While it seems obvious to me that every parent should have the right to bury their child without being harassed by a bunch of ass clowns, I am a little concerned about free speech issues in this case. After all, free speech laws serve to protect unpopular speech, not speech that makes us feel warm and fuzzy:
"This was in a public space," Graber said "While the actions are reprehensible, the First Amendment protects a lot that's reprehensible." After the verdict, Phelps and his two daughters named in Snyder's lawsuit said they believed that it was really their religious beliefs that were on trial.
"The goofy jury threw a fit at God," Phelps said.
For the record, I think if God actually existed he would come down and b-slap every member of this church himself. I don’t think a funeral is the place for these Christian wackos to run their mouths and prance around with their signs, and I am not sure I would classify a funeral home or a graveyard as a “public place”. But this speech should have been tolerated in almost any other venue. Am I happy with this verdict? Yes. But I hope this precedent is not applied too broadly in the future.
2 comments:
I agree 100% that the rights protected under the First Amendment need to be protected. It seems that, though the WBC group (and the sensational hungry media) wants this case to seem like a First Amendment case, it is not. The WBC has every right to protest and say what ever nasty things they wish to say, but this was a civil case, not a criminal case. Therefore the First Amendment was not on trial.
The irony in this is that the WBC used the Hustler Magazine v Falwell case in their defense, but the judge, for various reasons (read the brief), did not believe there was any merit connecting the two cases. Mr. Flint is probably smiling about this one too.
Not that I recommend going to their website but the Epics they write (it is the story they write about each of the protests that they do) are very personal, negative and inflict pain and undue harm to each family and friend of their intended audience.
However, Shirley Phelps-Roper was smiling after the verdict was read because this case probably will work its way to the Supreme Court as a First Amendment case. Just what they want, if they win there they will be vindicated, if they lose there beliefs about America will be confirmed. Hey - but look at the press they are getting, yes I know I am guilty of it, for I am writing about it now.
I am not very religious, but I have to question just a few things.
Where should we learn compassion, respect, empathy, tolerance, and love for our fellow man or woman.
Should we learn balance
Are there ways to express ourselves, to share our convictions, and ideas, as well understand the values of living in a land of laws
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