Some things just shouldn't be allowed

[AVB]

Those liberal courts get it right again!


BALTIMORE - A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.

Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to determine an amount "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."

Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries. But the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

The church and three of its leaders — the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46 — were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.

Even the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court, U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted.

Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that soldiers are dying because the nation is too tolerant of homosexuality.

Their attorneys maintained in closing arguments Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse. Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers." Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."

Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict, while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles.

 

[Mark Twain]

There's a special level in hell reserved for these people. Some place below child molesters and cult leaders who kill all their followers.

 

[AVB]

If you turn around and look real hard you'll see the line you just crossed. We are not amused.

 

[bilder]

That group is as baptist as water is fattening.

They are a fringe group that pretty much has to breed their own followers. I grew up near some folks like that and they give a bad name to decent folks everywhere. No one will listen to them so they have as many kids as possible to boost the congregation.

Pretty sad for all involved.

 

[LilBastage]

Phelps' people are a special kind of sick. I'm glad there was some vindication for a hero's family. I wonder if it will hold up on the forthcoming appeal (which is soon to follow I'm sure).

I sure hope the first post was just a poor attempt at humor. We sure don't need that kind of stuff around here.

 

[Mark Twain]

If you turn around and look real hard you'll see the line you just crossed. We are not amused.

Ray,

Please forgive my insensitive and incongruous opening. It was made in jest and only in jest .

I was recalling your reaction to comments on the cigar girl you posted on 7/11/07 went over. I didn't think it was so long ago, but it was.

You guys (?) know entirely too much about trannies. I'm beginning to think the whole lot of ya are fags.

 

[MoeCizlak]

In this day we don't often get true justice. This is as close as it gets and I'll take it. God bless our boys/girls who serve and make the ultimate sacrifice. Hopefully this will drive the Phelps' and their ilk back under which ever rock they emerged from.

 

[Rebel Herfer]

Ray, great news and it helps renew my faith that justice can be served in our sometimes upsidedown world.

The people from that "church" have a special place in hell reserved for their crimes against humanity.

 

[AVB]

Accepted.....but a little editing might help too.

Ray,

Please forgive my insensitive and incongruous opening. It was made in jest and only in jest .

 

[tone-ny]

I'm saddened by the efforts of these fringe groups. I especially abhor the part where the stand on the American flag. I know that if I saw this in person I'd be in jail.

I hope the judgement they had served hurts them as much as it has hurt so many grieving parents.

 

[Fatken]

This is great news! For them to intrude on a grieving family who's son fought and died to protect their freedom is an outrage. The got what they deserved, well they also deserve an ass kicking.

Personally, I don't think God hates anyone.

Ken

 

[Mrepp]

The only thing worse then what they did to that poor man and his fallen son, was what they did to everyone else in America. They managed to set precedent on what you can/cant protest.

 

[Rob_k]

These people have no right protesting a fallen soldier, I am so happy they will be financially destroyed by this...hope they rot in hell for it.

 

[tigger]

I hesitated for awhile before posting this, as it won't be popular, but I feel I should.

I'm looking forward to the day that Fred Phelps draws his last breath. He is, in my opinion, a bigoted sociopath who doesn't deserve to take up space on the planet.

That said, I like this court decision about as much as I like the NFA of 1934, the AWB, and the fact that in some places kids who want it aren't allowed a moment of silent prayer in school.

Erosion of rights always seems to lead to further erosion of rights. These scumbags, as long as they're in a public place, have a right to voice their opinions, as twisted as they may be.

The answer, I think, lies in the Patriot Guard, and groups like them, exercising their own rights counter to the Westboro "Baptists."

 

[bfreebern]

Very disgusting what this so called church does. While I believe it's their right to protest where they want, I think it's absolutely ridiculous protesting at a funeral of a fallen soldier or any funeral for that matter.

If it weren't for these boys/men who are now serving and for the past enlisted, these bastards wouldn't have a church to go to or a right to believe what they want.

It's sickening.

 

[lurch]

I hesitated for awhile before posting this, as it won't be popular, but I feel I should.



Erosion of rights always seems to lead to further erosion of rights. These scumbags, as long as they're in a public place, have a right to voice their opinions, as twisted as they may be.

I too, hesitated before posting in this thread until I read the aformentioned post. Yes I do believe that people have the right to voice their opinion when and where they please as long as it is within the boundries of the law. I try to look upon this right like this. If I were to die in Iraq defending these loonies, would I want the same loonies to be at my funeral protesting my death? Would I want these people ruining the final memory my wife and daughter have of me? Would I want them stomping on the very flag that I fight for every day? Would you want your son or daughter disgraced for beleiving in this country so much that they would put their lives in harms way just to defend it? I for one beleive that these people got what they righteously deserved and I hope they have to face the Marines that guard the gates of Heaven when they finally perish. I can honestly say, when I'm guarding those gates, no one that does something that despicable will get within a 1000 yards of Heaven.



lurch

 

[Devil Doc]

There are no words to convey the disdain I have for these people.

Doc.

 

[preembargo]

All Americans have the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to peaceful assembly. The Courts must be careful not to tread on these rights. This court was, and it’s ruling just. These people were not exercising their Constitutional Rights. Their irrational hatred and self serving intolerance has left them demented and delusional. They are among the worst America has to offer.

The courts have punished them for the despicable and criminal way that they treat our fallen heroes; God will punish them for their despicable and criminal hatred of homosexuals.

 

[Mephiston]

Sounds to me like the court infringed on the rights of the church just as much as the church group infringed on the rights of the fallen soldiers family. Freedom is not being upheald no matter how your personnal feelings on the situation may be. If our churches were not so scared of this type of crap maybe they would actually be able to take steps in ridding of the true cause of the problem, crooked politicians all the way from president to JUDGE. The idea that homosexuals and Iraq have anything to do with each other is a bit screwed up but its still the right of people to believe what they wish. As far as public protesting well they have more than a right to do it. Where and when just determines how good the protest is and this definatly got the point across.
At this point soldiers are just pawns for the devils advocate and should not have to put up with that crap(families also). If you want to protest do it in front of the true source of the problem THE WHITE HOUSE. So you see im on the fence, but definatly if i would have had a gun near by, and been at a family members funeral that had idiots like that around the demonstration would not be the only thing in the headlines.

 

[bilder]

With free speech comes responsibility. You cannot go into a theater and shout "Fire!".

You can voice your opinion all the day long, it is when you interfere with the rights of another that the line is crossed. In this case, they crossed that line by disrupting the family's right to bury their kin in peace.

Now I could go into preacher mode and tell you why these folks have it wrong in their views on God, but that is a subject that is not allowed on this board.