As writers, free speech is really important. However, is there a point where free speech should be curtailed?
I side with Justice Alito (the lone dissenter) when he said, "Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case."
The case he's talking about regards Matthew Snyder who was killed in Iraq in 2006 and whose funeral was protested by the Westboro Baptist Church. His father sued the group in 2006 and won $11 million in damages. (The figure was later reduced to $5 million by a judge.) But in the 8-1 ruling on Wednesday, the Court said the church could not be held liable for inflicting emotional distress on the families of deceased soldiers. The justices said the speech was protected because the protests were on a matter of public concern, on public property and conducted in a peaceful manner.
Alito noted in his dissent, however, that the father of the soldier was not a public figure, but "simply a parent" who wanted to "bury his son in peace." Alito said the father suffered "severe and lasting emotional injury" as a result of the church's "malevolent verbal attack." He added that such vicious verbal attacks that make "no contribution to public debate" are not protected when they inflict "severe emotional injury on private persons at a time of intense emotional sensitivity."
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If you spend enough time researching these guys you find out they hate just about everyone including over one billion Chinese people who finance our national debt. |
Yesterday, as most everyone knows already, the Roberts led Supreme Court decided that the hate group known as the Westboro Baptist Church could continue their protests at soldier's funerals, etc. Here's the link to the New York Times article.
Chief Justice John Roberts said, "Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and — as it did here — inflict great pain...But under the First Amendment...we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker.” Instead, the national commitment to free speech, he said, requires protection of “even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”
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These protestors believe that God is punishing America for a growing acceptance of homosexuality. |
Well, I agree with Justice Alito and I think what happened yesterday quite frankly, was bullshit. I do want to hear what you guys have to say on the matter though, so if anything, please leave a comment with regard to this question: Do you think that First Amendment Rights should be upheld for hate groups like the Westboro Baptist church in picketing the funerals of dead soldiers? Not that any of our opinions matter anyway...it'll just be an interesting read to see what you all have to say on this.
Above is a video of an interview between Shirley Phelps and a source from the infamous Anonymous Hacker group in which I was amused and honestly proclaimed, "Bravo!" to Anonymous. I know they're a criminal organization but there's this strange part of me that sees them as a twisted version of a modern day Robin Hood...committing crime yes...but kind of standing up for the little guy (meaning you and I) by using the tools and intellect available to them. As a writer, I think this organization is fascinating and my brain churns at the kinds of characters that might be involved with this group.