Anti-gay church wins round in court

Source: Baltimore Sun

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that a fundamentalist Kansas church's protest outside the funeral of a Westminster Marine killed in Iraq is protected speech and did not violate the privacy of the service member's family, reversing a lower court's $5 million award.

The ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., held that the signs and writings of the Westboro Baptist Church, which included anti-gay and anti-military messages, are protected by the First Amendment. The Topeka-based congregation has protested at military funerals across the country.

-snip-

"Everyone knows that we didn't disrupt a funeral," said Phelps, daughter of the Rev. Fred W. Phelps Sr. "Our speech, on our signs and our Web sites, is public speech. It's not on private matters. It's on public issues, so it's protected."

-snip-

Summers said that Albert Snyder would not comment on the decision. At trial, Snyder testified, "I had one chance to bury my son, and they took the dignity away from it."



Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/carroll/bal-md.westboro25sep25,0,4885648.story

Disgusting. Not the concept of free speech, but the use some people make of it.

is the concept the founders intended to protect of people being able to say what they think so the court had to strike the ruling down and if its appealed I hope any other court sides with (excuse me while i rinse my mouth out) Phelps.

most of them are lawyers!

This weekend they are in NYC protesting Jews.

a few weeks ago and protested at a local temple and at UVM's Hillel (Jewish student organization)

Put these disrespectful bastards in their place.

'Cuz I'm pretty sure this would piss him off.

Everyone should be a part of this. They are disrespecting our fellow citizens and no one should stand for it. What they are doing is, pure and simply, evil.

I urge those who are close enough to counter-protest. What they do might be legal, but it doesn't make it right.

the best thing to do is NOT to counter-protest, or anything else that might draw attention. They're in it purely for the attention (and the money they hope to make should someone opposing them cross some legal line).

They're inconsequential except that they're so outrageous in their hate. What they'd hate most is to be ignored as the lower life forms they are.

The dignity of respecting our loved ones and each other in a time of loss has suffered a blow.

What would happen if I walked into Mcdonalds and told the cashier I wanted a hamburger. Then the employees give me the hamburger only to experience me telling them that I don't really want it I was just exercising my right to free speech?
In my town if you call someone a foul name you can get cited for harassment.
I really don't understand why these ignoramuses are allowed to get away with their harassment of grieving people.

Westboro showed up to 'protest' the deaths of three students in a house fire. They lasted all of 15 minutes before the police had to remove them.

UW-Stout United Against The WBC Protest!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tiMBq0eelI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZThPt61LfhQ

*Edited to add the last link, as it explains a bit more in detail about why the people from Westboro showed up.

:eyes:

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Defender of everyone--popular and unpopular alike. For the ACLU it's about the law and the rights. They are truly like the image of blind justice. Haven't they defended NAMBLA, the KKK, and Neo-Nazis? This church belongs in that lineup.

And I wholeheartedly agree with him.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/22/AR2006072200643.html

It's about freedom of speech, not content.

100% correct.

it lead to hate crimes?

Are not actions a form of speech?

Can not words wound and hurt and even kill?

Free speech is not absolute. We cannot slander or libel, we cannot write bad checks, we cannot lie in court.





TG

I believe the Phelps cadre protects itself by not advocating any kind of real action--other than on the part of their "god" I suppose.

Similarly, ACLU has defended NAMBLA's free speech rights, in the face of some arguments that it leads to child sexual abuse.

I know, it's a nuance. But that is what free speech is about.

Someone has to be there to be defended!

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they showed up in San Francisco to protest. They didn't last long here.

I wonder why there aren't more couter protests against them when they show up somewhere. Michael Moore did a segment on them in his TV show - The Awful Truth. He had an in their face counter protest with a group of the most flamboyant gays he could round up. It was a sight to behold and really really funny.

I'll be more then happy to contribute to that guy's legal fund.