It's about time legislation was brought in to crub the likes of that from funerals. Disgraceful.
Posted on 02/03/2007 9:53:56 AM PST by jazusamo
Law rushed into place after threats from Kansas church
OLYMPIA – Rushing a new law into place in time for today's threatened protests at military memorial services in Yakima and Spokane, Gov. Chris Gregoire on Friday signed "the Washington Rest in Peace Act."
The law, which a handful of lawmakers opposed due to freedom-of-speech concerns, bans "tumultuous conduct" and other disruptions within 500 feet of funerals.
"It's a bill, candidly, that I wish I did not have to sign," Gregoire said Friday, flanked by lawmakers and veterans, including her husband, Vietnam combat veteran Mike Gregoire. At his request, she said, the bill was the first one of 2007 she signed into law.
The governor plans to attend the funeral today of Army Maj. Alan Ricardo Johnson in Yakima. "First Mike" Gregoire will attend two military funerals today, including a memorial service at Ferris High School for Marine Cpl. Darrel James Morris.
The governor had planned to sign the bill next week but rushed it out Friday so local police and deputies could enforce the law this weekend if necessary. The bill includes an unusual clause making it take effect as soon as the governor signed it.
"It's law right this moment," said Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, who had pushed unsuccessfully for an identical bill last year. "It's about time."
The law, authored by Rep. Dan Roach, R-Bonney Lake, is aimed at the Westboro Baptist Church, a Kansas-based group that draws publicity for its anti-gay and anti-lesbian cause by picketing high-profile funerals with signs applauding troop deaths. The group has threatened on its Web site to picket both the Yakima and Spokane funerals today. Gregoire said Friday that her office has indications that the group may already be in the Yakima area, and a copy of the bill has been sent to police there.
"I want law enforcement to enforce the law," Gregoire said.
"We have still protected the constitutional rights of free speech and assembly – however, at a distance," said Roach.
Under the new law, it is a misdemeanor to fight, engage in tumultuous conduct or make unreasonable noise within 500 feet of a funeral, burial or memorial service. The offender must, however, know that his or her actions adversely affect the event.
At least 28 other states, starting with Kansas, have passed similar laws aimed at stopping the Westboro Baptist Church's pickets.
Gregoire said that the Westboro Baptist Church has picketed 40 military funerals throughout the Pacific Northwest in recent years. The group frequently announces that it will be at a funeral, then doesn't show up.
"I just hope they frankly stay out of Washington state," said the governor. "They are not welcome here."
Even if the group doesn't show, she said, the threats still cause chaos for families, local police and counter-demonstrators.
On its Web site, the group posts an open letter to legislatures passing such laws, which it says are unconstitutional.
"… You are creating law which is the bastard offspring of passion, prejudice, and putrid pandering to the rabble," the group writes. "You are doing this because you have no honor and you hate God."
It has also posted on its Web site copies of a $47,000 check from the city of Topeka and a $170,000 check from the state of Kansas. The payment, the group says, was for its attorneys' fees when it successfully challenged similar laws there.
Ping
So she'll show up a 2 funerals so SHE can get the anti-war attention that may have gone to the Phelps
"At least 28 other states, starting with Kansas, have passed similar laws aimed at stopping the Westboro Baptist Church's pickets."
Count Wisconsin among the 28. We got sick and tired of these creeps bothering our Military families. We've lost close to 70 service members so far, and these jerks picketed many of their funerals.
They're more than welcome to protest and do whatever they want on public property with permits and such, but they have no right to pester people at funerals.
I couldn't agree with you more.
I know you have been outspoken on them and that's why I pinged you. Thanks.
Senator Adam Kline (D) Olympia is the only dipstick to vote against Bill #1168. I sent him an e-mail to say that I think he's a jackass.
Thanks for the heads up, I'll do the same.
I didn't even know about this until I read it this morning on the web.
I never saw any group more deserving of a "blanket party". They should be beaten to death at every opportunity.
It's about time legislation was brought in to crub the likes of that from funerals. Disgraceful.
I am from a very small town, and they came here. We have only lost one soldier (thank God) and so there was a huge outpouring of support for this family from the entire county. Our sheriff borrowed all the school buses from the area and blocked off their group. We couldn't even see them, and with the buses running, couldn't hear them either.
How about the governor just ordering law enforcement not to protect them and announcing he'll pardon anybody who kills one of these WBC subhumans?
Don't rise to their bait. Their sole source of income appears to be civil suits. The Patriot Guard Riders' approach is much more productive.
I'm a near-absolutist on the First Amendment, but reasonable, content-neutral restrictions on the time, place and manner of free speech have always been held constitutional. I can say anything I want, but I can't say it through a bullhorn on the sidewalk in front of your house at 4 in the morning.
Traditionally, bans to prevent harassment of private citizens have gotten far more latitude then bans on protests of public officials or public events. The laws targeting the Phelpsholes are, in my non-lawyerly opinion, squarely within that tradition.
Very good common sense approach.
Excellent post, I agree with you in its entirety.
Thanks. I think the PGR have it dead-on right. They ramp up the crazy, you maintain the calm. That makes an impression on anyone who's sitting anywhere on the political spectrum.
This worries me for this reason: This is the same crap they use to bar anti-abortion protesters from however many feet from a clinic.
I'd rather decriminalize violence toward protesters in this case. You can say whatever the hell you want, but if one of the people at the funeral beat you to a bloody pulp, tough rocks.
They're more than welcome to protest and do whatever they want on public property with permits and such, but they have no right to pester people at funerals.""
How did they win lawsuits in Kansas and get paid for attorney's fees?
How come this "church" hasn't had it's religious exemptions pulled?????
Nice to see ya!
Beats me. I just know what they were up to in Wisconsin and it wasn't pretty.
Anyone from Kansas know?
WA State Ping...JFK
Excellent post. The truth is that these funeral disrupters are disturbers of the peace, neither more nor less. Any court which allows them to harrass law enforcement with civil suits when they enforce laws against disturbing the peace is acting beyond its proper bounds. Insulting the dead at their own funerals is intended to inflame people to violence. Were there no laws against dueling, these people would not have lasted to sundown of their first day of protesting.But more to the point, is the failure of the Bush Administration to find ways to defend itself and its policies against crazies like this - disturbing funerals is the very definition of antipatriotic behavior - and it has the effect of eroding respect for law in general and for the Administration and armed services in particular. Imagine how inspiring that spectacle is for someone considering entering the military!
Suppose they were protesting the police instead of the military - would they actually have the nerve to do it, and would the courts vindicate the rights they are claiming? Suppose they were protesting judges in this manner - could they actually stay out of jail?
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