LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky's law forbidding protests within 300 feet of military funerals and memorial services was suspended temporarily Tuesday after a federal judge ruled it was too broad.
The law passed earlier this year was aimed at members of a Topeka, Kan., church who have toured the country protesting at military funerals. The Westboro Baptist Church claims the soldiers' deaths are a sign of God punishing America for tolerating homosexuality.
Lili Lutgens, general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, which filed the suit, said Caldwell "reinforced the importance of freedom of expression," and that the ACLU will seek a permanent injunction throwing out the law.
"We continue to support the commonwealth's efforts to protect funerals, but we know it's not necessary to violate the First Amendment to do that," she said.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, attorney for and member of Westboro Baptist Church, praised Caldwell's ruling.
"I'm surprised, but I'm happy about it," Phelps-Roper said.
Westboro Baptist issued a statement Tuesday night saying members would be in the southeastern town of London on Saturday to picket the funeral for a Kentucky National Guard soldier who died last week in Iraq.
I support EVERYONE'S Right to Free Speech...regardless how vile I find their message to be.
Because that's what good Americans do.
That whole "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it" thing.
And then, you have people like Diego, who counter this by excercizing their right to peacably assemble, and try to shield the families from these dregs of humanity, when they choose to publicly display their foul bullshit.
Cicero wrote:Its called having no respect and lacking any type of integrity. Just b/c you might be technically allowed to do something, doesnt mean you do it.
I agree.
Still does nothing to alter the Constitutional Rights of the "protesters."
When people tire of it, they can overwhelm these nutcases with protests of their own.
And for the record, using another person's grief to promote your cause of hatred, a view that's clearly spawned from mental illness, is some seriously sick behavior.
I'd like to see a list of these leaders and their supporters, and what sort of businesses they're in, and how they get their money. THAT'S how we can counter these people, without Bushing the Constitution in the process.
It's strange how poverty can make people soften their stance a little.
I can't even fathom the mindset of some group wanting to protest at the expense of a family member killed in this shit war.
Do they think they would actually not be violently confronted be grieving family and friends... especially if many are currently or former military members themselves?
Would Lili Lutgens be so sympathetic if her daughter or neice was killed and then a bunch of nut jobs disrupted the funeral?
Legal inquiry: Is it infringing the First Amendment to put a 12-gauge between Fred Phelps' horns and a Bowie knife to his groin and tell him, "No. You and your inbred peckerwood family get out of our town, out of our county, out of our state, and away from that funeral, or we'll kill you all slow and bury the bodies so deep that even God won't go looking for you 'til Judgment Day."...? Would that be unconstitutional? Asking hypothetically, of course. Because I'm sure that to this day there are a few fellas in Kentucky who are perfectly capable of those very things.
:twisted:
Jihad is hump of Islam...and Islam wants to hump us very much.
Rich Fader wrote:Legal inquiry: Is it infringing the First Amendment to put a 12-gauge between Fred Phelps' horns and a Bowie knife to his groin and tell him, "No. You and your inbred peckerwood family get out of our town, out of our county, out of our state, and away from that funeral, or we'll kill you all slow and bury the bodies so deep that even God won't go looking for you 'til Judgment Day."...? Would that be unconstitutional? Asking hypothetically, of course. Because I'm sure that to this day there are a few fellas in Kentucky who are perfectly capable of those very things.
:twisted:
Wrong.
Shoot, shovel, & shut-up much?
WacoFan wrote:Flying any airplane that you can hear the radio over the roaring radial engine is just ghey anyway.... Of course, Cirri are the Miata of airplanes..
I'd like to thank Phucks errr Phelps for lighting the patriotic fire under many Americans. Thanks to his "church" the Patriot Guard Riders now have a national membership a little over 55,000 people. The few of them that show up can hold their signs & shout their filth, but it's going to be hard for them to be seen or heard when there's hundreds of us at each funeral (some of which will "test their throttles" at the request of the family). We here in the NW even have a bagpiper who recently followed one of them around & played so loudly our bikes couldn't be heard.
And the next to best part is that we do this for any fallen soldier or family that requests our attendance, regardless whether there's any chance the fuckers show up.
The best part though, is that the media is starting to ignore these bozos. IOW, the two things they are after in their protest at funerals are being denied (attention & lawsuits). :twisted:
Cicero wrote:Its called having no respect and lacking any type of integrity. Just b/c you might be technically allowed to do something, doesnt mean you do it.
I agree.
Still does nothing to alter the Constitutional Rights of the "protesters."
When people tire of it, they can overwhelm these nutcases with protests of their own.
Some already have, in direct response to Phelps, in many cases, at least 'round these parts, not far from Phelps' home base.
