The father of a Marine killed in Iraq is asking the Supreme Court to reinstate a $5 million verdict against members of a fundamentalist church who picketed his son's funeral with signs like "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "God Hates the USA."
The court is hearing arguments Wednesday in the dispute between Albert Snyder of York, Pa., and members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. The case pits Snyder's right to grieve privately against the church members' right to say what they want, no matter how offensive.
Westboro members, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, have picketed many military funerals to make their point that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are punishment for Americans' immorality, including tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.
They welcome the attention the protests have brought, mocking their critics and vowing not to change their ways whatever the outcome at the Supreme Court.
By: Brant
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1 comment:
Madness, I really don't see why this is such an issue. Freedom of speech is completely irrelevant when these people are blatantly abusing grieving relatives. No one is saying they can't spout this hate, they can say whatever they like on the net, at their church or even on the street corner, the issue should really be that picketing someone's funeral in this way is simply wrong.
Unfortunately as the entirety of the American national psyche is rooted in the flag and legislation this ridiculous arguing the toss will continue.
Hohum, perhaps after another couple of centuries they'll have a strong enough national identity to do away with this crap.
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