ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops' Burials

[m_jim]

Please, America, how many of you planned on protesting a fucking funeral?
What's that?
I can't hear you, you must be too busy not protesting at a fucking funereal.

This is the most ridiculous thing to complain about! If not having assholes bothering you whilst you're burying your dead is unconstitutional, then you need a change of constitution.

By the way, Britain doesn't have Freedom Of Speech and we seem to be doing just fine without your hallowed law.

It is a "house of cards" argument. I hate the Westboro Baptist Church just as much as the next sane person, but once you take away one group's right to protest, that makes it easier to take another group's right. Soon, the whole thing collapses...or at least so the argument goes. Another astute Escapist pointed out (I wish that I could find it because it was so well worded) that he didn't want to take away someone else's right to protest, then when the time came that he felt the need to protest, his right had been taken away too.

 

[annoyinglizardvoice]

Once again the ACLU appears to be a bunch of half-wit hypocrits for supporting people who are trying to oppress civil liberties.
Once again people worry about their rights without a thought towards their responsibilities.
Once again I am reminded that "religious fundermentalist" is a long way o saying WRONG.

 

[Bibliomancer]

I generally support the ACLU, but I wish they wouldn't defend this particular group. Fred Phelps is on my list of people whose death will cause me to throw a party. They actually came a couple towns over to where I live to picket a production of the Laramie Project and I didn't find out about it until after they had left which was a shame because I wanted to go over there and scream at them. Anyone who cheers for dead soldiers and protests at military funerals doesn't deserve the title of human.

 

[APPCRASH]

But it's a private function.
Well, generally.

Most people wouldn't take kindly to drunken fratboys showing up at a funeral, so I don't see why they should have to tolerate religious bigots.

Welcome to America. Just deal with it and move on with your life.

 

[bells]

Clearly, the proper and honest thing to do here is to Picket at the Anti-Gay group reunions... all of them. All the time.

Somehow i see their response as "They are infringing our legal rights of freedom of speech and of faith by Picketing and disturbing our private reunions".

As you can see... bullshit can fly both ways.

Hey, you know what? Freedom of Speech is all dandy and stuff... but your liberty ends where begins the freedom of the person next to you. "Because i want, because i can" is not a proper argument to act like douches. If the family doing the funeral wants privacy and respect, you don't get to step on that because you have "something to say about it". at least not if you're a normal functioning mammal member of society

They are disguising hate speech with legal rights and religious background... it's just a bullshit excuse to sell their own personal prejudice. And the State shouldn't allow it.

 

[Racistman3d]

I am so glad we don't have any of these fundamentalists in Australia.......

 

[Jonny49]

If its their right of free speech to go over to peoples funerals and picket at them like vultures, then its my right to go over to them and tell them to stick their signs where the sun dont shine and fuck off.

 

[shaltir]

i thought they could get them on grounds of inciting a riot or something? that got brought up when they first started picketing funerals of fallen soldiers. i'm all for freedom of speech, but if one of my military friends got picketed like this, i'd hope someone would stop them from showing up to torment the family.

Either way, i've been following the phelps family for a long time now and i'm astounded none of them have been killed.

 

[Tekrae]

Considering I'm just a clueless Brit who isn't sure what this is about, what is ACLU?

 

[Booze Zombie]

Another astute Escapist pointed out (I wish that I could find it because it was so well worded) that he didn't want to take away someone else's right to protest, then when the time came that he felt the need to protest, his right had been taken away too.

But, I ask you, how many sane people see fit to protest at a funeral?

 

[Charli]

"The law bans picketing and protests "in front of or about" any location where a funeral is held, from an hour before it begins until an hour after it ends. Offenders can face fines and jail time."


Sounds fair to me.

 

[Cody211282]

Please, America, how many of you planned on protesting a fucking funeral?
What's that?
I can't hear you, you must be too busy not protesting at a fucking funereal.

This is the most ridiculous thing to complain about! If not having assholes bothering you whilst you're burying your dead is unconstitutional, then you need a change of constitution.

By the way, Britain doesn't have Freedom Of Speech and we seem to be doing just fine without your hallowed law.

It is a "house of cards" argument. I hate the Westboro Baptist Church just as much as the next sane person, but once you take away one group's right to protest, that makes it easier to take another group's right. Soon, the whole thing collapses...or at least so the argument goes. Another astute Escapist pointed out (I wish that I could find it because it was so well worded) that he didn't want to take away someone else's right to protest, then when the time came that he felt the need to protest, his right had been taken away too.

Im in the same boat that i hate that damn "church" but i also dont like someones freedom of speech taken away, I say that if they have the right to protest at funerals then the family and friends has the right to make sure the protesters know exatly how they feel, I hear tear gass and flash bangs are fun non-leathal wepons

 

[Jinx_Dragon]

Its the principle of the thing. Freedom of speech and all that should be for everyone. Not just for those whom have something you want to hear. These people are sick, depraved, and completely idiotic. But they have legal right (so far) to do what they do.

Ding!


Exactly! The ACLU is one of the few NON-hypocritical groups out there. I am sure many of their lawyers are disgusted at themselves, and not just for being a lawyer. At least they can hold their head high cause they do not throw out the principals they hold dear, that everyone has the right to partition the government and other civil rights are for ALL.

Not just those stances which are politically or socially popular.

 

[ReZerO]

i say every city that has a church for these guys should have a gay pride parade that passes and stops for a bit right out front of these guys chuches, you know free speach and approved parade and all, they can't do anything about that.

 

[Cody211282]

i say every city that has a church for these guys should have a gay pride parade that passes and stops for a bit right out front of these guys chuches, you know free speach and approved parade and all, they can't do anything about that.

That's an awesome idea, I would go the extra mile and have people outside their church protesting as well, something around the lines of goat sodamy and and communing with the devil

 

[Jinx_Dragon]

i say every city that has a church for these guys should have a gay pride parade that passes and stops for a bit right out front of these guys chuches, you know free speach and approved parade and all, they can't do anything about that.

I like this idea! I like it a lot.

Problem is they would use it as publicity, they have been about nothing more then whore for publicity. I go as far as to say they don't even care about their own so called religion. All of it is nothing more then a platform to get their ugly mugs on the camera. It isn't surprising that the best way to get rid of these guys is to just ignore them, pity the media isn't ever going to let go of the 'protesting funeral of soldiers' thing.

Best, to them, PR they ever got....

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

So, the ACLU believes their god kills random innocent people out of disapproval for a certain sexual orientation?
Well then, may their horrid monstrosity they call a god burn in a new level of hell reserved for psychopathic deities.

No-no, you're confusing the ACLU with the Westboro Baptist Cult. The ACLU just makes sure everyone, no matter how...twisted, is given their Constitutional rights. How is that a bad thing again?

 

[TheMatt]

Ok, please correct me if I am wrong but the ACLU is a body of people who will fight on your behalf or some shit? No matter how retarded the issue?

On the issue at hand this is FUCKING disgraceful. The guy/girl dies to protect them, and they protest at his/her funeral. Nice gratitude.

Yet another reason why I hate America's idea of religion. Hey Kraken? Care to chime in on how awesome all you crazy baptists are?