BALTIMORE -- The father of a Marine killed in Iraq took the stand in his invasion of privacy suit against a fundamentalist church that pickets soldiers' funerals, saying protesters carrying signs at his son's burial made him sick to his stomach. Posted on 10/27/2007 12:15:56 AM PDT by Hornitos
Father: Funeral protest made him sick
By ALEX DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 10/25/2007 10:24:57 AM EDT
BALTIMORE -- The father of a Marine killed in Iraq took the stand in his invasion of privacy suit against a fundamentalist church that pickets soldiers' funerals, saying protesters carrying signs at his son's burial made him sick to his stomach.
Albert Snyder said Wednesday he had hoped for a private funeral for his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder.
"They turned this funeral into a media circus and they wanted to hurt my family," Snyder testified. "They wanted their message heard and they didn't care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside."
Snyder is suing the Westboro Baptist church, whose members have picketed the funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming the deaths are punishment for the country's tolerance of homosexuality. The York resident is seeking unspecified monetary damages in the case for invasion of privacy and intent to inflect emotional distress as a result of the Topeka, Kan., church's protest at his son's funeral in Westminster in March 2006.
(Excerpt) Read more at eveningsun.com ...
Amen.
These tards messing with anyone’s funeral tends to spin up my rage motor. Messing with a brother Marine’s funeral and I’m damn near willing to go temporarily irresponsible.
I am wondering if 'hate speech' is allowed or if even a barrier of distance could be required. . .of say. . .half a mile from grieving family attending a religious 'rite' and 'right'. . . Seems they have a 'right to grieve' the loss of 'son and soldier'; and this group is nothing but a hateful and vile intrusion upon that right.
Whatever the determination here; the unequivical ignorance of these people knows no bounds. . .suffers no limitations that we can see; but this ignorance will - somewhere in time - hit an invisible wall; and come back to them, someday. . .
Of course; this would no doubt have a different 'unfolding' if the grieving family were Muslim. . .
This will all continue on...until a group of Marines and retired Marines at some funeral have had enough...and literally beat the protesters to a pulp. I don’t think a single cop would move to stop them...and the locals would work to damage the cameras of the network teams. Five minutes is all that would be necessary...and the church group would never leave their church again.
I am not disagreeing with you at all.
I’d still like to hurt one or few of them though. Not to take away God’s judgment, just to settle my own stomach.
Stupid and silly, I do know... but there it is anyway.
As far as I’m concerned, protesters at funerals should be treated like grave desecraters.
Funerals are very solemn and private, even if you disliked the person or disagreed with any political stand they may have had. It is a personal time for survivors and loved ones and not the time or place for making statements.
I also do not believe they should be a place to make into a political stunt, ala Paul Wellstone.
Freedom of speech has its limits and in my estimation, the Westboro congregations of haters cross that line.
Funerals are very solemn and private, even if you disliked the person or disagreed with any political stand they may have had. It is a personal time for survivors and loved ones and not the time or place for making statements.
I also do not believe they should be a place to make into a political stunt, ala Paul Wellstone.
Freedom of speech has its limits and in my estimation, the Westboro congregations of haters cross that line.
These protests are not outside a court house or gov't building and are timed to coincide with a private family burial. I seem to recall when they came to San Diego, a judge told them they had to protest well before or well after the burial at the national cemetery to balance rather than trample the rights of the family to grieve.
The family has rights too.
The problem I see with this case is that most jurisdictions don't recognized a negligent infliction of emotional distress which is what with my lay understanding I would characterize this protest and the harm done.
Westboro has been protesting funerals since at least the Matt Shephard case almost 10 yrs ago in Wyoming. So far there's been little success in holding them accountable for the additional distress they cause the grieving.
Freedom of Speech cannot be used to deny a family their Freedom of Religion. A funeral at a church is definately a religious ceremony that this group is tring to disrupt.
Judge Napolitano on FoxNews is not always right...as a matter of fact he’s often wrong...
The Constitution protects these neanderthals from Government, they have a right to protest our Government without interference from the Government.. It doesn’t protect them against US....
Today, when a concerted effort is made to obliterate this point, it cannot be repeated too often that the Constitution
is a limitation on the government, not on private individuals that it does not prescribe the conduct of private individuals, only the conduct of the government- that it is not a charter for government power, but a charter of the citizen’s protection against the government.
— Ayn Rand
Beating on them, although fun, would only give them what they want. I have been a Patriot Guard Rider since right after the beginning of the organization, and have attended countless funerals of active and former military folks.
Respond to these cretins with quiet dignity. Protect the families without being a part of turning the event into a circus. Be a source of quiet strength for those families. Always remember that this is the worst day of their lives, and that standing strong for them will be far more memorable in the long run than a bunch of morons with signs and bullhorns.
Sometimes it takes more strength and courage to stand fast, than it does to participate in a smackdown. The mission is to shield the families, and allow them to grieve in dignity.
MISSION FIRST!
how do the family members show such restraint?
I really don’t know, they are without exception the most awe inspiring people I have ever had contact with. Their strength and fortitude has continued to inspire many of us.
God bless them, every one.
Like the way you think.
Agree with your assesments. Can only see the 'changing of the American mind' - including the 'dumbing down' - by way of politically correct inducement; whereby the typical perp today has more legal Rights than the victim and the interpretations of our Constitution being drawn thin - and thinner - by the same Lib MO.
One might think after ten years or so of inflicting their virulent protests upon grieving families that the 'Westboro Church' might have met more legal resistance at least to the favor of those they smear. . .
So, far, however. . .it is those who spew their rabid intolerance who are ahead of those families whose Rights are apparently, questionable.
(Was it a 'crime' or a hate crime?) That has not stopped the prosecution of hate crimes and adding extra time onto judgment for the 'hate' perceived. . .
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