Protesting

[Kaytee]

So I watched 20/20 last night and they was a group of people who have a church, (they call themselves Christian but teach hate). They also have a website that I prefer not to give the name out since I do not want them getting any more attention that they so desire.

Anyways one of their big things is going to American Soldier's Funerals and protesting. Sayings and posters saying things like "God Hate You", One more soldier dead is another one in Hell" "your son is in Hell" and other equally hateful things.

So the question: do they have the right to do this? Do they have the right to be there with a family that is mourning the loss of a child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle HERO? Do they have the constitutional right to stand there and torture the families of these men and women?

[WHYTEKNYGHT2003]

Unfortunately i believe they do have the right. but should still have the s$%t kicked out of them. ive heard about this and it is so freakin horrible i cant even explain the feelings i have towards it. that is NOT christian. no way whatsoever. and the really saddenning part is that those soldiers died so that they could be there doing that protesting at their funerals. that kind of crap makes me so mad i would love to just run em the hell over. terrible thing to say i know but not as terrible as the crap they are doing and what more they are putting those poor familes through.

God Bless the USA and God Bless our Soldiers

[Kaytee]

Originally Posted by WHYTEKNYGHT2003

Unfortunately i believe they do have the right. but should still have the s$%t kicked out of them. ive heard about this and it is so freakin horrible i cant even explain the feelings i have towards it. that is NOT christian. no way whatsoever. and the really saddenning part is that those soldiers died so that they could be there doing that protesting at their funerals. that kind of crap makes me so mad i would love to just run em the hell over. terrible thing to say i know but not as terrible as the crap they are doing and what more they are putting those poor familes through.

God Bless the USA and God Bless our Soldiers

As a sister to a soldier that was killed in Iraq, and as a sister to a soldier serving this country still, I feel very close to the same way. I do however think they have taken the "law" and bent it so pervertedly that they should not be allowed.

[WHYTEKNYGHT2003]

indeed. i know where your are coming from. my cousin just left a little bit ago over to iraq. and i feel exactly the same way as your quote in red in your signature. i agree with that 101%

[Tau]

Absolutely they have the right.

Just like he had the right to try erect a statue of Mathew Shepherd with the caption "MATTHEW SHEPARD, Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning: 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22."

This man has been around for a looooong time. His church is very small, and largely consists of his own inbred family.

While I loathe his practices - I will fight any attempt to silence him. Thats one step away from silencing me.

Civil liberties are golden, and we should do everything we can to protect them. Even if its for the most vile of our citizens.

[Kaytee]

His views should be protected but not their actions. That is physical and emotional and psychological abuse. Verbal abuse is not allowed, it is against the law!!! They are verbally abusing these families. Why is illegal to verbally abuse your spouse or children but not strangers mourning a death of their child?
AND the law actually agrees since they were arrested for doing this and given a fine of 11 million dollars.

[WHYTEKNYGHT2003]

dang, couldnt have said it better myself. voicing your opinion is one thing. but protesting at a freakin FUNERAL?! these people are not christian. they are monsters. and God forbid, if i am ever in that situation and those people were to show up? i will use a constitutional right or two myself

[Tau]

Kaytee,

Civil liberties are not about protecting ideas - but the expression of those ideas. If we were limited to merely the former, we could easily be thrown back to a state where our very words could throw us in jail.

Phelps was not arrested, nor had he broken any laws. He was tried in civil court, which holds to a different set of rules.

[Tau]

As an additional note - I find it interesting that on the heels of another thread, where people were offended by the possibility of someone determining that they might not be Christian - there are a lot of people defining the religious credentials of the people involved in this case.

[WHYTEKNYGHT2003]

well it is not in the christian religion to teach hate. many christians i know, devout or not, really dislike even using the word.