Obama Signs Honoring America's Veterans Act, prohibiting military funeral protests

The problem with your definition is its vague. Someone yelling "fire" in a theater is not free speech. Its inciting terror.

Almost all forms of protest would be guilty of intimidation of someone, one way or another.

 

Agreed.

Disagreed. Ghandi and MLK would disagree.

 

Simple solution. Everyone riot anytime they see Westboro picketing so it's a safety concern to ban them. Or hire those awesome Aggies who formed the human wall around the grieving family.

I'm not a huge fan of this, but can't really muster any care that those assholes free speech rights are being violated.

 

That's my point

Not at all. This is really a ridiculous claim.

Harassing people on their way into an abortion client is intimidation. But if you are quietly peacefully protesting than it is perfectly legit.

Harassing people on their way to their job at a wall st bank is intimidation. Sitting in a park protesting against the practices of wall street is not.

Big big difference. One is in the spirit of free speech. The other is not.

 

shh shh little texxx, before I have to inform you how monetary policy works, or the EPA laws you decry are actually under injunction.

Let it just be known that the facts of the case warrent scrutiny, and anyone who wants to see the truth for themselves can.

Here, I'll even help out of the generosity of my heart.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...9cf76ac-e080-11e1-8fc5-a7dcf1fc161d_blog.html

 

That doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned when new restrictions on free speech are planned.

I mean searches have been around since the inception of the country but that doesn't mean we just accept the TSA and every new policy they propose.

 

My bad. I also forgot to make a gratuitious Asian reference since I am Moo Goo Gai Pan of the board (although I would prefer to be Mongolian Beef)


SHANGHAI!

 

I'm going to have to disagree that the primary purpose is to cause pain and intimidate. There's no question that the element of causing pain is understood by those doing it, but the mentality is that such pain is a necessary evil for achieving the greater good of bringing visibility to the Church's antiwar stance and protesting the war.

I dont have a problem with saying such protests cant take place within the funeral grounds, but provisions banning assembly during certain timeframes is very problematic, particularly in this instance. As I said before, Westboro's activity is no doubt repugnant, but tolerating their right to do so is something we should hang our hat on as a free society.

 

I was one of many people who were protesting the Westboro morans at Rick Perry's Prayer-o-rama at Reliant Stadium last year.

I couldn't help but stare at them. Watching the Westboro Baptist idiots do a protest is like watching zoo animals to me. I felt most sorry for the brainwashed 8 year olds they had out there.

 

Let's consider this protest:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NutFkykjmbM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's from last year at an event held in Southern California. This was not a 'quiet' protest, and arguably constitutes the type of harrasment and intimidation you would propose restricting (if I'm understanding you correctly). Should they have the right to protest like this? If not, what type of restrictions should be placed on them?

For the record, I find the protest abhorrent, but again, respect their right to do it.....

 

I think I'm against the decision. I disagree with the idiots protesting at the funeral, but we have to have free speech, and I'm happy that families of the troops won't have to deal with the idiots.

But I still don't think it should be law.

 

I agree with you here. I think I am mistaken now that I think about it.

So long as no one feel physically threatened or that their walking in there may have repercussions (loss of job, discrimination, etc) - then free speech should be protected. Their rights have no been violate - and that is the line we have to look at.

As long as someone is able to proceed without threat of assault or bodily harm, it's ok.

But there are gray areas. Should the KKK be able to scare someone into moving by hanging an effigy on the sidewalk in front of someone's home? That is not a protest but rather an act of ethnic cleansing.

In the funeral example, the whole point of a funeral is to have a proceeding on the death of a loved one. There are certain things that we have to hold sacred for silence. Two people should be able to be married in peace for instance. And people should be able to bury their loved ones in peace. I think those two things are inalienable rights.

I think protesting someone's funeral is infringing on someone's right to bury their dead in peace.

 

Total free speech is bull**** -- emotional pain lasts a lot longer than physical pain. Having to bury your son or daughter while protesters hold signs and yell 'God hates ****' /etc. is just twisting the pain of that emotional knife.

 

I wish I knew where they would be next. I'd give them something to protest.

 

I agree with KingCheetah, no one needs to see or hear anything from the vile Westboro Baptist Church, while burying a family member (son, daughter, father, or mother) or friend. It's distasteful and it does fall into the category of libel, slander, and defamation, along with terrorizing and intimidating potential guest. It's goes beyond a mere expressions of free speech in a public forum, after all it is at someone's funeral with guests (who ARE NOT INVITED or welcomed).

Most of all, I cannot go into any building and say anything that I want to off-the-cusp, especially in a religious, educational, or civil setting. I cannot walk into the court room and start spouting anything that comes to my mind, and not be held in contempt of court (while being apprehended and thrown in jail). Same goes for a congressional session, a national convention, private recreational functions, or even a business establishment, like a store or restaurant. Public disturbance.

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


In the manner of the Westboro protests, it's even more distasteful, because they are not a credible or even an organization that is adding coherent protest in the first place.

Even as a gigantic anti-war activist, I don't believe it's appropriate to protest at funerals...it falls into a very private and intimate moment. Like, I said earlier, you already cannot go into any place or venue and start spouting anything you want to off the cusp of your head.

You cannot go into Trump Towers and start preaching the Gospels. Those security guards will beat you up, throw you off the premises, and leave you to local police department for trespassing, disturbance of the peace, and etc.

 

Why do you want to protest at a military funeral? Because 'important people' are present?

I assumed we lived in a system where civilians lead the military...

 

Jesus Christ, what a bunch of dumb ****s!

I agree in that I definitely do not like their message but I respect their right to protest.