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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Dos Equis on June 29, 2009, 02:31:16 PM
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Justices refuse to hear case over protests at soldier funerals
Posted: 12:55 PM ET
From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears
WASHINGTON (CNN) – A small Kansas church that has gained nationwide attention for protesting loudly at funerals of U.S. service members killed in overseas conflicts received a temporary victory from the Supreme Court over their free speech rights.
The justices Monday rejected an appeal from Missouri officials over their efforts to keep members of the Wichita-based Westboro Baptist Church from demonstrating at least 300 feet from memorial services and burials.
The church, led by pastor Fred Phelps, believes God is punishing the United States for "the sin of homosexuality," through events including soldiers' deaths. Members have traveled the country, shouting at grieving family members at funerals and displaying such signs as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Blew Up the Troops" and "AIDS Cures Fags."
A lower court had granted an injunction blocking enforcement of the law until it could be challenged.
Phelps, his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper and other church members had protested near the August 2005 funeral of Army Spc. Edward Lee Myers in St. Joseph, Missouri. The married Army Airborne Ranger died while on patrol in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee military vehicle. He was 21, and in addition to his wife, Myers leaves behind a daughter. He was later buried at Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas.
In response to that protest, Missouri lawmakers passed the "Spc. Edward Lee Myers Law", criminalizing picketing "in front or about" a funeral location or procession.
Phelps-Roper then went to federal court to ask for a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the statute until its constitutionality could be reviewed. A federal appeals court eventually agreed. That court did not address the broader First Amendment claims, but noted the law was overly intrusive, since it "restricts expressive activity not just within or on the premises of a cemetery of a church, but also on traditional public for a such as the adjacent public streets and sidewalks."
The Supreme Court has never addressed the specific issues of laws designed to protect the "sanctity and dignity of memorial and funeral services," as well as the privacy of family and friends of the deceased. But the high court has recognized the state's interest in protecting those from unwanted protests or communications while in their homes.
The justices were asked to address how far states can go to justify picket-free zones and the use of "floating buffers" to silence or restrict the speech or movements of demonstrators exercising their constitutional rights in a funeral setting. Various jurisdictions across the nation have responded to the protests with varying levels of control over the church protesters.
According to a legal brief it filed with the high court, church members believe it is their duty to protest and picket at certain events, including funerals, to promote their religious message: "That God's promise of love and heaven for those who obey him in this life is counterbalanced by God's wrath and hell for those who do not obey him."
The congregation is made up mostly of Phelps and his family. The pastor has 13 children, and at least 54 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. He described himself as an "old-time" gospel preacher in a CNN interview in 2006, saying, "You can't preach the Bible without preaching the hatred of God."
Missouri officials said the appeals court improperly balanced the free speech rights of both sides in favor of the church.
"Mourners cannot avoid a message that targets funerals without forgoing their right to partake in funeral or burial services, so are appropriately viewed as a captive audience" that is simply unable to shut out the offensive message, said state attorneys.
The case is Nixon (Missouri governor) v. Phelps-Roper (08-1244). It will be argued sometime after October.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/29/justices-refuse-to-hear-case-over-protests-at-soldier-funerals/#more-58208
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Don't even get me started on those worthless fuckers, they were in my town protesting the funeral of one of the kids shot and killed at NIU. That was one of the very few times in my life I wished harm upon another human being.
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that damn horrible man some body should beat their asses and give them a sign that says it b/c they cast judgement on others while being sinners themselves...
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In a way these duchebags are like the ultimate liberals. They are completely abusing the 'free-speech' amendment for no purpose other than to be offensive... They hate the military that makes their bullshit even possible... and they then use the court system to cover their asses like little bitches from people like the hells angels who would like to shut their mouths for them.
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i have a feeling that local law enforcement wouldn't do anything if a few good guys at the funeral decided to put on masks (causing no camera cell phone ID'ing) and kicked the shit out of the idiots ruining the very sad moment for the mourners.
knock the teeth out of the loudest protester and discover them all get mighty quiet.
