Charleston BANS Funeral Protests

originally posted by: MrSpad
This becomes very complicated because you have measure where one persons rights harm another persons rights. For example your right to free speech does not allow you stand outside a persons home with loud speakers yelling in the middle of the night. Where a persons right privately bury their dead in peace and another persons right to try and disrupt that meet is not an easy problem to solve. Like so much about the Constitution the Founders left it open to interpretation. It is both the documents greatest strength and greatest weakness.

And unfortunately, they never counted on the future generations having this level of combined stupidity driving public decision.

We let the media dictate our decisions now. It's easier to be told what to think than have to do it all on your own.

a reply to: Liquesence

I keep telling everyone this.

You're rights begin where mine end and vice versa.

Someones right to protest should not infringe on a persons right to peaceably assemble.

a reply to: grey580

I agree.

But most of these protests do NOT in fact infringe on their right to assemble peaceably, it just affects them emotionally because of its disgusting tastelessness.

Tastelessness is not against the law, nor is it unconstitutional.

And I do not have have the right to take away another person's right because I might simply be offended.

Unless it's harassment (which is debatable), or threatening, they have every legal right to protest.

a reply to: Liquesence

well unless they actually interfere.

but otherwise you are correct.

In any case. I sure hope some bikers and or black panthers show up to help the protesters see the error of their ways.

The 1st Amendment should not be compromised just because we disagree with the message of these "protesters".

I hate WBC with a burning passion. And I say hate with absolute certainty. Hate is not a word I use lightly, but it applies here.

But, they are U.S. citizens, and as such are protected by the Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. We can't apply those protections to those we like and withhold them from those we hate.

The ordinance passed Tuesday evening states that no one may protest or picket within 300 feet of a church or other building holding a funeral, memorial or burial for one hour before and one hour after the service.

The action outside those parameters will be interesting !!!

A "Double-Bubble" 1st Amendment Zone !!

a reply to: MrSpad

Very complicated indeed. Where is another person's "rights" being harmed? There is no right to not be offended or have one's feelings not hurt.

The example you outlined:

That would be a violation of a noise ordinance, or another law, if it were happening in the middle of the night. I can blast music from my home or yard (to a certain degree) during the day and there's little my annoyed neighbor can do about it.

One does not not have the right to not be offended by tasteless actions. The funeral may be a private event but the streets and sidewalk outside of it are public places, period.

True, the divide right to bury one's dead is peace and another's right to disrupt it is indeed the problem.

a reply to: woogleuk

That's the whole point in the right to free speech: protecting the most unpopular speech of all, because unpopular speech is threatened the most.

Regardless how disgusting it is.

:/

Well, it looks like Anonymous plans to go up against WBC...in physical presence.

"While it is doubtful these idiots will show up, it is critical that Anonymous have a well-prepared presence on the ground in Charleston," the group said in a press release announcing "Operation Shut Down Westboro Baptist Church."Coordinated by the Anonymous faction Operation Ferguson, which got its start with the Black Lives Matter protests, the effort will reportedly involve surrounding the Westboro protesters and blocking their signs.

Link

Well, this should be interesting. I wonder if all the Anonymous protesters will have on their V masks...