Protesting Against The War During a Fallen Soldier's Funeral Okay?

Common decency needs a coffin as well.

Mercenary848

[QUOTE="ProjectTrinity"]Would there happen to be some sort of law that could better squeeze in the banning of protesting during funerals, or does freedom of speech really cover it all?Palantas

You might be able to make a law that simply bans all demonstrations within a certain distance of a funeral. Speech is restricted in all sorts of situations for a myriad of reasons, "disturbing the peace," being the most common and obvious. Freedom of speech is intended to protect citizens who want to speak out against their government. It's not a blanket protection for people to be disruptive jackasses.

President Bush already passed a law banning anyone protesting at soldier funerals. You cannot protest at one of these funerals any closer than 300 meters I believe. I read through this entire thread and knew exactly what hate group was being referred to from the post: Westboro Baptist Church. This group is absolutely NOT protesting the war. They believe the USA is doomed because of homosexual tolerance. That is 100% the sole reason for all of their protests.

They do not just protest at funerals. They protest anything related to homosexuality. They will travel all over the country to do so. Their travel budget for this exceeds $200,000 annually. They believe every time something bad happens to American citizens or inside the US (9/11 included) that it's a sign from God that we shouldn't tolerate homosexuals.

One other comment. They are able to fund these protests and travel expenses through their law firm, Phelps Chartered. This law firm handles civil lawsuits exclusively and all profits go towards funding future protests. This includes suing anyone who, even slightly, gets in their way while protesting. They're very careful to follow all laws in existence that restrict them from doing so.

President Bush passed that law banning any protest closer than 300 meters specifically because of this family. I say family because of the 80 members in this church, roughly 90% of them are blood related. The pastor has 13 children, 11 of whom have law degrees and are practicing attorneys for their firm.

President Bush already passed a law banning anyone protesting at soldier funerals. You cannot protest at one of these funerals any closer than 300 meters I believe.

Lance_Kalzas

300 meters, what a coincidence. That's the longest range soldiers generally train at to hit point targets with the M16 and M4.

Some states have more harsh restrictions than that. I can't remember which ones but I saw one described as having a 500 meter limit and if you're caught within that radius, it's a felony charge with up to 5 years in prison.Lance_Kalzas

500 meters is max range for point target for the M-240B machinegun on bipod.

WBC feels that God does not love anyone, that God is full of hate, anger and wrath, that the Reverend Fred Phelps is the sole gatekeeper to heaven and anyone who doesn't follow him will go to hell.Lance_Kalzas

Drink the punch.

[QUOTE="Lance_Kalzas"]Some states have more harsh restrictions than that. I can't remember which ones but I saw one described as having a 500 meter limit and if you're caught within that radius, it's a felony charge with up to 5 years in prison.Palantas

500 meters is max range for point target for the M-240B machinegun on bipod.Palantas

WBC feels that God does not love anyone, that God is full of hate, anger and wrath, that the Reverend Fred Phelps is the sole gatekeeper to heaven and anyone who doesn't follow him will go to hell.Lance_Kalzas

Drink the punch.

perfectly legal on public land i think.. certainly a ---- move however..

There's a time and a place for everything. Funerals are not the time nor the place for protests or politics in general.ElZilcho90

Anyone seen Louis Theroux with Westboro Baptist church? it's pretty go0d...Same_Jeans_On

Ye, i seen that program and surprisingly it's intresting to watch how the family not only defend their warped views but how they force them onto their children. Any of their children who won't follow their faith is kicked out of the family and disowned.

[QUOTE="Same_Jeans_On"]Anyone seen Louis Theroux with Westboro Baptist church? it's pretty go0d...pav50

Ye, i seen that program and surprisingly it's intresting to watch how the family not only defend their warped views but how they force them onto their children. Any of their children who won't follow their faith is kicked out of the family and disowned.

[QUOTE="pav50"]

[QUOTE="Same_Jeans_On"]Anyone seen Louis Theroux with Westboro Baptist church? it's pretty go0d...Jynxzor

Ye, i seen that program and surprisingly it's intresting to watch how the family not only defend their warped views but how they force them onto their children. Any of their children who won't follow their faith is kicked out of the family and disowned.

Lol, very true but it just shows how intolerant they are.

these type of people have clearly lost their sense of humanity.

Nope, totally inappropriate. I'm about as anti-war as anybody, but there's a time and a place to make a statement and a soldier's funeral is neither.

Under the constitution, yes. As humans, no thats all it really comes down to unfortunatelyimaps3fanboy

I think the law should read: You are free to "protest" or otherwise"demonstrate" at a funeral of a fallen soldier AT YOUR OWN RISK.

[QUOTE="imaps3fanboy"]Under the constitution, yes. As humans, no thats all it really comes down to unfortunatelytocklestein2005

I think the law should read: You are free to "protest" or otherwise"demonstrate" at a funeral of a fallen soldier AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Constitution doesn't protect that, constitution protects free speech, telling someone they cannot protest in a certain area at a certain time is not impeding free speech. They're free to say anything they want anywhere at any time including on the internet, saying they can't protest during a funeral doesn't impede them in the slightest.

Protesting during the funeral is pointless. If they want to make a difference they should wage a siege protest around the white house and stay there till the last soldier is pulled from that pointless war.

Wow are you kidding me..

Theres nothing wrong with being Anti-War, and the WBC is protected to do their stupid protests, but taking it out during a soldiers funeral/on a soldier is pathetic and wrong. They just do the job that they are told. Thankfully, atleast they are not treated like Vietnam veterans.

Those people we're extremely lucky I wasn't attending that funeral...