Justices Rule for Protesters at Military Funerals

[Bailey Guns]

Rights are not absolute. We know that. These people are infringing on the rights of grieving families. I still don't buy the free speech argument.

Alito's first few statements sum this up for me very succintly:

I

Respondents and other members of their church have
strong opinions on certain moral, religious, and political issues, and the First Amendment ensures that they have almost limitless opportunities to express their views. They may write and distribute books, articles, and other texts; they may create and disseminate video and audio recordings; they may circulate petitions; they may speak to individuals and groups in public forums and in any private venue that wishes to accommodate them; they may picket peacefully in countless locations; they may appear on television and speak on the radio; they may post messages on the Internet and send out e-mails. And they may express their views in terms that are “uninhibited,” “vehement,” and “caustic.” New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U. S. 254, 270 (1964).

It does not follow, however, that they may intentionally inflict severe emotional injury on private persons at a time of intense emotional sensitivity by launching vicious verbal attacks that make no contribution to public debate. To protect against such injury, “most if not all jurisdictions” permit recovery in tort for the intentional infliction of emotional distress (or IIED). Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, 485 U. S. 46, 53 (1988).

[Bailey Guns]

BTW: The actual opinion can be found HERE. Alito's dissent begins on page 23. If you haven't read it, you should.

In my opinion his arguments (in dissent) are, as usual, well thought out, reasoned, easy to understand for the layman and hard to dispute.

[Hayes]

I say we see how far they want to take this free speech thing. If they can scream at the families of the fallen that their sons and daughters were evil murderers, then i can sit on the steps of the church and scream that the people inside are all child molesting, baby raping cannibal perverts. Cause that's my constitutional right.

I'll go with you.

[weirjf]

^
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I'd be shocked if that isn't already going on 24x7

[TFOGGER]

Don't forget these cretins target military funerals. This is a terrible day for the family & friends of the soldier and I'd rather be boiled in oil than contribute to their sorrow. At such events any action we'd take would need to be dignified, at least within sight or hearing of the funeral party.

If they are here just to be general assholes - bring it all out. They do other stuff. I remember seeing them on Academy in Colo Spgs years ago waving their disgusting signs.

Is there some site that tracks their movements? I'd assume they are public about it since they'd be nothing without all the notice.

Steve

Support the Patriot Guard Riders. They help shield the families from these asshats....


..and drown out their silly protests with motorcycle exhaust...

[Byte Stryke]

Support the Patriot Guard Riders. They help shield the families from these asshats....


..and drown out their silly protests with motorcycle exhaust...

I've found the Colorado chapter poorly organized and rather dysfunctional.

I joined last year (early 2010) and I am still waiting for my account to be activated.

[CrufflerSteve]

I've also tried to get to the asshats' site, creatively called www.godhatesfags.com. I don't know if it is down, overloaded or every hacker is attacking it but I can't reach it. I'd be willing to take some time off from work if they are in the area to do my bit for decency & respect.

Steve

[weirjf]

I've also tried to get to the asshats' site, creatively called www.godhatesfags.com. I don't know if it is down, overloaded or every hacker is attacking it but I can't reach it. I'd be willing to take some time off from work if they are in the area to do my bit for decency & respect.

Steve

My bet is the site is being hammered by people wanting to get messages to them telling them to stop their douchebaggery

then add hackers trying to hit them with DoS attacks

[Ah Pook]

I've also tried to get to the asshats' site, creatively called www.godhatesfags.com. I don't know if it is down, overloaded or every hacker is attacking it but I can't reach it. I'd be willing to take some time off from work if they are in the area to do my bit for decency & respect.

Steve

They have all been hacked.

The WSC is a family of lawyers. They pick the most sacred/solemn time for a grieving family. They post their schedule so the media and opposition will be there. They may/may not show up with their dog and pony show. All the time under the threat of suing anybody who touches, assaults or otherwise intimidates them.

This isn't a religious protest for free speech. This is a group of scum bag lawyers looking for a payday. They know how to play the game and are exploiting that.

When I lived in OH the KKK would get a permit to rally on city property every year. Everyone went berzerk. Media covered every move. Counter demonstrations were organized. Barriers were set up.

The day of the event a few gap toothed knuckle draggers showed up with confederate battle flags and white sheets. Of course the had fatigues on underneath. They taunted the counter demonstrators and screamed their rhetoric.

I really feel they just wanted attention more than getting their word out.

[ERNO]

NYT EDITORIALS, Thurs., March 3 2011-"A dissent by Justice Samuel Alito Jr. underscored the wounding nature of the Westboro group's words. He wrote that he would not have protected what seemed to him a 'vicious verbal assault' on the Snyders.

Justice Stephen Breyer, who otherwise joined the majority, filed a concurance to make sure the dissent is not written off as a jeremaid. 'As I understand the court's opinion,' he said, 'it does not hold or imply that the state is always powerless to to provide private individuals with necessary protection.'


The Roberts opinion takes on added meaning in light of the other two. 'Speech is powerful,' the chief justice observed. 'It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and-as it did hear-inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker.


In the kind of incisive language he is capable of when he cares about the legal principle at stake. Chief Justice Roberts described the effects of words wielded as weapons against individuals, while arguing that even deeply flawed ideas must be defended because they are part of the public debate on which this country depends."