From the Supreme Court: Snyder v. Phelps

 
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Anti-Phelps_8_web Love may be all you need, but it was in short supply this morning on the Supreme Court steps. There will be a complete post on my trip to DC for the Supreme Court hearing that I will put up tomorrow, but for the most part it was 1/2 freak fest (see below) and 1/2 legal mumbo-jumbo that seemed to dance on the periphery of the case, only occasionally touching on the facts. It was pretty unclear how they will vote, but more on that tomorrow. Let me start with this email I sent to my friends that will explain my initial response on approaching the pinnacle of jurisprudence in our country:
There is a dude wearing only underwear with a sign that say "fred phelps wishes he was hot like me" standing next to a dude with a sign that says "fag marriage" over an upside down US flag with 2 stick figures performing sodomy. Don't see that much in Indy.
For now, content yourselves with this recitation of it from AP and then enjoy some pics we took there this morning.
WASHINGTON – Supreme Court justices on Wednesday pondered the vexing question of whether the father of a dead Marine should win his lawsuit against a fundamentalist church group that picketed his son's funeral. The complexity and weightiness of the First Amendment issue were palpable in the courtroom as justices heard arguments in the case of Albert Snyder. His son died in Iraq in 2006, and members of the Westboro Baptist Church protested the funeral to make their point that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are punishment for Americans' immorality, including tolerance of homosexuality and abortion. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said the question is whether the First Amendment must tolerate "exploiting this bereaved family." There was no clear answer from the court.
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Posted in Uncategorized, the burner | 20 comments
 
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Hypocrites. They curse the Constitutional Republic as sinful, and then turn around and seek protection from the very same Constitution that they claim allows sin to thrive.

I'm sure they will be protesting at their own funerals. After all, they're Americans too, and share in the sin of this nation.

May we protest in-kind at the funerals of their church members?

START YOUR OWN JONESTOWN AND HOPFULLY IT WILL HAVE THE SAME OUTCOME .THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE WITHOUT PEOPLE LIKE YOU!!

I'm not commenting about these folks anymore. I've pegged my tolerance meter.

I can't wait too see how much this "church" is going to love repeal of DADT.

Having been much too close to these individuals, where I was attending to shield the family from them, I can say that the amount of hatred, coupled with their need for attention, has made them more comic-like and pathetic in their existence than I could really describe. Is it a matter of free speech or harrassment? I would lean more toward harrassment, having witnessed their antics on several occassions. Luckily, my military discipline hasn't gone away completely, as I had to use every bit of what I have left to keep from stomping a mudhole in the backside of Fred Jr. I know they have a "right" to protest, but doesn't it say on some piece of animal skin somewhere about "peacably assemble"? I don't think what they are doing would quite fit that bill.

May god bless you and we will be praying that you win this case I have been a Legion Rider since the start and will be ready to guard our fallen heros if these political judges fail to do the right thing, be strong for America!!!

I have stood to protect the families from these UG's (unvited guest) as a member of the Patriot Guard Riders.
This is a group of Men and Women, Veterans and Nonveterans, who stands between the family and the UG's
with a American Flag Line. We try to protect the family from hearing the vile things they have to say. The
Guard must be invited by the family. If you are interested in joying, go to www.patriotguard.org. It does not
cost anything to join.
God Bless America
Santa Eddie

Amen, B5, Amen!

Even though these people have a right to free speech just like everyone else in this great country of ours has. But people today only care about themselves and these people are the extreme example. Someone that has respect for others would not picket any funeral least of all a fallen soldiers funeral to add suffering to the mourning familes. We all know it's wrong, but why isn't it wrong? There have been many people that have stood up but have gotten themselves in trouble with the law. There is always a limit and boundary to everything and We The People of the United States of America must make that choice. If there is other places to picket that does not intrude on another citizen rights then the people that are picketing should be in the wrong. There should not be any distance within eye sight (were talking miles) that people should be allowed to picket, so that it doesn't intrude on another citizen's right. It's up to our elected officals to make this happen but it's up to the People to tell them to make it happen. God Bless America and our soldiers and the people.

We pray for the simple minded.

Amen let's take a few hundred bikes and a few thousand Legionnaires to a few of their funerals and turn the tables. I typically don't believe in revenge but.... being the reasonably good christian that I am I have only 2 cheeks I can turn the other two they can kiss

Mental Illness must run in the Phelps family. Their sins will certainly reserve a place for all of them in HELL. My the devil not have mercy on their souls.

I gave your site a bookmark, I want more people to see the great post I have just seen

I'm sure Jesus loves them. Everyone else thinks they are @$$holes...

Matt
China Post #1 (in Exile)

Remember this when this old man preacher dies and his funeral is morned by his followers. We should all attend and give him the same respect he has given our fallen.

Like they say what goes around comes around?!!

I believe that the members of the Westboro Church that bring children to these hate events should be arrested for child endangerment. They are putting their children out there where someone with PTSD might inadvertantly hurt them. In todays society anything can happen all they have to do is look in the mirror and stupidity looks back...

Rights and Responsibility the key words in what people were given by soldiers fighting to defend our way life and Constitutional Freedoms. This church and their beliefs are a cancer to our society which has been growing in every aspect of American life.
Over the years I have seen traditions removed that helped teach us Patriotism and pride for our country just because we could take a group to court and show that it was our freedom of speech that gave us this right not to have them in our life. What I really believe is that people in this country have become lazy, selfish and just plain mean.
So if these people can get away with removing our great American traditions and able to protest the government and the American people that run it by slamming and disgracing the memories of those that gave all, “Then I should be allowed to take them to court and have them deported to a country that they think is better to live in since they don’t like where they are now and who gave them those rights by which they live. “

A quick solution for the members of the Westboro Baptist Cult would be to in the dead of night gather them up and take them to a military airfield near where they are demonstrating. An air craft large and without windows. The next stop the "Stan." With the obvious appearance of non Afghans let them roam free to fend for themselves. Let our troops know that this Cult are the ones that besmerch there efforts and they are not to help them survive in that enviorment in any way. I am sure that these people would get religion and not there religion real fast. Its easy to sit and to judge when you are sitting in a free country, with warm sun on your face, food in your stomach the ability to say and do as you please. All this while others past and present literally given you these things. Even animals when you befrend them show gratitude.

this is crazy! i may only be a teenager but i know the difference between right and wrong and to judge someone is not only wrong but its in turn blasphomy. so if they want to bring god up i hope they know that what they are doing is wrong in his eyes more so than others. he loves but you must ask for forgiveness and i have a feeling none of these people want to be forgiven for what they have said and done to these people.

Arresting them and charging them with Child Endangerment is a very good starting point. Let them spend money defending themselves on child endangerment charges, while their children are in the custody of Child Protective Services. While the kids are in CPS custody they should receive psychological testing to determine if the family has done permanent harm to them. The bill for this testing should, of course, be sent to the family. Had they not placed their children in danger there would have been no need for the testing.

As I said, this is a very good place to start.

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News from the World of Military and Veterans Issues. Iraq and A-Stan in parenthesis reflects that the author is currently deployed to that theater.