[kalyssa]

it sickens me to think they can have such an impact, they are coming to my hometown next week to protest at a funeral of a fallen hero..they are not a church, they are a cult, a hate group, and most of all, they take the word of God completely out of context, which makes them false. and they know it.

[bluenoter]

Westboro Baptist Church doesn't have any impact. They are just a bunch of GD nuts. It's still a free country. Just let em do what they do and ignore em.

Originally Posted by kalyssa

it sickens me to think they can have such an impact, they are coming to my hometown next week to protest at a funeral of a fallen hero..they are not a church, they are a cult, a hate group, and most of all, they take the word of God completely out of context, which makes them false. and they know it.

[Dr. Foosball]

How is it not illegal to ruin someone's funeral? That is despicable.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

How is it not illegal to ruin someone's funeral? That is despicable.

It's called free speech and that right is worthless unless it protects even that speech we find vulgar and offensive.

[Annemieke Roell]

Originally Posted by stillkit

It's called free speech and that right is worthless unless it protects even that speech we find vulgar and offensive.

Indeed.

[Dr. Foosball]

Originally Posted by stillkit

It's called free speech and that right is worthless unless it protects even that speech we find vulgar and offensive.

We do have limitations on free speech in America. Although this situation is not yet protected, protesting a funeral is much more than vulgar or offensive; it disrespects the most basic of our cultural values and rituals.

I don't agree with the wars we are in, but I believe that there is a special place in Hell for people who disrupt funerals for people who were merely following orders just for the sake of trying to gain a few seconds on the local news that evening.

BTW, the Supreme Court will be taking this argument in the next term.

Westboro Baptist Church tells Supreme Court funeral protests protected - baltimoresun.com

[bluenoter]

They need to be kept at a reasonable distance from the funeral. If they carried on with this stuff at a movie or baseball game, they would be removed for trespassing.

Is public intoxication havering considered free speech?

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

We do have limitations on free speech in America. Although this situation is not yet protected, protesting a funeral is much more than vulgar or offensive; it disrespects the most basic of our cultural values and rituals.

I don't agree with the wars we are in, but I believe that there is a special place in Hell for people who disrupt funerals for people who were merely following orders just for the sake of trying to gain a few seconds on the local news that evening.

BTW, the Supreme Court will be taking this argument in the next term.

Westboro Baptist Church tells Supreme Court funeral protests protected - baltimoresun.com

[kalyssa]

you are right we should ignore them, the patriot guard riders are coming to support the family in their time of need. i think if we get enough people there it will be easier to ignore them..

[slingshot]

As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders I have been to many funerals of KIA and veterans. The Westboro Baptist "Church" seems to show up only at the funerals of the killed in action. IMO it's because they know that the media is most likely to be there for the most recent burials. At this time it's their right to be there but it's also our right to stand between them and the families of the fallen warrior so the families cannot see them. More times than not, it works. There is a specified distance that they have to adhere to and it varies with each state. I believe, in Arkansas, it's 500 ft.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by slingshot

As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders

As a Viet Nam vet, and *long* time former member of the Blue Knights, consider yourself high-fived.