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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 10/01/2010 : 04:20:30
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Free speech or harassment?
The Phelps menagerie is on it's way to the Supreme Court, where a very expensive, lower court decision might be upheld or tossed. It will be interesting to see the results, as it looks to my admittedly bleary eye that a case can be made either way.
4 years after son's death in Iraq, father and funeral protesters take dispute to Supreme Court
One thing Al Snyder wants to make clear: His boy fought and died for freedom in Iraq, but not for the right of some "wackos" to spew hate at soldiers' funerals under the protection of the Constitution.
"It's an insult to myself, my family and the veterans to say this is what our military men and women died for," Snyder says, barely concealing his anger.
Yet more than four years after the death of his only son, Matthew, Snyder is in the middle of a Supreme Court case that raises almost precisely that issue.
The court is set to decide whether members of a fundamentalist church in Kansas who picketed Matthew's funeral with signs bearing anti-gay and anti-Catholic invective have a constitutional right to say what they want.
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Westboro Ragamuffin, goin' Soopreme!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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the_ignored
SFN Addict
2562 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2010 : 05:48:57 [Permalink]
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| Jesus fucking christ, please tell me that picture is photshopped or something...please don't tell me that he's already poisoned a kid into becoming like that already... |
>From: enuffenuff@fastmail.fm
(excerpt follows):
> I'm looking to teach these two bastards a lesson they'll never forget.
> Personal visit by mates of mine. No violence, just a wee little chat.
>
> **** has also committed more crimes than you can count with his
> incitement of hatred against a religion. That law came in about 2007
> much to ****'s ignorance. That is fact and his writing will become well
> know as well as him becoming a publicly known icon of hatred.
>
> Good luck with that fuckwit. And Reynold, fucking run, and don't stop.
> Disappear would be best as it was you who dared to attack me on my
> illness knowing nothing of the cause. You disgust me and you are top of
> the list boy. Again, no violence. Just regular reminders of who's there
> and visits to see you are behaving. Nothing scary in reality. But I'd
> still disappear if I was you.
What brought that on? this. Original posting here.
Another example of this guy's lunacy here. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 10/01/2010 : 06:45:37 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by the_ignored
Jesus fucking christ, please tell me that picture is photshopped or something...please don't tell me that he's already poisoned a kid into becoming like that already...
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'K, I won't tell you that. But she is a member of the church, which is comprised almost entirely of the Phelps family. The kid never had a chance from birth. And therein lies a real tragedy of the Phelps family; their children are brought up to be as perverted as old Mediocre Fred himself.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2010 : 12:32:54 [Permalink]
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I don't recall who said it but wasn't it "you don't have the freedom not to be offended" by free speech. I'm divided by this question because whatever the ruling, the door swings both ways.
If we deny one religious group's right to by free speech offend the family of a dead soldier, then some other religious group may deny us our right to freely criticize religion because it offends them.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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The Rat
SFN Regular
Canada
1370 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2010 : 15:02:36 [Permalink]
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| I will defend Phelps' right to freedom of speech. I will also gladly shit on his grave after he departs this Earth, hopefully soon. |
Bailey's second law; There is no relationship between the three virtues of intelligence, education, and wisdom.
You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded perversity! Have you ever considered a career in the Church? - The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Blackadder II
Baculum's page: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=3947338590 |
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Robb
SFN Regular
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2010 : 23:03:14 [Permalink]
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| I would think it ok for these people to picket but at some required distance from a funeral home or cemetary or is there a law already aregarding this? |
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. - George Washington |
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chefcrsh
Skeptic Friend
Hong Kong
380 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2010 : 23:54:03 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Robb
I would think it ok for these people to picket but at some required distance from a funeral home or cemetary or is there a law already aregarding this?
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The only required distance is "not on private property without the owners permission". If you ask me that is as it should be. I for one do not want the government deciding access to public property based on what the government thinks is a worthy cause to have access. |
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First Amendment?
