Nobody says this protesting is "ok". This is not an issue where you either support this law or you support what the 'church' is doing. It's not that simple. Not that black and white. It wouldn't be "ok" with me for these jerks to protest my family's funeral. I think what they do is despicable.

Why did the actions of a few sickos that are so deranged as to interrupt and protest a funeral of those who departed this world and show grave disrespect for the families that lost a loved one have to become a law banning such practices?

Well the answer lies in the fact that this is America. The United States of America. Where people may offend others in the name of free speech and sue others in the name of being offended.

Fred Phelps needs to gag to death on maggots before entering his eternal kingdom of Hell.

[edit on 25/5/06 by Intelearthling]

Gosh, Intelearthling, I think this may be the very first time I agree with you on something. Cheers!

Really, I wish they could stop this particular 'nuisance' another way. I really wish it wasn't necessary at all. It seems like common sense and decency would tell a person that this ain't right.

But have you seen this guy Phelps on TV? He's a nut job. Total whack.

Originally posted by CX
I think people who support this as free speech will continue to do so until the day they have a loved one buried and these idiots are at the funeral. I wonder how "Ok" it will be then?

CX.

If any of these "idiots" showed up at the funeral of one of my loved ones, I'd ignore them. That is what rational adults do in the face of the irrational.

This is a slippery slope we are on. Our rights will not be taken away in one big swoop. The will be erroded away, bit by bit.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
(Disclaimer to PETA: I am not advocating the eating of elephants.)

Originally posted by darkelf

If any of these "idiots" showed up at the funeral of one of my loved ones, I'd ignore them. That is what rational adults do in the face of the irrational.

Sorry Darkelf but i find that very hard to believe, but then again i can't judge anothers persons possible reactions so i take my hat off to you if you could be tolerant amidst the heightened emotions of a loved ones funeral.

CX.

CX,

I just burrried both of my parents a few months ago. They were burried in the National Cemetary in Florida because my dad was a vet. My brothers and sisters and I discussed this issue amongst ourselves. My older brother, his wife, and myself are all vets.

After talking smack for about 15 minutes, we decided if those people showed up, we'd probably just ignore them. That would get to them more than anything else. They want you to get upset. We refuse to play.

Although there are 4 or 5 funerals going on at the same time each day, "they" stayed away.

Sorry to hear about your parents Darkelf, i still think that saying you'd do something and actualy doing it can be very different when you are put in that situation, but i'm not you or your family and as i said i take my hat off to you as you seem to be one of the few that could tolerate this intrusion at such a personal time.
I'd imagine that the fact that you discussed your actions with your relatives, and you were all in agreement, that it must have been some comfort knowing you could all stand proud against people like these protesters in a dignified manner.

CX.

Well, my baby brother did say that he'd like to show them his SUV real close and personal, but I think we talked him out of that. I'd like to think that we would all stick together on our decision. I am known to be a hot head, but I think we could have pulled it off. I may never know.

But I can say that I would much rather deal with a moment of personal pain than a lifetime of losing my freedoms.

I know its an emotional time, but by letting them play off of that, your just giving them ground. Your just letting them know that they can control you and your emotions. Really though, This isn't as big as it seems. Ive known plenty of more important issues these people should be addressing then "should we stop a small group of people from protesting?"....how about this, when they start chanting, call the cops for harrassment, believe it or not, that would work for sure. That is a charge where harrassment can be applied, we don't need a new law for it.

[edit on 25-5-2006 by grimreaper797]

grim, you've made an excellent point. There are already ways to stop these idiots. Making another law that can be used later as precedence to limit future protests because someone is offended is (imo) dangerous.

Aelita, you have a good point about loud music, but there are already nuisance laws to address such things.

darkelf, my condolences... and you go, girl!

[edit on 25-5-2006 by Benevolent Heretic]

It is a great law. No one needs to be at a funeral heckling grieving families as they try to bury their dead.