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In a way these duchebags are like the ultimate liberals. They are completely abusing the 'free-speech' amendment for no purpose other than to be offensive... They hate the military that makes their bullshit even possible... and they then use the court system to cover their asses like little bitches from people like the hells angels who would like to shut their mouths for them.
yea but they're not liberals. These wackos are solidly on the far right. Don't try and push them off on the left :D
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Sounds like a good Christian to me...
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Those Westboro peeps are some crazy mofos.....
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Those Westboro peeps are some crazy mofos.....
Just good Christians serving the Lord...and they are right. The Bible has many passages filled with hatred and intolerance. They aren't wrong about it.
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Just good Christians serving the Lord...and they are right. The Bible has many passages filled with hatred and intolerance. They aren't wrong about it.
We are fag-enablers and we are going to hell. Everyone, minus the Phelps family, is going to hell.
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Just good Christians serving the Lord...and they are right. The Bible has many passages filled with hatred and intolerance. They aren't wrong about it.
Why not try to understand what a true Christian is before making brain dead statements like these.
Are you a bible expert or are you going to go out and cut and past some passages out of context to "prove" your point?
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Why not try to understand what a true Christian is before making brain dead statements like these.
Are you a bible expert or are you going to go out and cut and past some passages out of context to "prove" your point?
LOL. 'True' Christian. Everyone is a 'true' Christian mate. I don't need to cut and paste. The OT is filled with barbarity and just the sort of thing these fine Christians use to justify their protests. Everyone can cherry-pick the the Bible which is why it is so dangerous. Alas we will be stuck with religion for quite some time to come. :-\
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Why not have an even bigger group of counter-protesters who surround the nutjobs and have loud music and lots of banners and completely cover up and overwhelm the nuts. It's a free country over there, isn't it? :P
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Why not have an even bigger group of counter-protesters who surround the nutjobs and have loud music and lots of banners and completely cover up and overwhelm the nuts. It's a free country over there, isn't it? :P
The soil is everyone's gaff in the USA and freedom of speech reigns true.
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Deicide is more concerned about the fact they claim to be Christian than the fact they are acting about as disrespectful as they come.
Christianity has nothing to do with what these knotheads are really doing. They are just using it as a cover... just like groups like the branch davidians down in Texas did.
Lesson here: If you want to act like a shithead and do totally immoral things, claim religion... because nobody will want to call you out on your bullshit.
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Deicide is more concerned about the fact they claim to be Christian than the fact they are acting about as disrespectful as they come.
Christianity has nothing to do with what these knotheads are really doing. They are just using it as a cover... just like groups like the branch davidians down in Texas did.
Lesson here: If you want to act like a shithead and do totally immoral things, claim religion... because nobody will want to call you out on your bullshit.
No, I think they really believe the stuff they are saying BECAUSE of their Christianity.
Anyway...Mexicans are worse... ;)
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No, I think they really believe the stuff they are saying BECAUSE of their Christianity.
Anyway...Mexicans are worse... ;)
but not as bad as Americans in general, right?
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but not as bad as Americans in general, right?
No, Mexicans are the most evil people in the world...lo sabes!
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LOL. 'True' Christian. Everyone is a 'true' Christian mate. I don't need to cut and paste. The OT is filled with barbarity and just the sort of thing these fine Christians use to justify their protests. Everyone can cherry-pick the the Bible which is why it is so dangerous. Alas we will be stuck with religion for quite some time to come. :-\
You know nothing about Christianity, bringing the OT in the conversation just proves it.
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Deicide is more concerned about the fact they claim to be Christian than the fact they are acting about as disrespectful as they come.
Christianity has nothing to do with what these knotheads are really doing. They are just using it as a cover... just like groups like the branch davidians down in Texas did.
Lesson here: If you want to act like a shithead and do totally immoral things, claim religion... because nobody will want to call you out on your bullshit.
Ding ding ding! :)
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You know nothing about Christianity, bringing the OT in the conversation just proves it.
Strange that your fellow Christian protesters cite passages from the OT to justify their claims. You don't get it. The Bible (with its muck of contradictions) is whatever its reader wants it to be for whatever agenda they want to push forward. The Bible itself was compiled with an agenda.
