This just burns me

[bakerjw]

The problem is that the founding fathers never thought that people would get depraved enough to taunt and harass a grieving family. Had they considered this then the right of freedom from harassment may very well have been the first amendment.

I am of the opinion that all rights end when it physically or emotionally harms another. Just me though.

 

[pdsavage]

Quote:
When it intrudes on a familys PRIVATE funeral...

Remeber they need to file for a permit with the City to protest. It is up to the city to determine where these people will be protesting.

"The protest was confined to a public area under supervision and regulation of local law enforcement and did not disrupt the church service.

If the intent of the Westboro Baptist Church was to disrupt the funeral, they failed badly. Albert Snyder, the father of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who died in Iraq, did not see the signs of the protesters until he saw them on television later that day."

I grew up in the Army,family members are in the service some just came back and more are going.Do you think for one minute I would want to see these fools on the way to my sons funeral if he was to die while serving his country....I know others will step in a practise their free speech rights.
I don't worry about what one unhappy repressed family has to say.
Watch this video and tell me free speech isnt great.

A Soldier's Funeral

 

[darkmatter]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/anonymous-sends-an-open-letter-to-the-westboro-chu

This group "anonymous" will take care of it!

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

The members of Westboro Baptist Church have done us all a great favor.

By being bigoted and hateful and horrible, to such an extent that it is hard for anyone to defend them, they made all of us reaffirm that very thing which our soldiers died for - freedom.

By engaging in horrible speech they force us to come out of our own homes and our own self centered shells to show the families of those who have been lost that WE care about them and their loss. By showing us all what hate looks like they force us to show what love and patriotism and faith really look like.

So as much as I hate what they say, I thank them for helping the rest of us to remember what we believe and forcing us all to stand up for it.

 

[mandelyn]

Christians are supposed to be bound by a set of rules of behavior and how they present themselves, above and beyond what is regulated by government. Not sure what sort of fellowship led to their kind of behavior, but it's a disgrace. Where is their compassion? Why are they condemning an individual in such a setting as their own funeral? What the heck do they think they're going to accomplish? They have every right to free speech, and every right to vocalize their opinions. But they chose the completely wrong venue for such a thing, and the hate they speak, is not very Christian at all.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
That's because they're not. They're cowards who hide behind the word Christianity.
Christians don't judge and they don't hate-not real ones anyway.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I would be willing to argue that the Westboro Baptist Church and the Phelps clan constitute a cult of personality, not a true religion. Certainly not Christianity as most people see it.

I agree with Welsummer on the whole "rule of law" thing. I think everyone in this country wants to be governed that way; which means that we have to put up with hoodlums who choose to make hateful speech. It means the KKK gets to rally, people get to deny the Holocaust, and idiots get to say that soldiers are killed because God hates America.

 

[SLWyandotte]

stuff like this is why i love living in alabama where i do. the local community cemetery is about 200 yards behind my property. i own the only road to it right next to my yard (private cemetery, private road). no trespassing says you can't come on my property if i don't want you there. state law says i can shoot trespassers in my yard with minimum fuss "if i fear for my safety or property". my chickens are extremely susceptible to catching "idiotietus" and have a high mortality rate. thats my excuse anyway.

yes i agree they have the right to peacefully protest and say anything they want. however having free speech and having it regulated are 2 completely different things. private property and minimum distances are both perfectly reasonable. you will always have nut jobs abuse the system.

on a personal note. if "God hates america" why are they still here. i haven't kept them from leaving. i hear Antarctica is nice this time of year and they can have their own little country there. thousands of miles of unclaimed land there. i'm even willing to donate to their relocation.

 

[chickened]

This is nothing new, I have dealt with protesters for 20 years due to my line of work. You get used to them and learn to avoid them and not let it bother you. It is a protected right (inappropriate remark removed by staff)

 

[country lady]

The question that I have is, where does one right end and another begin. What about the rights of the military family/friends to assemble and grieve? If that church's God is punishing a young life because of duty to country or anything else, then I can only assume it is an intolerant, cruel God that they worship--and I don't believe that. Where I live we hear constantly on the evening news when the bodies come back to Ft. Campbell--it is painful to watch. My son had two tours in Iraq. These young people are very patriotic and idealistic.