Last week I posted a story of a soldier, Adam Shepherd, who died in Iraq from
an unknown illness. His cousin is a friend of our families and was in attendance
at his funeral. At the funeral, Fred Phelps had his goons from
godhatesfags.com out in full force
picketing and showing their lack of contempt for our fallen soldiers. Now the
state of Ohio is taking action:
COLUMBUS, Ohio Feb 6, 2006 (AP) States are rushing to limit when and
where people may protest at funerals all because of a small fundamentalist
Kansas church whose members picket soldiers’ burials, arguing that Americans
are dying for a country that harbors homosexuals.During the 1990s, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., went
around picketing the funerals of AIDS victims with protest signs that read,
“God Hates Fags.” But politicians began paying more attention recently when
church members started showing up at the burials of soldiers and Marines
killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.Legislation is being considered in at least 14 states, and several of the
bills moving quickly, with backing from legislative leaders and governors.If they pass, the bills could set up a clash between privacy and free
speech rights, and court challenges are almost certain.
Article continues
here.
I am an advocate of free speech and our bill of rights however there should
be limits and this is one limit that is needed. Of course the church has the
right to express their views but the family also has the right to mourn the loss
of their loved one. Groups like this are actually advancing the destruction of
our freedoms. They exploit them and use them however they feel to the point that
the government has to interject and that causes future rights to be limited.
Actually I feel people should be held responsible for their actions and
expressions under freedom of speech. If I pen a completely fictional article
about someone they have the right to bring civil action against me for slander
and liable. The same rules of laws should be exercised against this group.
Families of fallen soldiers who have had to put up with this disgusting
exploitation of our civil liberties while trying to say their final farewells to
a loved one should join together and file a lawsuit against Fred Phelps and his
cronies.
I admit this is a very touchy situation but it is Fred Phelps that is making
it so touchy by abusing his rights to infringe upon the rights of others. Even
worse he is infringing on the rights of soldiers and their families. I wonder
how many loved ones Fred Phelps has lost fighting for this country. Hell, I
wonder how many loved ones someone like Fred Phelps could even have.