Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops' Burials

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    The weather sucks in Seattle
    Posts
    4,899

    ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops' Burials

    ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops' Burials
    By Garance Burke
    Associated Press
    Sunday, July 23, 2006; A02

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas church group that protests at military funerals nationwide filed suit in federal court, saying a Missouri law banning such picketing infringes on religious freedom and free speech.

    The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit Friday in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., on behalf of the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church, which has outraged mourning communities by picketing service members' funerals with signs condemning homosexuality.

    The church and the Rev. Fred Phelps say God is allowing troops, coal miners and others to be killed because the United States tolerates gay men and lesbians.

    Missouri lawmakers were spurred to action after members of the church protested in St. Joseph, Mo., last August at the funeral of Army Spec. Edward L. Myers.

    The law bans picketing and protests "in front of or about" any location where a funeral is held, from an hour before it begins until an hour after it ends. Offenders can face fines and jail time.

    A number of other state laws and a federal law, signed in May by President Bush, bar such protests within a certain distance of a cemetery or funeral.

    In the lawsuit, the ACLU says the Missouri law tries to limit protesters' free speech based on the content of their message. It is asking the court to declare the ban unconstitutional and to issue an injunction to keep it from being enforced, which would allow the group to resume picketing.

    "I told the nation, as each state went after these laws, that if the day came that they got in our way, that we would sue them," said Phelps's daughter Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the church in Topeka, Kan. "At this hour, the wrath of God is pouring out on this country."

    Scott Holste, a spokesman for Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, said, "We're not going to acquiesce to anything that they're asking for in this lawsuit."

    The suit names Nixon, Gov. Matt Blunt (R) and others as defendants.
    The problem with socialism is that you eventually,
    run out of other people’s money.
    ” - Margaret Thatcher

  2. #2
    Moderator USAF Pilot 07's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Philadelphia, PA
    Posts
    1,669
    These people from Westboro Baptist Church are no joke a bunch of crazy nuts...

    While I totally support "Freedom of Speech", no matter what that speech may be, there are appropriate forums for the corresponding protesting.

    Protesting at a funeral for a soldier killed in war, is not an appropriate forum for voicing anti-gay sentiments, let alone any political sentiments. Nobody should have to lose their son or daughter, mother or father, brother or sister, and then be subjecting to people screaming "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "Thank God for IEDs". The ACLU has gone too far this time in deciding to defend these nuts.

    I wonder how the people at Westboro Baptist would feel if people started protesting pro-gay sentiments, and thanking God for that person's death at one of their own members' funerals.

    Here's some more information on the Church from Wikipedia:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    8,285
    The church and the Rev. Fred Phelps say God is allowing troops, coal miners and others to be killed because the United States tolerates gay men and lesbians.
    Coal miners??? Where the hell did that come from? I'd love to take the lot of them spin them around three times and drop them in the heart of Manhattan at rush hour. They'd be eaten alive within minutes.

  4. #4
    Moderator Matt Molnar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    New York
    Posts
    9,302
    Quote Originally Posted by T-Bird76
    I'd love to take the lot of them spin them around three times and drop them in the heart of Manhattan at rush hour.
    Their leader and her kids have actually been to New York a few times because they've been in-studio guests on Howard Stern, known to listeners as the "God Hates ***s" family. This was long before they began picketing soldiers' funerals...not sure if they've been on since then. Not sure how they ever managed to function in NYC either.
    Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem.
    All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them under control.
    I trust you are not in too much distress. —Captain Eric Moody, British Airways Flight 9

  5. #5
    Senior Member hiss srq's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Around here and near there.
    Posts
    5,565
    wow, the ignorance and lack of respect some have in this nation is amazing. and i thought floridians were a screwed up bunch.
    Southwest Airlines-"Once it pop's it's time to stop" Southwest Airlines-"Our Shamu's are almost real" Southwest Airlines -"We blow our top real easy" Southwest Airlines- "You can't top us..... really"

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •