Westboro Baptist is going to the Supreme Court

And not just to protest. Several months ago, the Topeka-based church got socked with a $5 million judgment after they picketed the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in Iraq. The dead man's father sued them for emotional distress and invasion of privacy and won -- only to see a U.S. appeals court knock it down. It's his appeal that brings the case to the Supremes. (The court just now agreed to hear it -- they'll get to it this fall.)

The appeals court, by the way, said that Westboro Baptist was protected because their signs -- which say that soldiers' deaths are God punishing America for tolerating gays and lesbians -- are protected by the First Amendment. The question for the Supremes is whether the church is on the hook for any consequences of those statements, i.e. emotional distress, etc.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!

File photo via AP / Jed Kirschbaum

Comments

[D-man]

I would hope that they put WBC into the poor house.

[Jellybean]

It would cause me emotional distress if the Westboro Baptist Church didn't dislike me.

I'll even lie and tell them I'm a lesbian soldier if that's what it takes.

[Keith G. in P.V.]

I hate to say this. I really do. But I hope Philthy Preddie Phelps wins. Not because I like his message, but because he may not like mine, either. I support the right to burn flags, too. Not that I like the stench or the result, but because when the right to disagree and the right to protest and the right to speak freely are gone, we'll have what is commonly known as a dicktatership.

[mutt]

I hate this group of butt plugs with every fiber of my being. So I take ironic pleasure in the fact that Lcpl Mathew Snyder, and all my other brothers in the Marines, swore an oath to support and defend the very thing that gives these cok sukers the right to stand out on corners and scream stupid sht.

Rest in peace and gaurd the streets of Heaven well my brother.

[Jellybean]

True that, Keith. Freedom is chaos.

Besides, think of the good they do: The WBC has brought Fundamenalist Christians and military families together with Atheists and gays. All are united under the big umbrella of despising the Westboroians.
God works in mysterious ways, right?

[D-man]

Keith, I agree with free speech. I don't agree with blatant harassment. I bet you would let them protest your mother's funeral stating that she was a hooker and died because of it.

[Tim P]

Not the first time they've been to the supreme court... they will win.

Sorry, but there is no way that the supremes will side against the first admin here.

[James Hart]

Oh, hey, let's not bring our mothers into this!

[Jellybean]

Yeah! Cause maybe he loves his mother! (And maybe you could too for $20).

[James Hart]

Jellybean, FTW!

[Keith G. in P.V.]

Mom! Mom? Can you loan me a few bucks?

[Boogaloo Shrimp]

"The dead man's father sued them for emotional distress and invasion of privacy and won"

I don't like what the Phelps cult does, but I support their right to do what they do. Besides, nobody's emotional distress or privacy is worth $5 million.

[Drasil]

Yeah! Cause maybe he loves his mother! (And maybe you could too for $20).

Posted by: Jellybean | Monday, March 08, 2010 at 11:47 AM

Ouch!

[Nelson]

Calling this group of 'puss bags' a church, is like calling Obenema the President.

[Keith G. in P.V.]

Or Nelson a man.

[me so proud]

Keith G. in P.V
nobody's emotional distress or privacy is worth $5 million.

I afraid your wrong. It's worth it if it's your son or daughter who dies at battle and a evil force comes along and pickets the funeral!
Phelps is a perfect example of what Christ Taught us. Stay clear away from these hypercrites or they will take you to hell with themselves!
These people are the opposite of what Jesus taught.
I think Phelps is gay and hates himself!!!

[Keith G. in P.V.]

OK, me so proud. You can be as afraid as you want to be of me being wrong. I've been wrong before, and no doubt will be wrong again. But it was Boogaloo Shrimp whom you quoted. Not to mention you just did a Phelps smear on Phelps.

[Bohica]

As a former Marine, and one ready to die for the right of free speech, I have always had one problem...

If you burn the flag, then you are burning your rights that the flag offers you.

And I might want to add something to that as well...
If you protest someone from the military, then you are protesting the rights that that soldier/sailor/Marine protect for you!

