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dick
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 2248
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 Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:29 am Post subject: Alito or the others |
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| The recent Supreme Court decision about the fundamentalists picketing a soldiers' funeral presents a stumper. The 8-1 decision was in favor of the picketers; Alito dissented. It makes one ponder how to reconcile justice and law, I think. |
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Tee
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 4045
Location: Detroit Metro
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| Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Alito or the others |
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| dick wrote: | | The recent Supreme Court decision about the fundamentalists picketing a soldiers' funeral presents a stumper. The 8-1 decision was in favor of the picketers; Alito dissented. It makes one ponder how to reconcile justice and law, I think. |
Made me raise my eyebrows, too. But I think the Court said it was the right of the protesters to protest. I question not their right, but HOW they exercise it. It's very tasteless to parade around a funeral service in full view of everyone, not considering the survivors and their grief. Let them find ground to picket totally away from it.
Having the right to do something is one thing; there is also the maturity to know how to use it. In this case, because the group is Christian based, they need to be even more thoughtful, since their actions belie their stated beliefs of treating people as they wish to be treated. They are showing no compassion whatsoever for those who are left behind; and someday they, too, may become a victim of circumstances. One never knows.
The answer to the often-quoted question of What would Jesus do makes me think He would not picket a funeral to make a point. |
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Lee
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Posts: 215
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| Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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Unfortunately, it was no surprise to me. They have every legal right to spew their hatred. Just as those bigots protesting desegregation in the South had every legal right to scream racial epithets at the children entering the schools. Morally, both groups are bankrupt, but there are no laws criminalizing stupidity.
They came here to MA to protest a school putting on the play, The Laramie Project, the story of Mathew Shepard. Thousands of supporters of the kids came out in a counter-protest and basically made them look very small and foolish. In other places, people show up dressed as angels at funerals, wearing tall wings that block these idiots from the mourners' view. This is the best way to shut them up.
The "church" was founded and is still run by Fred Phelps, and is made up mostly of members of his own family. He looks to be in his 80's and will die soon and get his "reward." The church will eventually die too. Until then, the 1st amendment means we have to put up with this nonsense. |
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maryskl
Joined: 25 Apr 2009
Posts: 328
Location: Alabama
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| Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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| While I cannot stand Phelps and his family; cannot understand people being so cruel, the SC did reach the correct decision imo. The 1st Amendment is designed to protect unpopular speech. There is little reason to protect popular speech. |
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erhea13
Joined: 01 Nov 2008
Posts: 114
Location: So Cal
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 1:41 am Post subject: |
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SCOTUS went the right way here, distasteful as Westboro Baptist may be.
The modern conception of the 1st Amendment protects the right of all to promote their views. Unfortunately, it really protects the loudest jerks (on any side of any issue) and allows their poor expression to shape the public perception and discourse of an issue.
It may be primitive, by I personally hold to the principle that:
"Your freedom of speech ends when my fist meets your face."
- have your opinions and speak them without fear, but be an asshole at your own risk
_________________
"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." - Jane Austen
"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." - Jane Austen |
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