The knotty problem of 'freedom of speech' and religious extremists...part forty seven

[sp1814]

The extremist Christian group, Westboro Baptist Church is planning to picket the funeral of Elizabeth Taylor.

One tweet from Margie Phelps, daughter of the church’s leader Fred Phelps, said: “She [Taylor] was a proud ***! Now she’s in Hell. WBC will picket funeral!”

Another said: “Her whoredoms enabled filthy f*gs! She now answers for her gr8 sin in hell! WBC will picket funeral!”, while a third said: “No peace for *** who taught proud sin! Too late for her to repent! Westboro will picket funeral.”

Do you agree that this falls within the bounds of freedom of speech, or do you see parallels between this form of protest and the infamous poppy-burning episode last November?

Remember - the WBC also protested at funerals of recently killed troops from Afghanistan.

Where do people stand on this?

[birdie1971]

Continued...

The 'poppy guy' (Emdadur Choudhury) was charged with a Section 5 Public Order Offence (1986), which states - “... a person is guilty... if he... (a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or (b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting, within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.”

He was found guilty because he couldn't persuade the court that he had a valid defence to the charge.

I think that it was right and proper that he was charged and found guilty of the office. He has every right to protest about whatever he has a genuine grievance about. That right does not and should not allow him or anyone else to deliberately and knowingly alarm and harass others and cause them distress – particularly those who are at a funeral, grieving for their loved ones, regardless of what one thinks about the legitimacy or otherwise of the funeral ritual.

It's a blatant example of someone having the 'right' to do something without ever stopping to think about whether they have a responsibility to others not to exercise that 'right'.

[dr b]

Yes, the Phelps are quite unpleasant and deeply bizarre by any standard. One would assume they are just a bunch of inbred yahoos, but in fact by outward appearances they are educated and articulate; one of the daughters was the attorney who argued and won the free speech case before the Supreme Court. And yet they hold these views, so that to call them "inbred yahoos" is an insult to inbred yahoos everywhere.

[tinkerbell23]

I just watched the wbc as i didnt know who they were and i am absolutley DISGUSTED by them, they are so way off the mark, they should be stopped and locked up each and every one of them .

[birdie1971]

Much as I abhor the WBC's philosophy, I think that it's a good thing that they are able to say what they are saying as it publicly exposes them for what they are: a bunch of morally and socially disconnected extremists with a deeply twisted view of the world.

In a way, their very effective publicity campaign of picketing the funerals of war veterans will be their undoing. The more their activities are brought to the public's attention, the more the public will vehemently oppose them and the more difficult it will be for WBC to cling on to its dwindling members and operate as a coherent group.

[reefer]

sp1814 No group or person ( black or white ) should be allowed to protest at a funeral.

>>do you see parallels between this form of protest and the infamous poppy-burning episode last November? <<

This is like the golly thread .The poppy is remembrance for all servicemen who have died this protest is for one person


If these people had black faces and aog had posted this you would be among the first to say he has only picked it up because they are non white. However as soon as i saw your name i just knew it had to be some nutters with a white face.

If these nutters were to sing the song from the link provided by another poster in this country they would be proscuted.

Yoy must spend all your time looking for any little bit of news with some white nutter or pervert in i do honestly feel sorry for you at times.

[sp1814]

reefer

Why are you turning this into a race thread???

This has nothing to do with race - it's about freedom of speech.

Good grief.

[sp1814]

AB Editor - what does it mean when the background of a thread goes yellow???

[reefer]

sp1814 you have what is called a sticky it will stay at the top of the news section.

It seems the nutters did not turn up


>>Despite fears that anti-gay protesters from the controversial Westboro Baptist Church might disrupt the private ceremony for Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor, the service went off without a hitch Thursday afternoon at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Glendale.

Her family arrived in five black stretch limousines about 2:10 p.m. Thursday -– and left within a couple of hours through the wrought-iron gates.

Despite the camera crews lined up outside and the helicopter that hovered overhead, it was a peaceful and quiet event. Even the fans who gathered seemed to mostly be connected to the elementary school letting out nearby.

The speed of the service surprised some -– and without many details publicly available, huge crowds never arrived.<<

[Old_Geezer]

They may have freedom of speech, but the rights of the family are paramount when it comes to where they may exercise those rights. At or outside the funeral would be inappropriate.

[youngmafbog]

I guess it really depends on whether or not they are deemed to incite violence.

I am not one for funerals, never went to my dad's - at his request - and itr stirred up problems with the religious persons in the familly. Tough, if I dont want to buy into the fairy story then that is my right.

I do have a bit of a problem though where thse extremist nutters, undoubtedly a minority, ruin a day or acivity that others enjoy or feel a need for. After all they too surely have the right to go about their lawful business without hassle.