posted
I didn't say he should be forced. I said he needed it. It's his choice as to weather he gets it or not. (which means he won't.)
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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saying that "God hates fags" is political speech... going to a funeral and screaming directly at the family that God is punishing their child for his/her immoral behavior is harassment, plain and simple. I would think that a family's right to grieve privately, without harassment, supercedes the Phelps family's right to political speech in that time, place, and manner... and what I'm seeing in the other thread supports this, I think.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
It's no different than anti-abortion protesters outside a planned parenthood clinic. And that's been found to be covered by the first amendment.
You could probably pick them up on disturbing the peace though. I'm sure they get pretty noisy.
(or the people who own the graveyard could keep them off the property.)
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
they are often limited to being a certain distance away, though, and, rightly, arrested when they violate those limits.
edit: I feel obliged to add that I was an anti-abortion activist for several years and I never once witnessed anything like the lathered screaming I constantly hear portrayed. Not saying it doesn't happen, saying that there is plenty of pro-life voice without that type and that, honestly, I'd have no problem with any organization known to be as harassing and abusive as Phelps' family facing stricter limits of time and place in their protests.
posted
I think they probably were kept out of the cemetary, but they were probably protesting just outside.
I don't agree with what they did, but if we made laws based on what the majority thought was "tastefull" alot of things would be illegal that currently are, for better and worse.
Posts: 1533 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
The really weird thing about this, is saying that soldiers die because their counrty tolerates gays.
As far as I know, the soldiers themselves were not gay, just dead. I mean, protesting at a gay man's funeral is crude and horrible, proof of complete moral bankruptcy. This is THAT, with a side of crazy.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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