[VJ]

This is NOT a FREE SPEECH case. That is a distortion of the FACTS. How I hope our HIGH COURT USES THEIR COLLECTIVE COMMON SENSE! Why do some folks think just because our country recognizes the right to have a opinion that their opinion must be inflicted on others regardless of the circumstances? These are PRIVATE events, the most PRIVATE and SOLEMN we as a society have. These are not PUBLIC EVENTS on public property. These are not PROTESTERS, they are HARASSERS. If these folks want to PROTEST our GOV'T stand on Gays in the Armed Services, then go to WASHINGTON or go stand in front in of any Recruitment office or even any FEDERAL BUILDING. Disturbing/disrupting a private funeral is not an exercise of FREE SPEECH. The irony is they THINK they are on higher moral ground yet their actions contradict! I have always wondered if some of those signs actually LIBEL the reputation of the soldier and therefore harm his family! And others I find vulgar and wonder how they pass the DECENCY ordinances of our communities! I am praying our HIGH COURT gets past the rhetoric and spin and restore the PEACE these men and women offered their lives to help us have.

[Patriot]

I see nothing wrong with Rev. Fred Phelps or his church. They appear to be just like any other decent, God-fearing, patriotic Republicans.

[VJ]

Why are the names of these APPELLATE JUDGES, the number of the case, and their individual decisions specifically omitted in this article? News agencies would serve the public better if they included the facts. Haven't we learned we need to pay heed to who serve as Judges and what they are doing? From where I stand, there are some judges that need to be booted because they lack common sense! The public needs to know who specifically overturned this decision and set it up for our HIGH COURT to resolve! Personally, Can't help but think of the time and money such a remarkable clear case of HARASSMENT and MISUSE of FREEDOM OF SPEECH has cost the family of a US soldier AND the taxpayers. These Judges earn salaries we pay. Shouldn't we hold them accountable?

[Nemesis]

Keith, I wholeheartedly agree that this goes to the heart of the first amendment freespeech and this should be overturned. (now I need to go home and gargle with vinegar for thinking Westboro should get off) That said I oppose Westboro Baptist Church and would picket them if given the chance.

But I have a different reason for thinking that what Westboro Baptist Church does is wrong. It's their signs and words that say "GOD Hates You" and "GOD is Your Enemy". Is that the new gospel according to Westboro Baptist Church? I think not.

A lot of people know John 3:16 which is a great bible verse but the verse that goes to the heart of why this is wrong is the very next verse John 3:17 "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world though him might be saved" Jesus, when speaking to the woman at the well who was caught in the act of adultry was forgiven by Him, not condemned, and He even told the womans accusers "He who is without sin cast the first stone" as he was kneeling down writing in the dust. It has been speculated through the ages as to what Jesus was writing. I agree with the thought that Jesus was listing the sins of the womans accusers. What needs to happen is for Christians in a united effort to repudiate them publicly. These people are not the mouth pieces of Christianity.

[me so proud]

Keith G.
Soory for the mix up.

[me so proud]

Fred is nothing more then a wolf in a sheeps skin. He is a perfect example of EVIL. God said there would be people like this and for us to run the other way!

[Jellybean]

Nemesis, I've always liked that story. Isn't that when Mother Mary smacked him with a rock?
(j/k - just a little Catholic humor.)

[Oldtimer]

VJ hit the nail on the head. This was a private affair where the Westboro Baptist's had no right to voice their unwanted opinions. Picket a court house, a ball park, or a strip joint, you have every right to do that, they are all public. When you start invading the privacy of such a sad event, you should be sued. You religious bigots, please, keep your opinions to yourselves. You have nothing, repeat nothing, that I, or most people, want to hear. You Westboro moralistic Nazis are particularly disgusting. If it were my son, who died serving his country, I would have used those picket signs as heavily splintered enemas for each of those classless morons.

[James Hart]

Guys: Please refrain from wishing violence and death on the parties involved here. It is NOT okay.

[Interested]

Why wasn't my comment posted? I didn't so anything about wishing violence or death on anyone.

[clive]

Oh and by the way nemesis, I agree.

I am hopeful that no one actually believes these crazy people.

The crime blog makes you have faith or at least think about someting like that,you know there are no aetheists in fox holes.

[James Hart]

Interested: I didn't remove any of your comments. Did you just try to post it? It might have gotten eaten by the blog's software, which happens from time to time. Sorry about that.

