Posted on 03/03/2011 3:11:02 AM PST by Scanian
When it comes to repugnant, it's hard to beat the reptiles of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.
But in America, repugnance is no barrier to the conversation, a point affirmed yesterday by the US Supreme Court in a big win for First Amendment rights.
The high court sided 8-1 with Westboro and its right to picket funerals of slain military personnel.
The church preaches that combat deaths are God's punishment for America's tolerant views on homosexual rights -- and members picket funerals bearing signs that read "God Hates Fags" and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers."
When Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder was killed in 2006, the road show rolled into his Maryland hometown to pull the same stunt. An understandably furious Albert Snyder, the Marine's father, sued for defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of distress.
After winning a jury verdict in a Maryland court, Snyder lost on appeal.
In upholding that ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts noted that the Westboro group had a right to disgrace itself: "Debate on public issues should be robust, uninhibited and wide-open [and] . . . speech on public issues occupies the highest rung of the hierarchy of First Amendment values."
There's no small irony in the fact that Cpl. Snyder gave his life in service of the First Amendment -- honoring the oath he took to uphold the US Constitution.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
From everything I’ve heard, the “Rev” is pretty much senile.
Could be the family(i.e., the lawyers) is taking him-—and the country-—for a ride.
Howsabout a law that limits the fine for beating the living snot out of thsese scum to a maximum of fifty cents??
Frankly, there are no important issues that Westboro is discussing, nor are the courts discussing anything meaningful here either.
The President would be well within his rights as Commander in Chief to start picking them off as well.
Sorry-—you are barking up the wrong tree.
If Snyder had prevailed in that decision, you and I know who the first targets would be of new laws to limit free speech. WE would, that’s who. “Hate speech,” “going over the line,” being “offensive,” blah blah.
We can put up with a tiny faux church to ensure greater likelihood of free speech laws.
And you can’t seriously expect OBAMA to do anything about a bunch of Democrat loyalist lawyers!
Believe it or not the Westboro Baptist Church lost their case yesterday and America won.
Has anyone noticed that the left and homo groups do not attack this “church”? The reason is they support the church’s goal. What pray tell is that goal besides hurting the families of fallen soldiers, the answer is quite simple.
If the outcome had beemn against the church then the next step would have been for the left to stop all speech it deems offensive, this includes anti-homo speech, anti-leftist speech, anti-obama speech, in other words anything the left didn’t like.
Smile people we won, they lost.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/antiabortion-website-sued-over-death-list-1046191.html ~ The courts had already staked out their position. You and I are still staked out. Westboro misled the court. They lied about the circumstances. They lied about their standing. There’s a war on. They are target people at best.
The people absolutely won...as did the Constitution.
Of course the left was mum. They know better than we what Fred Phelps’ political leanings have always been. They have seen the same pix posed with Algore that we have.
They are running a scam to make money for themselves and to smear the military and Christians on behalf of the left.
The case reminded me a lot of the KKK’s plans to march in heavily Jewish Skokie, IL in the ‘70’s. They forced the ACLU to agree with their free speech rights and the ACLU even represented the Klan. The ACLU knew that even ugly speech is protected speech.
Even ugly speech done by fake Democrat hustlers like WBC.
Now, let’s show some spunk in out own rallies. Let’s stop pulling punches. Eight Supremes say it’s OK to talk rough in public.
As far as talking rough, I'm sure Obama's rug muncher can hold her own eh. No need to get into that contest.
Can we now enter the US Supreme Court and shout “Thank God for dead liberal judges.” Is it okay for the KKK to enter a black church and chant “Thank God for dead n________!”
I bet not.
The SC blew it. Freedom of association is also a 1st amendment right. If that right is disturbed by so-called “free speech,” the right to freely associate must trump speech or we’ll get chaos and violence.
The KKK inside the church, no.
But on a public street outside whatever distance is prescribed by local law, yes.
If any of those crazy bastards noticed the decision, they might actually try it!
They've done this repeatedly.
So far no one has killed them ~ which is why they are still in business but eventually someone will kill them.
In the meantime the USSC made sure they could collect their normal fees for their street theatre.
It's mostly Christian Conservatives and Veterans who counter-protest this cult, deeply offended by their remarks and actions.
Where are the liberals and homosexual lobby in protesting Phelps?
If there was ever an issue where Christian Conservatives, Veterans, Liberals & Homosexuals could come together, this is it.
I find what this “church” is doing to be disgusting. If they want to protest, let them be allowed to do so somewhere else and leave the family have their privacy during the funeral and burial.
I don’t know about senile but he sounds like a nut case.
Not even necessary: just dress in some bed-sheets and protest an NAACP meeting. Be sure to cite this ruling in your defense after being arrested.
You know, just to pick nits, I really dislike the "flag burner" title; after all the proscribed method of disposing of the flag *is* burning. I have done so myself; just remember to cut the Union (blue part) out before you burn it.
Burning is the proscribed method of disposing of the flag.
Those guys in the sheets almost invariably have been Democrats down through history (as has the modern NAACP); no self-respecting conservative would don them even as a goof.
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