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Strange that your fellow Christian protesters cite passages from the OT to justify their claims. You don't get it. The Bible (with its muck of contradictions) is whatever its reader wants it to be for whatever agenda they want to push forward. The Bible itself was compiled with an agenda.
No actually you don't get it, the OT or the Torah is covenant between God and the Isrealites, the only reason it is included in the bible is that it provides the proofs that Jesus is the Mesiah. The NT is the covenant between God and the Gentiles( everybody else). So unless you are Jewish using the OT as justification for your actions is just stupid. And just as stupid is someone who has no understanding of things using the OT to attack Christian.
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No actually you don't get it, the OT or the Torah is covenant between God and the Isrealites, the only reason it is included in the bible is that it provides the proofs that Jesus is the Mesiah. The NT is the covenant between God and the Gentiles( everybody else). So unless you are Jewish using the OT as justification for your actions is just stupid. And just as stupid is someone who has no understanding of things using the OT to attack Christian.
Another Christian fundamentalist...sigh. Well no point in having a rational discussion now... :-\
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No actually you don't get it, the OT or the Torah is covenant between God and the Isrealites, the only reason it is included in the bible is that it provides the proofs that Jesus is the Mesiah. The NT is the covenant between God and the Gentiles( everybody else). So unless you are Jewish using the OT as justification for your actions is just stupid. And just as stupid is someone who has no understanding of things using the OT to attack Christian.
Boom.
Pwned.
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Another Christian fundamentalist...sigh. Well no point in having a rational discussion now... :-\
Why exactly am I fundamentalist? Because I understand the difference between the OT and NT and you don't?
Nice cop out by the way, the only person that I have seen that is irrational is you. You are the fat midget that drove all the way over to confront some 6'6" bean pole at the gym aren't you.
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Why exactly am I fundamentalist? Because I understand the difference between the OT and NT and you don't?
Nice cop out by the way, the only person that I have seen that is irrational is you. You are the fat midget that drove all the way over to confront some 6'6" bean pole at the gym aren't you.
Huh? No idea what you are talking about. I don't have a car so even if I knew what you were talking about, I couldn't have done it. Do you believe the Genesis account to be the way the universe came into being? or is the world 6,000 years old? Christians of all sorts use the Bible in whatever way they feel like it. That is a fact. Pick and choose.
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Boom.
Pwned.
You should stick you beating up Mexicans Hereford.
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Huh? No idea what you are talking about. I don't have a car so even if I knew what you were talking about, I couldn't have done it. Do you believe the Genesis account to be the way the universe came into being? or is the world 6,000 years old? Christians of all sorts use the Bible in whatever way they feel like it. That is a fact. Pick and choose.
Oh sorry must have confused you with some other fat mideget.
It all has to do with understanding of the bible and Gods time line, where do people get this 6000 years from? Because they try to apply time in human years. For all I know the earth could be 100,000 billion years old. The people who try to pick and choose as you say are either deliberatly trying to mislead or simply don't understand.
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Oh sorry must have confused you with some other fat mideget.
It all has to do with understanding of the bible and Gods time line, where do people get this 6000 years from? Because they try to apply time in human years. For all I know the earth could be 100,000 billion years old. The people who try to pick and choose as you say are either deliberatly trying to mislead or simply don't understand.
We know how old the earth is and it is not because the Bible tells us that.
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We know how old the earth is and it is not because the Bible tells us that.
Really? how old is it? Because they use carbon dating, and I guess that is 100% acurate everytime?
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i have a feeling that local law enforcement wouldn't do anything if a few good guys at the funeral decided to put on masks (causing no camera cell phone ID'ing) and kicked the shit out of the idiots ruining the very sad moment for the mourners.
knock the teeth out of the loudest protester and discover them all get mighty quiet.
Agree
I'm completely against government sanctioned torture, but if it's private citizens I'm game... :)
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Really? how old is it? Because they use carbon dating, and I guess that is 100% acurate everytime?
There are many ways of measuring time, carbon dating is but one of them. There was a long thread about it a long time ago.