I'm generally against restrictions on even the most offensive speech, but I see nothing wrong with this and I'm glad its been passed, even if its only a PR show. As long as it's not stopping them from protesting, merely stopping them from disturbing the peace and harrassing people, that's fine.

On the other hand, I've said before that I believe in two different sets of law. There's government/social law, then there's one on one law.

The later has initial precedence. The former is for deterrence and punishment. The later is for immediate intervention.

When somebody shoots at you, you shoot back first, you call the cops second.
When somebody screws with your family's funeral, you put him in an arm bar then stomp his achilles tendon first, then you call the cops second.

The law is nice, but I'm baffled that nobody's done what really needs doing yet. Express away, freedom and all that, but don't do it in a manner that invites personal conflict. Big difference between protesting in the street, outside a government building, outside a military base, etc. and protesting when a family is trying to pay their last respects.

Those protesters were not breaking any laws before. They knew the law and they got the correct forms to protest in a public place. That's how they were able to get away with this for years and never be arrested. It is basically one fanatic Christian group who travels around causing problems. They protest the burials of gay people and military soldiers. Of course no one wanted to create a new law when it was only gay people they were protesting but since they expanded to Iraq vets some things finally got changed.

EDIT: I hate to promote these people even a little bit, but these idiot protester's website is www.godhatesfags.com I think it is important to see exactly what kind of people we are dealing with here. There is a list of upcoming protests on their site also. There are also some nice graphics of dead people's faces surrounded by fire and messages telling us how long they have been in Hell.


[edit on 25-5-2006 by zerotime]

public nuisance.

A public nuisance is an interference with the common right of the general public or an indefinite number of persons; an unreasonable interference with the health, safety, peace, or comfort of the community.

For those of you who disagree with this law and think this is even about freedom of speach perhaps it should be ok to protest their church cermonys then as well? Maybe even start protesting at everyones weddings to while we are at it! There is a appropriate place and time for everything, chanting anti homosexual slurs at a heterosexuals funeral doesnt make sense in the first place and is down right the rudest thing i have ever heard. Everyone has freedom of speach and can say as they wish, how ever you are responsible for the outcome of your slander, in this case the funeral attendees ought to have the right to ask police to have them removed. And i should point out this isnt political, its a religouse fanatic who thinks god smited these young people because their glorious god disagrees with American policies regarding homosexuality. It's sick and disrespectful, true folowers of christ right there huh?

Yes to the person who says this boards language is English, but I can't believe you Americans would let these people take your rights away! You were founded by a war, defended yourselves in a War from England, another from Mexico and from Spain, and when Europe and Mexico left you alone you fought yourselves!

How can you go "Oh that offends me, take people's rights away."??? While we're at it why not let them search you without a warrent? Wait they took that one to, they don't even have to tell you they are searching your house anymore because of thr Patriot Act. In America it has gone from land of the free to the land of where the Republicans can go into your house, kill your family, kidnap you and send you to a country in Eastern Europe, torture you for a few months and then dump your body in a dump and all the Republicans say is "Well good darn thing they did! He might of been a terrorist, yes he wasn't but he could of!"

As I said it sickens me, not to mention how you whine about petrol prices when it is cheaper here then back at home and pretty much anywhere else in Europe.

if the community as a whole, or a large group of people are being made uncomfortable because of a public nuisance i believe they can call the police. I'm sure that if people are chanting that your child deserves to go to hell, that a number of charges can be filed if you ask them to leave and they refuse.

Originally posted by grimreaper797
public nuisance.

A public nuisance is an interference with the common right of the general public or an indefinite number of persons; an unreasonable interference with the health, safety, peace, or comfort of the community.

These laws do not count to people who are protesting. All Americans have the right to protest. Fill out the right paper work, pay the fee, and you get your allotted time to say as you wish. That's how the KKK and Neo Nazi's can and do protest in any city of the USA. And the police must protect the protesters from harm.