[Oldtimer]

Sorry James, I don't think I have ever read a story that has made me this angry.

[clive]

where's my comment?

[seke]

god doesnt exist....

[James Hart]

clive: I took it down because of the pipe bomb remark. If you'd like to post it again without that part, that's fine.

[Interested]

I think it is interesting how these protestors are all wearing sun glasses. I guess I wouldn't want to be recognized either if I was holding up a sign with words of hate on them. And wearing the flag as a skirt? They just show disrespect all the way around and that is exactly what they should get in return.

[Interested]

No problem, James. I remembered the jist of it!

[EZdidit]

People pay too much attention to these fringe groups. That's exactly what they want. They're irrelevant. Treat them that way and they'll only be wasting their own time and money.

[clive]

Ok.....sorry.

[Ken Schwartz]

"They appear to be just like any other decent, God-fearing, patriotic Republicans."

Phelps is a Democrat.

Phelps has run in various Kansas Democratic Party primaries five times, but has never won. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998, receiving about 15 percent of the vote in 1998.[57] In the 1992 Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senate, Phelps received 31 percent of the vote.[58] Phelps ran for mayor of Topeka in 1993[59] and 1997.[60]

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

[Mamaw]

The rights of Phelps crew should not over shadow the rights of the family. There is nothing worse than losing a child and then they are allowed to say such hateful things. Is the family allowed to yell at them and call them names? A funeral is not a public event and should not have to put up with idiots trying to ruin the reputations of good people. One of them days a father or mother will go to the funeral with a gun and take care of the problem. Maybe the court should find a balance before that happens. Everyone has rights, not just the idiots.

[Ken Schwartz]

"The rights of Phelps crew should not over shadow the rights of the family"

Nor, sadly, should they be secondary.

[D-man]

Nothing like a WBC story to start out an interesting week in CSKC.
Fred ain't looking too healthy these days. I always ensure I have a personal day handy in case he kicks the bucket. I plan on protesting his funeral. I would like to bring some more of you guys along but my truck isn't very big. Maybe I can charter a bus for the occasion and we can enjoy some scotch and cigars during the trip.

[FanDanGo]

Phelps' rights do not trump others rights to worship as they see fit. A funeral is a church ceremony. Phelps doesn't have the right to interecede in another's right to exercise his or her religion.

This is an interesting case and I'm curious as to how it'll come out. The right to privacy is not consitutionally guaranteed but is inferred where as the right to free speech and freedom of religion are clearly articulated. This could be one of those rulings that ticks both sides off.

[Peter]

These losers do not profess the love of God but the hate of Satan -- amazing how stupid they are.

[Drasil]

Nothing like a WBC story to start out an interesting week in CSKC.
Fred ain't looking too healthy these days. I always ensure I have a personal day handy in case he kicks the bucket. I plan on protesting his funeral. I would like to bring some more of you guys along but my truck isn't very big. Maybe I can charter a bus for the occasion and we can enjoy some scotch and cigars during the trip.

Posted by: D-man | Monday, March 08, 2010 at 04:22 PM

I'll go along as long as I can bring signs that say "The Devil Has You Now" and blow air horns at the funeral. Or maybe play on a loud speaker the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

[D-man]

I was going to dress up like the devil and welcome him with open arms.

[Drasil]

Lol, D-man. Maybe we can get a Military Marching Band to show up. Or, have a gay rights parade in the streets? Show his family just what it is like.

[Interested]

As far as Phelps being a registered Democrat in Kansas. It is not unusual for other parties' members to register as Democrats. They do that to try to influence the Democratic party in an overwhelmingly Republican state. His views definitely do not reflect those of Democrats. Democrats are inclusive. Phelps is not. End of story.

[Nemesis]

" I plan on protesting his funeral. "

D-Man, I guess we need to start a Fred Phelps health hot line or pay closer attention to the obits. It would be poetic justice for 20-30,000 people to come out to protest his funeral.

[Common Sense]

Nothing detests me more than these compassionless sycophants from Westboro Baptist. They make me want to puke.

Yet, I would die fighting for their right to freely protest and demonstrate on public property.

If the protest occurred on private property and the protestors were asked to leave - different legal issue.

The WBC idiots should be ashamed of themselves. Poor form.