devils money, and all they wanted was to get the message out (that only they are the good people and every one is going to hell). Then he had an idea and asked her what if I give you a whole hour. After thinking it over she and her sister who are both lawyers accepted the offer.

He was on O'Reilly yesterday and said it was brutal, but all in all it went well. He had warned his audience before hand. He also said, they practically had to fumigate the place because it smelled of sulphor. He was refering to the Chavez comment in the UN

38 posted on 10/06/2006 9:09:01 AM PDT by Kaslin (No matter what the left says. G.W. Bush will be remembered as the best president of this century)
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To: cripplecreek

That's an excellent idea! I'll come, too, and wear a red dress.


39 posted on 10/06/2006 9:11:12 AM PDT by American Quilter (You can't negotiate with people who are dedicated to your destruction.)
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To: Alouette

If the ACLU is for 'em, then I'm agin 'em!


40 posted on 10/06/2006 9:12:16 AM PDT by grobdriver (Let the embeds check the bodies!)
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