Snyder versus Phelphs hits Supreme Court...must vent

al mc

al mc

Active Member
This despicable 'church', Westboro Baptist Church, spews venom at the funeral of deceased soldiers and we are all (including the Supreme Court) powerless to do anything about it. I believe in 'free speech' and the USA but there has to be some legal arguement that all of you who discuss politics/law can come up with to shut this type of brutal harassment down......
 
darthtang aw

darthtang aw

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Mc http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3316876
This despicable 'church', Westboro Baptist Church, spews venom at the funeral of deceased soldiers and we are all (including the Supreme Court) powerless to do anything about it. I believe in 'free speech' and the USA but there has to be some legal arguement that all of you who discuss politics/law can come up with to shut this type of brutal harassment down......
If the have the proper protesting permits...really isn't much that can be done. Cemetarys are "public" places, so trespassing would not apply.The only thing I can think of is a vigilante beat down.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Zactly. Just gotta find someone close to Phelps and start making them pay every time they pull this crap. Freedom of speech doesn't give you the right to walk up to a 5 year old kid and tell him his mama is a ho without expecting retribution. I realize this attitude offends the ACLU types but you have to exercise common sense along with your rights.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
There is a fine line between freedom of speech and just being downright disrespectful. Unfortunately no one in government has any common sense or decency anymore (did they ever?).
Unfortunately if they're given permits, they can do this. IMO, permits to protest should not be provided if the protest surrounds someones death, and this goes for every death, whether it be someone in prison, someone who did something horribly wrong, OR the very men and women who fight for these pieces of $hit to have the right to protest.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I don’t understand idiots like that. I think the family has an harassment suite they can file against said church (term loosely used) They have a right to protest and the family has a right to damages. Hit a “church” in the pocket book even to defend the charge…it will stop.

What were they protesting in a cemetery anyway, burying the poor soul?
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
I really dont think a local government would actually OK a protest to take place in a cemetary. If it were to happen to me or one of my family members I would ask to see the permits. If they didnt have them I would ask them to leave politely. IF they do not comply, its a call to the police to get them to move.
It is about respect and this 'church' has no respect for anyones beliefs but their own. Vigilante justice would make one feel better inside, but not really solve the problem. As Flower suggested, a court case would be one way to suppress it. But in the end, you might lose and the law would then support them in doing these assinine things.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3316958
I really dont think a local government would actually OK a protest to take place in a cemetary. If it were to happen to me or one of my family members I would ask to see the permits. If they didnt have them I would ask them to leave politely. IF they do not comply, its a call to the police to get them to move.
It is about respect and this 'church' has no respect for anyones beliefs but their own. Vigilante justice would make one feel better inside, but not really solve the problem. As Flower suggested, a court case would be one way to suppress it. But in the end, you might lose and the law would then support them in doing these assinine things.

No way would anyone with a picket sign at a funeral be able to fight that the family members were not emotionally harmed and damaged as a result, just go to councilor afterward and voice how upset you are. Put me on that jury..I know how I would feel.
The amount of money spent to defend their position will snuff any future stupidity, win or loose. To Church groups money is very important and I would sue every member individually. It would drain every pocket of every member to defend themselves…I would make sure that the law suit got reported too, so everyone would know how expensive it can get to exercise free speech to a grieving family at a funeral.
This is not the first time some idiot group has done this…I remember reading about when a family was burying a young homose%ual man who had committed suicide. A church group showed up with picket signs saying the young man was doomed to hell fire…like the grieving family didn’t have enough to deal with. The family had nothing to do with his lifestyle, they just wanted to bury a brother, uncle, son whoever he was to the family…Those church people are IDIOTS!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3316972
My eyes crossed during page 7.
Could you please bottom-line it for me?
Thanks!
Which part? If the part about Hustler, that was where Jerry Falwell (a religious figure in the public) sought out damages from Hustler for a parody they did of him to compensate for what he was suing for, emotional distress. The court said that a public figure is in effect an open target being in the public eye. So this document is saying that bringing up that case has no merit in this case, and that the court need not go back and revisit it because it is not implicated in this case. All this is ADL trying to poo poo "The first Certified Question"
 
slice

slice

Active Member
OK, then I read it correctly. I may have simply confused myself.
Thanks spanko.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3316980
Which part? If the part about Hustler, that was where Jerry Falwell (a religious figure in the public) sought out damages from Hustler for a parody they did of him to compensate for what he was suing for, emotional distress. The court said that a public figure is in effect an open target being in the public eye. So this document is saying that bringing up that case has no merit in this case, and that the court need not go back and revisit it because it is not implicated in this case. All this is ADL trying to poo poo "The first Certified Question"
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3316916

