The Westboro Baptist Church and Their Misuse of the First Amendment

Discussion in 'Law & Justice' started by huberbc0834, Nov 1, 2011.

  1. huberbc0834

    huberbc0834 Newly Registered

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    10/26/2011
    Brian Huber
    Throughout time radical religious groups have always existed, but none more intolerant than the Westboro Baptist Church. Thanks to the solidity of the first amendment this group cannot be legal touched, allowing them to constantly hold protests that are just plain offensive. Their right to free speech cannot be taken away, and ordinarily I would support this idea, but this group has used this right in the wrong way. Instead of protesting for something that could benefit everyone, they choose to spread offensive slander and make other groups of people feel bad about themselves. Though their main platform is to stop rights of many gay people, they also look down upon the Jewish and Catholic faiths.
    The church claims that the gay’s should be expelled from the military and even the country and claim that they do not deserve the same rights as everyone else. It is the fact that the first amendment is afforded to every citizen that protects them from legal persecution, but they say that some people, such as the gays, should not be allowed these rights. If we are to take away the right’s of the gays, then why should those ignorant people be allowed to keep those rights too. At least other groups like the gays respect these rights enough to allow everyone else to live in peace. If anyone should have their first amendment rights taken away it is the members of the Westboro Baptist Church.
    Their consistent protests at soldier’s funerals are only further hurting the families of the deceased heroes. Many of these dead soldiers are not even gay, but they are still not spared because the church believes that anyone who supports the groups they oppose are equally as bad. Many families have been hurt by their intolerant remarks, including some of my friends who have witnessed their bigoted protests. This group is only furthering the stereotype that American’s are intolerant of other’s cultural and personal differences.
    Probably one of the most enraging things this group has done is to come up with the slogan “God Hates America”. Though this group is only protected from legal and physical ramifications because of America’s rights and freedoms, they still mock the country saying that it is bad to support America. If we didn’t support America, then where would their rights be? This is a group of hypocritical fanatics who have nothing better to do than to surge like a wave of ignorance over the country and make everyone else feel bad about themselves and their lifestyles.
    The Westboro Baptist Church claims that we should be ashamed to support the men and women who protect us every day and make sure that our freedoms stay intact, yet without the military we could quite possibly be just another country run by a ruthless dictator who takes joy in killing people like them. They are the ones who should really be ashamed of themselves. All I have to say to the Westboro Baptist Church is if you don’t like America, then you can get out.
     
  2. BullsLawDan

    BullsLawDan New Member

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    If all speech were pleasant, the First Amendment wouldn't be needed.

    In short, the speech made by the Westboro church members is exactly what the First Amendment was designed to protect. Exactly.
     
  3. Anders Hoveland

    Anders Hoveland Banned

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    “God Hates America” ? Sounds similar to a little quote made by Obama's preacher, Reverend Wright

    Wright shouted, "God d-a-m-n America!" and the church crowd cheered.
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hPR5jnjtLo"]GOD (*)(*)(*)(*) AMERICA Rev Jeremiah Wright, Farrakhan & Obama - YouTube[/ame]

    (Jeremiah Wright was the reverend at the Trinity United Church of Christ, which Obama was an active member of for two decades, Obama was even baptized there!)
     
  4. Ozarker

    Ozarker New Member

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    Free speech exists as long as it is allowed. Westboro was going down to Joplin, Mo. after the tornado. When they got there the cops tried turning them around for their own safety, which was valid. The police were too busy to babysit them and they were going to get the tails sent to the hospital, absolutely no question about it. They insight people to be asulted and earn their money from law suits, but in SW Missouri, they (IMO) would never get to court. Sometimes you just have to take care of things on your own toughness and not rely on systems and games to take care of the obvious.
     
  5. hqman71

    hqman71 New Member

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    And that my friend is why President Obama need's to make better friends
     
  6. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

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    Anonymous Hacks Westboro Baptist Church...
    ;-)
    Anonymous hits Westboro Baptist Church over Sandy Hook picket plans
    Sunday, Dec 16, 2012 - Hackers publish private information about church members following news that it would picket the Newtown school
     
  7. Durandal

    Durandal Well-Known Member Donor

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    Anonymous are delivering a kind of vigilante justice :laughing: It's a shame we need to rely on them for anything at all to happen to stupid Westboro, but then Americans are as simplistic and silly about the 1st Amendment at times as the 2nd..
     
  8. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Misuse of the First Amendment is use of the First Amendment.

    It's a freedom granted for better or worse. The only sort of speech that needs protection is offensive or unpopular speech. The rest would exist regardless.
     
  9. Pasithea

    Pasithea Banned at Members Request Past Donor

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    One thing you need to remember always about WBC is that they do what they do, FOR MONEY. Quite frankly I have strong doubts that some of the members immersed in this little church don't even believe in a God at all. They just know that tossing the words Hate and God in the same sentence will (*)(*)(*)(*) a few people off, maybe enough to assault them and then hello lawsuit!

    http://kanewj.com/wbc/

    They came and protested my high school once. The police had them fenced off to one side of the street and the rest of us fenced off on the other. They stuck around for about an hour and then left. It was stupid and pointless. How we should have responded was simply by ignoring their very existence.
     
  10. FFbat

    FFbat New Member

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    Anonymous is like a bee hive. You get them to concentrate, they can make honey. Stir them up and they'll sting everybody.
     
