The Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for anti-gay protests at military funerals, won a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court today. In an 8-1 decision, the nation’s highest court claimed the Topeka, Kansas church was exercising their First Amendment, freedom of speech rights. Only one of the Supreme Court justices, Samuel Alito, dissented. Today’s ruling concerned a case from Westminster, MD, when in 2006, the church group held a protest at the funeral of Matthew Synder, whom was killed while serving in Iraq. Last week, the Westboro Baptist Church website was hacked and taken down by a group known as ‘Anonymous’. The Rev. Fred Phelps heads the church, made up mostly of members of his own family. They protest against gay marriage, such as in California, and groups like GLBT, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote the majority opinion, stating that the Westboro Baptist Church was entitled to “special protection” under the First Amendment “and that protection cannot be overcome by a jury finding that the picketing was outrageous.” As the sole dissenter, Justice Alito wrote in his opinion that free speech does not extend any special protection to those who engage in the “brutalization of innocent victims.” One of those victims was the mother and father, Ruth and Albert Snyder. Albert told CBS anchor Katie Couric that he was shocked by the court’s decision and that “when the blood starts flowing, let it be on the Supreme Court Justices′ hands.”
The Westboro Baptist Church, led by Rev. Fred Phelps, has been very controversial. They routinely protest at the funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming that America is being punished by God for allowing homosexuality to be practiced. They even threatened to hold one of their protests at the funerals for those killed in Tuscon, Arizona, during the attack which injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church. In an eight to one decision, the court says that the church’s military funeral protests are protected by the First Amendment as freedom of speech. Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote the majority opinion stating that the church had “special protection”. However, the sole dissenting justice, Samuel Alito, said that such protection did not extend to those who seek to ″brutalize innocent victims″. Last week, The Westboro Baptist Church website was hacked by a group known as ‘Anonymous’ for their anti-gay stance.
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March 2nd, 2011 at 4:41 pm
this is exactly what happens when you lose your activist court that can, on occasion, substitute their own sage judgement for the letter of the constitution. I still don’t get what the church is trying to say picketing soldgiers funerals. Their message I can’t understand. Their lack of boundries for the grieving I don’t get either. Its completely lost on me.
March 2nd, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Brian, I found your remark pretty uncomprehensible too, but I know I must not be missing much anyway. About your question about this church’s message, it’s simply poor theology, an unbalanced view on suffering. Consider it the other extreme of the more commonly held error that God doesn’t judge.
March 2nd, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Yep, this bunch are pretty way out there. One of the reasons they chose to protest at Matthew Synder’s funeral was because he was a Catholic. They have no love of Catholics, nor Jews, nor anybody else who does not follow their ultra-narrow version of religious extremism.
March 2nd, 2011 at 9:53 pm
The roberts court is less an liberal activist court than what we had in the 60’s and 70’s. They seem to find to really right wing definitions of freedom of speech and support Corporations citizenship rights to that of biped citizens. I will say Justice Alitos dissenting opinion on this case was well thought out. Who would have guessed he’d take a liberal interpretation after all here.
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:03 am
Brian, you must be an idiot. There are four liberal justices on the court, all of whom disagreed with you. And there’s a very good reason – “substitute their own sage judgement for the letter of the constitution” – the Constitution is the law of the land and the justices are sworn to uphold it. People like you would strip away rights from those who disgree with you. Your kind is highly dangerous.
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:23 am
I think this supposed “church” is nothing more than a bunch of extremists that are a disgrace to any real human beings.
I do not care what your beliefs are, you do not interfere with a grieving families right to bury their loved one in peace and with dignity. I understand the freedom of speech issue. I understand the protection of everyone’s rights as guaranteed by the constitution. What I do not understand is where are the rights of the grieving? If those being buried were famous or political, would it be different? What about the burial of a head of state or former president, could they do the same at those funerals?
I know that on the final judgment day they will be judged for their actions, I just cannot help but wish that day would come sooner than later.
March 3rd, 2011 at 7:39 am
I hate these people and everything they stand for. That said, other than the oft-cited fire in a crowded room exception, I have to agree that they are within their rights to say what they wish. Vitriolic, asinine and hateful speech is still free speech.
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:23 am
True TA, but its very common in our society for people to hold legal forums where they legally have the floor and hecklers and such are justly removed.
A funeral for my loved one should be no different as long as I dont have to hear or see these idiots in action
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:25 am
That being said, if they did tarnish my loved ones funeral or any service member I fully support vigilante terrorist actions against them
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:12 am
mark you misread me and are just substituting your thinking for the point I was trying to make. I think a funeral should not be harrassed and think a town ordinance would limit their permit for picketing to 4 hours after the ceremony. There are 4 liberals on the court? I say 1 1/2 for a former solicitor general is hardly a practicing liberal and Yale is pretty conservative in my book. what being a woman confers liberality?.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:23 am
What ever happened to the gool ol’ “beat-down?” The self control of the service family members is incredible. As much as I hate what this group does at memorials, I’m thankful for the justice’ vote, because we don’t need more laws dictating what we can and can’t say.
We don’t need more lawyers, we need more common sense! Unfortunately that seems to be moving elswhere.
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:08 am
Micky,
Let’s see – Full military honors – 21 gun salute. Change blanks to live rounds and if the rifles just happen to be pointed in a certain direction when they give the salute….
Of course I do not condone this at all. Thoughts are only thoughts if you take no action… And I would have been convicted numerous times if thoughts were illegal.
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:14 am
Agree with thoughts of violence…. also agree that they can’t be acted upon. But there has to be a non-violent, legal way to push back against these idiots.
So the law says they can’t be prohibited from speaking and waving their signs….. but does the law also say that the local citizens can’t band together to push them out of the way? Or maybe the local fire department can practice with their hoses…..
Seriously, the sane folks in any community have to outnumber these people 10 to 1. Get it together people!
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:24 am
TA,
I agree with you. The only problem is if you get in a shouting match etc, then how much more is the funeral being disrupted. let’s practice some psyops here. Announce one location. have squad cars waiting. Give tickets for any thing – Make random safety inspections etc.
Bottom line – the saying rest in peace should apply to the burial as well.
IMHO.
March 3rd, 2011 at 11:01 am
Sorry guys, but I’m only human.
If these guys pulled that sht at my dads funeral I’d drop a dime and have 20 of the biggest meanest Samoans be there in 1/2 an hour and kick their Westboro asses all over the planet.
And then I would proudly go to jail
March 5th, 2011 at 11:52 am
Harassment by religious extremist
Jehovah’s Witnesses instigated court decisions in 1942 which involved cursing a police officer calling him a fascist and to get in your face at the door steps,….this same JW 1942 court decision upheld infamous Phelps hate church in 2011
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Danny Haszard