What were they protesting in a cemetery anyway, burying the poor soul?
This "church" believes in protesting at soldiers funerals because:
They believe that God is killing our soldiers because of how this country loosely accepts homesexuals. They go to soldiers funerals and protest that if Americans stopped "sinning" our men and women would not be dying.
Here on Long Island, our legislature got word a while back that this group was going to come protest at a young soldiers funeral. They quickly passed a law making it illegal to protest within a certain amount of feet to any cemetary or funeral or church. The group ended up not showing up. I have been told, but haven't done research, that any area that makes it illegal, the "church" threatens to show up, but never does.
Spanko, the Supreme Court needs to hear this case because it has much to do with the Constitutional right of free speech and how that right is to be interpreted. Unfortunately without them stepping in, there is no clear cut answer to whether or not these idiots have the right to do this.
If you read how the suit has been worded and filed, they actually have legitimate arguments on both sides, although I think that the church might just loose this battle. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3317155
Spanko, the Supreme Court needs to hear this case because it has much to do with the Constitutional right of free speech and how that right is to be interpreted. Unfortunately without them stepping in, there is no clear cut answer to whether or not these idiots have the right to do this.
If you read how the suit has been worded and filed, they actually have legitimate arguments on both sides, although I think that the church might just loose this battle. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
The church losing this battle isn't necessarily a good thing. It sucks that they are allowed to do it, but without jerks like this being allowed to protest in their vile and disgusting way, America just wouldn't be the same. Have you read the link I posted? They make a good argument for the Supreme Court not hearing the case.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by socal57che http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3317168
The church losing this battle isn't necessarily a good thing. It sucks that they are allowed to do it, but without jerks like this being allowed to protest in their vile and disgusting way, America just wouldn't be the same. Have you read the link I posted? They make a good argument for the Supreme Court not hearing the case.
I'm on my phone right now, so I can't view the link....
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3317173
I'm on my phone right now, so I can't view the link....
The entire deal is a bit of a catch 22. Do we chisel away at the Constitution, or do we allow people like this to spew their garbage. The govt has no business telling people that they are not allowed to have an opinion or to keep them from presenting their opinion in a public arena. They also have no business dictating what opinions can and which ones cannot be represented. That's where this is headed. The govt will end up with the power to censor certain points of view. I hate these people as much as anybody, but I do not trust the government to start telling me what I should think or whether or not I can share my point of view. Regardless of the outcome, it will not be good.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by socal57che http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3317184
The entire deal is a bit of a catch 22. Do we chisel away at the Constitution, or do we allow people like this to spew their garbage. The govt has no business telling people that they are not allowed to have an opinion or to keep them from presenting their opinion in a public arena. They also have no business dictating what opinions can and which ones cannot be represented. That's where this is headed. The govt will end up with the power to censor certain points of view. I hate these people as much as anybody, but I do not trust the government to start telling me what I should think or whether or not I can share my point of view. Regardless of the outcome, it will not be good.
Very good point.
I just wish people showed some more compassion/consideration/common sense sometimes.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
It's the lawyers fault, sort of.
In a different time nobody would have dared pulled something like this because they would have ended up in a body cast and rightfully so. To intentionally target a grieving family to try to make a point is so far over the line it isn't even comprehensible to me. If something happened to my kid and these fools showed up I don't know what I would do but I don't believe I possess the capacity to just ignore it.
One thing you can do about this is to support The Patriot Riders, the motorcycle club that has been showing up at funerals to shield the families from these idiot protesters.
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3317194
Very good point.
I just wish people showed some more compassion/consideration/common sense sometimes.
Indeed!
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///forum/thread/381003/snyder-versus-phelphs-hits-supreme-court-must-vent#post_3317195
It's the lawyers fault, sort of.
In a different time nobody would have dared pulled something like this because they would have ended up in a body cast and rightfully so. To intentionally target a grieving family to try to make a point is so far over the line it isn't even comprehensible to me. If something happened to my kid and these fools showed up I don't know what I would do but I don't believe I possess the capacity to just ignore it.
One thing you can do about this is to support The Patriot Riders, the motorcycle club that has been showing up at funerals to shield the families from these idiot protesters.
The Patriot Riders ROCK!
The Westboro people were off site and the father didn't know they were protesting until he saw it on the news. The memorial service was evidently not interrupted in this particular case. Therein lies the problem with his lawsuit.
 
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