  11. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I think they're doing it for free advertising of their church on national TV.
     
  12. afv5014

    afv5014 New Member

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    I know this is a touchy topic and people are often enraged about it... but honestly there is no way to stop them from saying what they are saying. I personally find what they are saying hateful, disrespectful, and ignorant, but it's their right and their freedom to think and say what they want. Just as they can protest homosexuals in the army (or whatever exactly they think they're protesting), others can protest animal cruelty or government taxes or whatever other issues they feel are pressing in the nation. Just because we disagree with them does not mean that we can limit their rights. And clearly they are just saying what their saying to elicit a response, so by complaining about how there's no way to limit their freedom of speech is probably just making them all the happier.
     
  13. Gemini_Fyre

    Gemini_Fyre New Member

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    I love anonymous in moments like this:hug: But WBC has stung alot of people over the years. Inevitably people will kill them for what they do. And then in their last moments, they'll wonder if the money was worth it.

    In that moment, I'll laugh. And have a nice cup of tea knowing the world is a better place because they are no longer in it.
     
  14. Sab

    Sab Active Member

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    Westboro are irrelevant. People enjoy counter protesting them. Noone likes them.

    To consider giving up free speech just because of these damp squibs is a most dangerous idea .

    - - - Updated - - -

    WBC members would welcome the martyrdom.
     
  15. Gemini_Fyre

    Gemini_Fyre New Member

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    I think many would welcome their martyrdom. But I doubt anybody would miss them.
     
  16. SpaceCricket79

    SpaceCricket79 New Member Past Donor

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    Yes so the exploitation media is to blame for 'enabling them'. Another reason why media exploitation such as publicizing Westboro protests just for ratings should either be illegal, or families of the deceased should be allowed to sue media outlets that publicize stories about Westboro for exorbitant damages.
     
  17. potter

    potter New Member

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    I'm all for freedom of speech. You should be able to say whatever crap come into your head, ill advised or not.

    I'm also a big fan of taking the consequences for that free speech. Even if it's a black eye or a night in the hospital....
     
  18. Sab

    Sab Active Member

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    That is also outragous. The press should be able to report whatever they wish as long as it is true. You are free to boycott any media establishment that you reject the policy of.

    - - - Updated - - -

    You think people should be allowed to attack you if they don't like what you say?
     
  19. Gemini_Fyre

    Gemini_Fyre New Member

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    Given the typical provocation of WBC, I am okay with people getting a little physical with these guys. Freedom of speech is a great thing, but to attempt to insulate somebody from the world's wrath is beyond the scope of local law enforcement's typical resources. Especially when you are being a total ass hat about it. Regardless of the first amendment. You gotta use common sense. You show up to my brother's funeral and start making an (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)'s entrance on the scene, it is possible you may never walk again.

    I'd be proven not guilty thanks to jury nullification.

    I've spoken to several LEO's about this, and they said if they ever come to town they every single policemen will either be sick, have car trouble, get lost, or have dead batteries for any and all traffic to be sent to WBC's aid. Not to mention a fully informed jury's powers to dismiss the accused of charges, or to 'decide both the facts and the law' in any given case.

    In a tight community, you do not fool around with making a mockery of the dead - you might just be joining them. And everything will be as it should be.
     
  20. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    ?? Westboro pickets make great news - everyone wants to hear about them because they hate them. The media is just doing its job (on this issue at least). If they didn't report this you wouldn't be on here right now advocating the destruction of freedom of association and freedom of the press/speech in general.

    It's scary how quickly pseudo-conservatives can switch on liberty. Issues like these perfectly demonstrate this :(
     
  21. Sab

    Sab Active Member

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    That is exactly what the WBC want. A police force that deliberately refuses to uphold the law. They sure them in a Federal court and win huge amounts of compensation. All WBC kids who have any brains study Law at college, They have 7 lawyers in the 'familly' who constantly file law suits and they win time and time again and all because of attidtudes like yours.

    Starve them of publicity and they die.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Absolutely correct
     
  22. Gemini_Fyre

    Gemini_Fyre New Member

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    Are you assuming lawyers are immune to harm? Broken kneecaps have a fantastic way of changing minds. Lawyers are mortals too, they can be tracked down and dealt with. You cannot insulate someone forever if they continually provoke people.

    Missing lawyers have a hard time suing anybody. Just sayin'...

    Removing publicity from them is not the only way to get rid of them. Violence works too. Either they will learn what self preservation is, or they will eventually learn what a morgue is. Their days are numbered. I'm not saying this is the Christian way to handle the problem, but not everybody has Christian ethics and morals. People can only be pushed so far before they snap. It is not the way it should be done, but people will put up with a certain threshold of bull(*)(*)(*)(*) before they go on a warpath. WBC just hasn't reached it yet.

    I am actually quite surprised that their church hasn't been burnt to the ground yet.
     
  23. potter

    potter New Member

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    People are attacked every day for what they say. Look at how the GOP has been attacking Obama since his speech last night. If Someone says something uncouth to my missus you can bet they'll walk away with a black eye.

    I think people should be held responsible for what they say. If what they say causes harm, then I say yes, they should receive equal harm in return.

    There are much worse things allowed in this society than that.
     
  24. potter

    potter New Member

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    LOL.... well, it's not for lack of trying.... :)
     
  25. Gemini_Fyre

    Gemini_Fyre New Member

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    I heard that insurance costs them a fortune. Serves them right.
     

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