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"Change" You Can Believe In:
"Nixon didn’t try to do that. They couldn't control (the media). They didn’t try. [...] What the hell do they think we are, puppets?"
- Liberal opinion writer Helen Thomas, describing the Obama admin's penchant for heavily scripting public appearances & press conferences - 7/1/09
Hateful Fred Phelps and his “church” lose big
Good.
Thur AM Update: Just to clarify, of course I’m all for 1st Amendment rights – but I like seeing Fred Phelps squirm a bit. Captain Ed has a good post up about the free speech aspect of this case here.
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I’m glad that there was a settlement in the case in favor of the deceased Marine’s family. They were harrassed and their son’s funeral service violated. The thing that bothers me is that this Maryland court has now set a precedent that a church that espouses a view that hurts someones feelings (2 million dollar punitive damages for ‘emotional distress’) can now be sued for ourtageous sums of money to silence them. It may only be a matter of time now before the the so called pro-choice crowd sues churches that speak out against abortion using that same reasoning.
The Westboro cultists aren’t Baptist by any legitimate definition. They only continue to use the name in a desperate attempt to give them the appearance of legitimacy however with the national publicity of their attrocious actions, such an appearance has long dissolved.
In regards to the lawsuit itelf, many of Fred Phelps’ offspring and children-in-law are attorneys so expect this to be appealed, delayed, etc. so as to prolong any payment or payments they may be ordered to make. Furthermore, knowing their past behavior, I fully expect them to refuse to pay even if the SCOTUS upholds the lower courts rulings. This might bring about interesting confrontations when seizures are ordered on their properties. Again pointing out the devious attorneys who are blood-related or related by marriage to Phelps, expect all properties to be hidden as best as they can from legal inquiries further delaying any monetary gains by victims of their abuse.
Please note I intentionally use the plural (victims) because I also further expect more lawsuits given the successful nature of this intitial one.
The Westboro crowd isn’t finished by any stretch of the imagination but they are riding the downward slope of oblivion with failed brakes and oil-slicked tires.
The power of the state should never be used to repress free speech. Even nut case like Fred Phelps have the right to express their nutty views in public.
Agreed. But it sure is nice to see Phelps squirm a bit.
This isn’t really a free speech issue, it’s a question of whether people have the right to disrupt a funeral with harrassing behavior.
A funeral is not the forum for shrill, hysterial, and abusive making political points (unless it’s Paul Wellstone’s). If these bottom feeders had a shred of decency they’d be appalled at the suggestion that they ought to attack dead soldiers and their next of kin. They are filth and garbage and they have no legitimate right to do this at the funerals.