Fred Phelps has a win
We read:
"Missouri's tight restrictions on protests and picketing outside military funerals were tossed out by a federal judge Monday, over free speech concerns.
A small Kansas church had brought suit over its claimed right to loudly march outside the burials and memorial services of those killed in overseas conflicts. The state legislature had passed a law to keep members of the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church from demonstrating within 300 feet of such private services.
Source
Phelps is of course offensive but he is setting precedents that may well help preserve the free speech rights of others
And Fred's slogan "God hates fags" is MASSIVELY "incorrect" so to see it protected by the courts is interesting testimony to the fact that free speech in America is not dead yet. And he DOES have the Bible on his side (Lev. 20:13 etc.). Theologically he is in a lot stronger position than the mainstream churches.
16 comments:
No - he's making a mockery of the right of free speech, just as muslims abuse the democratic system to get their alien practices accommodated and "respected".
You're way off base on this one JJR. Disrupting a private religious ceremony where people are saying their final goodbye to a loved one, has nothing to do with preserving free speech. That some political hack wearing a black robe doesn't think so is irrelevant, unless of course, this judge's intent is to strike down all laws meant to keep people from offending others.
The next time the military plans a funeral service in this area for one of our fallen warriors, they should asign a carload of Navy SEALS to the service, each equipped with 2 cases of beer. End of problem!
Let me say first that Phelps is a vile, hateful man more concerned with the "splinter" in his neighbor's eye than with the "plank" in his own.
That being said, he is couching his religious views as political protests against our country's policies, and in that regard the First Amendment is clear. Congress shall make NO law abridging...
A society's commitment to Free Speech cannot be measured by how well it tolerates popular speech, but by how it deals with the most vile, hateful, and inflammatory sorts of speech.
I wonder how the courts would react to someone planting his fist in Phelp's teeth, or his knee in his crotch, during one of those "religious protests".
That's free expression as well, showing how much you loath the guy.
But I guess you'd get arrested on "assault" charges, "breach of the peace", and whatnot.
From what I understand, it is legal to protest directly in front of military recruiting places, and funerals, but not legal to protest directly in front of abortion clinics, political gatherings, or at schools where (specific) politicians are speaking?
Nope. He has no more right to stand outside a funeral and shout over the minister than I have to stand outside Mr. Phelps' house at 3am and play Ozzy Osbourne until Mr. Phelps' ears bleed.
His public rights end at the private property line of the cemetery.
Lev is talking about the man that is committing the sin. The soldiers whose funerals were interrupted were not guilty of that sin and therefore had no control or knowledge of the sexual orientation of any other soldier.
I hope that people don't judge all who carry the name 'Baptist' the same as Phelps.
It is not the place of Phelps to judge another man. Joh 8:7 "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
To most of the world, tolerence is just another word for weakness. And weakness always comes with a heavy price.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
-- Bertrand Russell
bogsidebunny
While I absolutely 100% disagree with Phelps' message, I will fight to the death to preserve his and my right to free speech.
What next? Will some "gay marriage" activists take to protesting outside of regular weddings - thereby disrupting the couple's happiness? I can think of many scenarios where utilising one's freedom of speech can make other people's legitimate activities very uncomfortable. There is a time and place for everything. Mr Phelps can plenty of opportunity to express his opinions. It is outrageous that a court should allow him to do it in such a manner that it spoils things for other people.
Why cite a theoretical example of "gay activists" protesting at a "regular wedding" and not "christian activists" doing the same at a "gay wedding" - your prejudice showing perhaps Malcolm??
God hates conservatives. Jesus was a liberal.
"Maybe it because he knows that God hates fags!"
---He knows? What? He has a direct line to God? It's called FAITH for a reason, having FAITH and KNOWING are two different things.
The Phelps brigade believe God hates "fags" and that is what their craziness is all about! But it seems "fags" is extended in meaning now, and not only with the Phelps.
The only way to ensure our freedom of speech in the United States is to tolerate the freedom of speech that those we oppose also have.
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