Westboro Funeral Pickets Are Protected Speech, High Court Rules

[inactive]

The Supreme Court, in an 8-1 decision, ruled Wednesday that members of the renegade Westboro Baptist Church have a constitutionally protected right to protest military funerals even though their demonstrations are widely despised and deplored.

The case presented the justices with a high-profile question about the breadth of First Amendment speech and assembly protections. A majority of justices ruled that these fundamental rights outweigh the concerns of grieving family members who would rather not deal with what they say are obnoxious protesters from the Kansas church.

"Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and -- as it did here -- inflict great pain," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his majority opinion. "On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a nation we have chosen a different course -- to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...tected-speech-high-court-rules/#ixzz1FSgDnxe3


I want to keep this focused on the 1st Amendment aspect of this, not necessarily religions or the WBC (I know WBC threads here are a bit "spirited" sometimes. I am no apologist for WBC, and despite them and their actions, but I agree with the SCOTUS decision. Speech is speech, even if it is deplorable and in poor taste. The correct ruling was made IMHO.

 

[inactive]

Just saw the other thread. Searched for related terms but they did not catch that one.

Merge or close this one. Sorry for the repost.

 

[HMFIC]

here we go again...

I'm for free speech, but I do believe that Westboro has gone beyond free speech.

They are vile, loathsome, foul and despicable vermin.

 

[VitruvianDoc]

Just because it's a right doesn't mean it can't be regulated.

I think that the states such as OK who passed laws about distances and all that are required to be maintained will stand; its just that the act itself can't be prohibited. Otherwise, the 2nd amendment laws would all go out the window.

 

[bulbboy]

Repost