Zach Parker, a teen from Maine got mad at the Westboro “Baptist” Church fags, mad enough to try and do something about them;
The student is working on a plan to propose federal legislation to ban all protests at military funerals. Three federal laws and laws in at least 40 states, including Maine, limit protests near military funerals, but they do not prevent them. The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments against the church’s actions and is expected to rule on it next year.
Parker has contacted U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, who have agreed to listen to the idea, according to spokesmen in their offices.He also has drawn attention from Westboro Baptist Church, which in a Dec. 21 e-mail stated its intent to picket Parker’s Jan. 5 history class presentation on the proposed legislation.
I know he’s probably doomed from the beginning, but hey, he’s done more than you and I have done.
Parker said he has heard the First Amendment arguments, but said the Westboro Baptist Church’s actions are harassing hate speech, which is not protected by the Constitution.
According to [Shirley] Phelps-Roper, Parker cannot stop them with his proposed legislation. The existing limits have done little to sway the church’s efforts.
I wish him all the luck in the world, but it’s a tough fight against evil.
Try looking at it from the standpoint of Revenge acts. WBC has increased their presence in Oklahoma in retaliation for their tire slicing. Can revenge be proven to nullify their claim of free speech.
It’s also a tough fight against the 1st Amendment.
WBC employs lawfare and legalist terrorism to fund itself, and destroy its enemies.
Remarkably absent, or perhaps I’m just ignorant, is action by the many homosexual-rights activists and groups. They can get one of their own to overturn a Constitutionally correct vote in California, but can’t be bothered to fight true homophobic activities.
Parker makes me proud that he is willing to stand up when no one else is, and use a system put in place to fight a malicious hate group. Now that he’s chosen to fight back, I have no doubt he’ll be supported by hundreds. Parker is hope for the future.
I wonder if the group would be so difficult to stop if they were protesting at gay wedding ceremonies or somewhere where hate speech is the ultimate sin.
Do not misunderstand- I dispise these guys, but their tactics of protesting at events completely unrelated to the thing they protest is clever.
The devil himself couldn’t have been more subtle than the Westboro worms have been. If they had attempted any other activity except their protests, we’d have ground them to powder years ago.
But their shield is the First Amendment, and for that we always attempt to err on the side of caution.
I hope somehow this young man can succeed in his quest to stop the Westboro thugs.
The fact that they’ve announced they’re going to protest him tells me all I need to know about these loons.
I know he’s probably doomed from the beginning, but hey, he’s done more than you and I have done.
I, for one, am certainly guilty as charged. I guess I’m surprised someone hadn’t done it already?
As others have observed even if The Feds pass such a thing those assholes will only use it… Still I wish I’d thought of it.
I have been on the front lines against these morons and have attended too many funerals just to keep these vermin in check. Just because I vehemently disagree with their message, doesn’t meant they can’t speak their message. Yes, they have the 1st Amendment, however, there are laws against stalking and harassment and those should be the very first things being used. Just like with the 2nd Amendment, everyone’s answer is always a new law (which hasn’t done a damn thing to stop shootings just made it more difficult for the law abiding citizen to get one to protect themselves). Why not use the ones we have?
As much as I don’t like them, they do have the right to speak out, just as you and I do. When we start attempting to make legislation to quiet dissent, we can never be sure it won’t ever be used on us, so let’s all calm down. As I said, let’s use the tools already there instead of trying to make more laws.
Yeah, I know, my libertarian streak is coming out, again.
1. The Wesboro twerps can protest….
2. The cops have no obligation to protect them, just a thought!
http://hematite.com/dragon/policeprot.html
I, for one, will be watching the news on Jan. 5 to see if these “people” actually show up to protest this young man’s presentation as they’ve promised. Somehow, I have a feeling that they either a) won’t show up or b) will be met with a large crowd supporting this young patriot.
OT
I concur. Un fortunately, THE WBC homophobe fags do have the 1st A on their side, although they abuse the hell out of it. And anothedr. dot gov Federal law will only have unintended consequenses outside its original intent. What part of “Congress shall make no law. . . abridging the freedom of speech. . .” have people forgotten?
The WBC must continue to be fought on the. street and in the courts. Much as I admire this young man’s fighting spirit, there is much to be said for age and experience. No new laws, thank you.
“He is a little guy who is going to try to get yet another law passed respecting these soldiers’ funerals and it’s an amazing phenomenon. Is it not a disconnect to say they are out there fighting for rights, but then say we’re going to whittle away at them with laws? Is that not saying these soldiers died in vain?
Is it not spitting on their graves?” said Westboro Baptist Church spokeswoman and member Shirley Phelps-Roper, who argues that Parker’s proposal acts against First Amendment rights to free speech, to religious freedom and to peaceably assemble.
