In early March 2010, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling of 8-1 in favor Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church. In case some of you have never heard of this notorious crowd of worshipers, they express their disapproval of the wickedness of modern America by the unpleasant practice of picketing funerals, particularly those of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Funny the very people these people are picketing would not even be able to picket if those people had not died for their freedom.
The church's homophobia, anti-Catholics, and sense of spiritual superiority are communicated in offensive picket signs that read, "God Hates Fags," "Priests Rape Boys" and "You're Going to Hell."
What is sad is that the ruling by the Supreme Court of 8-1 was in favor of this to go on under free speech. What is even worse, is that these people call themselves “people of God” The WBC is not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations. However, the church describes itself as following Primitive Baptist and Calvinist principles, though mainstream Primitive Baptists reject the WBC and Phelps.
Now looking into definition of a hate crime “A hate crime is usually defined by state law as one that involves threats, harassment, or physical harm and is motivated by prejudice against someone's race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation or physical or mental disability.”
It is interesting that the definition of a hate crime would cover exactly what Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church are doing. However, the lovely justices of the Supreme Court found it in their hearts to rule in favor of these heartless bastards.
The legislation also goes on to say:
It is the right of every person, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or physical or mental disability, to be secure and protected from threats of reasonable fear, intimidation, harassment, and physical harm caused by activities of groups and individuals.
Interesting stuff. I highly doubt that our founding fathers wanted the first amendment used a tool of harassment, and intimidation against those who serve and protect our country. Not to mention those who are homosexual, of a different religion, or for any reason they feel necessary. In fact, these vengeful people even considered picketing the funeral of the 9-year-old girl, Christina-Taylor Green who was shot and killed at the massacre where congressional representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot along with U.S. District Judge John Roll and Giffords' community outreach director Gabe Zimmerman who both were killed. The catch, they agreed not to protest the girl’s funeral in exchange for airtime with 102.1 The Edge in Toronto, Canada, and an interview with KXXT-AM in Phoenix, Ariz. on Saturday morning. They did however picket the funeral of U.S. District Judge John Roll.
Although I am a strong believer of the first amendment, I also believe that it is a person’s right to mourn peacefully the death of a loved one. I believe it is the right of every person to assemble peacefully, and to freedom of religion, as long as it is not hurting anyone.
So the first amendment says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
As you can see this is a very broad statement, and now that we have hate crimes and hate laws in effect, maybe we should incorporate hate speech. Where our Hate crime laws so clearly state that this is harassment, and is causing emotional distress against families of mourners, how can our Supreme Court justify this as constitutional. Sickening I know.
The issue that bothers me the most here, is not the fact that this is freedom of speech, but the actions of the freedom of speech, these actions are in fact causing emotional distress, to people who are already in emotional distress. Again, I will go back to the legislation of the hate crime bill
It is the right of every person, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or physical or mental disability, to be secure and protected from threats of reasonable fear, intimidation, harassment, and physical harm caused by activities of groups and individuals.
All actions do have consequences, and the people suffering for the consequences are the ones who should be left alone, left to mourn, left to grieve. But no they are being made to suffer more.
Again let me remind you a large portion of the funerals these hateful people are picketing are for our American soldiers who are dying for our freedom, so these assholes can continue to protest, under an amendment that would have had Thomas Jefferson, Jon Adams, James Madison, and the others who wrote the constitution rolling in their graves.
Plain and simple this is intimidation and harassment and now after they have won their battle in the Supreme Court here is their latest picket
Seven Pennsylvania children died in a fire Tuesday (March 8) night. Westboro says the children’s deaths are linked to the recent Supreme Court decision, in which a father sued the church after it protested his slain Marine son's funeral in 2008. The family is Christian and has no relation to the group, now you tell me, harassment, hate, or vengeance.
Do you think the Supreme Court made the right decision?