Not that I agree with Oklahoma's law regarding protestors, even at funerals. Very similar to Kentucky's, at 500 feet, if I'm not mistaken. Also, there's a federal law along these same lines, no? 500 feet there as well, I believe.
Van wrote:It's like rimming an unbathed fat chick from Missouri. It's highly distinctive, miserably unforgettable and completely wrong.
When the ACLU does something that benefits white men...anything, then they might climb up a rung on the credibility scale.
Way back when, a friend of mine though he got the shaft in a matter of civil rights. When the ACLU attorney finally got back to him, the first question out of his mouth was what ethnicity he was. Pretty much hung up on him when they found out he was white.
Diego in Seattle wrote:I'd like to thank Phucks errr Phelps for lighting the patriotic fire under many Americans. Thanks to his "church" the Patriot Guard Riders now have a national membership a little over 55,000 people. The few of them that show up can hold their signs & shout their filth, but it's going to be hard for them to be seen or heard when there's hundreds of us at each funeral (some of which will "test their throttles" at the request of the family). We here in the NW even have a bagpiper who recently followed one of them around & played so loudly our bikes couldn't be heard.
And the next to best part is that we do this for any fallen soldier or family that requests our attendance, regardless whether there's any chance the fuckers show up.
The best part though, is that the media is starting to ignore these bozos. IOW, the two things they are after in their protest at funerals are being denied (attention & lawsuits). :twisted:
Rack the fuck out of those serving our country!
Great. So you now have motorbike noises and bagpipers at funerals. Rather defeats the object.
Using dead people to press home a political point is disgusting, but let's remember who started it first.
“Culture. Sophistication. Genius. A little bit more than a hot dog, know what I mean?”
Dinsdale wrote:In this instance, I must RACK the ACLU.
I support EVERYONE'S Right to Free Speech...regardless how vile I find their message to be.
Because that's what good Americans do.
That whole "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it" thing.
And then, you have people like Diego, who counter this by excercizing their right to peacably assemble, and try to shield the families from these dregs of humanity, when they choose to publicly display their foul bullshit.
I agree with dins.
But if I was attending a funeral and this happened, there is no doubt in my mind I would be beating somebody's ass.
Why these people havent had there asses handed to them is beyond me.
Mr T wrote:But if I was attending a funeral and this happened, there is no doubt in my mind I would be beating somebody's ass.
The "protesters" are within their Constitutional Rights to Free Speech.
In this instance, you would be within your rights under Caveman Law...just my opinion, of course, and should not be mistaken for any sort of legal endorsement.
Dinsdale wrote:In this instance, I must RACK the ACLU.
I support EVERYONE'S Right to Free Speech...regardless how vile I find their message to be.
Because that's what good Americans do.
That whole "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it" thing.
And then, you have people like Diego, who counter this by excercizing their right to peacably assemble, and try to shield the families from these dregs of humanity, when they choose to publicly display their foul bullshit.
I agree with dins.
But if I was attending a funeral and this happened, there is no doubt in my mind I would be beating somebody's ass.
Why these people havent had there asses handed to them is beyond me.
I have been to a few of these funerals / memorials, and although there was not any protesters, the PGR is there to honor the memory and service of the deceased service person. We may not agree with any protesters, but we agree they have a right to do that, and we have a right to do what we can to support and shield the family from any of these dipshits. Totally non political and non conflict. Honor the service member and their family.
Derron
Screw_Michigan wrote: Democrats are the REAL racists.
To those of you who are currently serving, and fighting for the freedoms of others, at home and abroad, please know that we were all watching the scond season catch up episode of Lost, and we weren't thinking of you at all.
Luther Wrote:
a butt load of people who sit in those small cubicles pretending to work while submitting a "take."
Dinsdale wrote:In this instance, I must RACK the ACLU.
I support EVERYONE'S Right to Free Speech...regardless how vile I find their message to be.
Because that's what good Americans do.
That whole "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it" thing.
And then, you have people like Diego, who counter this by excercizing their right to peacably assemble, and try to shield the families from these dregs of humanity, when they choose to publicly display their foul bullshit.
I agree with dins.
But if I was attending a funeral and this happened, there is no doubt in my mind I would be beating somebody's ass.
Why these people havent had there asses handed to them is beyond me.
The reason that none of us PGR haven laid a finger on them is that we know what they're after. But other members of the public have gone after them, as evidenced here.
Nish;
Everything we do we ask the family for permission to do beforehand. What we do may not always provide for a quiet service, but it shields the families from hearing some very vile crap (many times in the presence of young children). If the families don't want to hear what these assholes are shouting we're more than happy to drown them out with our bikes, voices, bagpipes, or any other means approved by the family.