“IS IT NOT SPITTING ON THEIR GRAVES?” she said.
No… that is what you and your clan are doing.
I applaud what the young man is trying to do, and at the same time agree with Old Trooper.
There is a term (that escapes me for the moment) for a riddle or problem that has no solution. The WBC can’t possibly be that bright. There HAS to be a way to dry them up without damaging or abusing the First Amendment. I agree that new laws aren’t the answer. But what IS???
Pinto
Maybe conundrum?
I don’t think they are THAT bright or clever… moreso devious.
This young man certainly deserves our moral support if nothing else. Maybe he’ll see this from the Texas Statutes:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.42.htm#42.055
Sec. 42.055. FUNERAL SERVICE DISRUPTIONS. (a) In this section:
(1) “Facility” means a building at which any portion of a funeral service takes place, including a funeral parlor, mortuary, private home, or established place of worship.
(2) “Funeral service” means a ceremony, procession, or memorial service, including a wake or viewing, held in connection with the burial or cremation of the dead.
(3) “Picketing” means:
(A) standing, sitting, or repeated walking, riding, driving, or other similar action by a person displaying or carrying a banner, placard, or sign;
(B) engaging in loud singing, chanting, whistling, or yelling, with or without noise amplification through a device such as a bullhorn or microphone; or
(C) blocking access to a facility or cemetery being used for a funeral service.
(b) A person commits an offense if, during the period beginning one hour before the service begins and ending one hour after the service is completed, the person engages in picketing within 1,000 feet of a facility or cemetery being used for a funeral service.
(c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
Added by Acts 2006, 79th Leg., 3rd C.S., Ch. 2, Sec. 1, eff. May 19, 2006.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 256, Sec. 1, eff. June 4, 2007.
This Kid is Carpeing some Diem! Bravo
It sickens me. If the us government will take our kids, put them in harms way, and if they are killed just drops the ball and forgets them. NO, IF THE US GOVERNMENT TAKES THEM INTO WAR, THEN BY GOD EVERY SERVICE MENS FUNERAL SHOULD HAVE FELLOW SOLDIERS LINE THE ROADWAY FOR AT LEAST ONE QUARTER OF A MILE ON EACH SIDE OF THE STREET, AND THEN THE PISS ANT PROTESTERS CAN STAND BEHIND A LINE OF SOLDIERS WITH THIER LITTLE SIGNS. ONCE AGAIN USA, SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT! MAIN REASON FOR OUR FAILURE AS A COUNTRY.
(The old saying ‘America love it or leave it” was once a message for others, now its a message for americans. What a shame….
DaveO and BooRadley, where were you when WBC was in the news for protesting at funerals of gay people? Maybe you should do some research or watch “Angels In America”.
One way we can help Zach Parker get the law passed is to contact our Federal reps and ask them to support it.
THESE ANTI-AMERICANS MUST FOLLOW A DIFFERENT GOD THAN WE DO. OUR GODWOULD NEVERACT INSUCH A MANNER. THEIRS MUST LOOK UP AT THEM FROM BELOW!! WHY DOESNT THE OTHER BABPTIST CHURCHES SHUT THEM DOWN?
WBC identifies itself as a Baptist church, but they don’t belong to any Baptist Association; therefore, the WBC has no reason to listen to the opinion of the mainstream Baptist churches or their Associations.
To Old Trooper, Has a white noise generator been thought of? It would be humorous for them to be moving there mouths, and have nothing coming out?
If ANYONE had the ability to understand the English language, and would read the 1st Amendment as it is written, it is very clear that the WBC is not conducting protected activity. They are attempting to incite riots and disseminate hate speech. If anyone would bother to check the history of the group, they would see that this is a scam to generate funds for them. They try to incite a riot or violence against them, in order to sue and collect on it. But in the rare instances where their plan didn’t pan out as expected, and they either got hammered, or could not identify a clear target for their lawsuits, they have never gone back. In their short lived protest in San Francisco, the cops handed them their protest permit and told them they would get no protection, and didn’t rate any. They promptly got back on their chartered plane andleft, knowing the gays would not react well to their presence, and gays would not be likely to lose in court if they got sued by the WBC. (One special interest group against another you know.) They have never been back to San Francisco, which would be a logical target of their fag-bashing behavior, but they know it is quite likely that they would get their asses kicked there if they try it again. Based upon the logic, or lack thereof, in most 1st Amendment rulings, these assbags should be sued for insulting people’s religious beliefs and hurting their feelings.
#24:
USMC Steve, it isn’t what the Constitution says, it’s what the judges, and ultimately the Justices say. The law isn’t about justice, it’s about the law. Justice is not open for interpretation, the law is re-interpreted daily. The law is on the side of the most capable lawyer.