Congress Passes Restrictions On Funeral Protests, Delivers Blow To Westboro Baptist

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I read that this bill was passed unanimously. So I guess Ron either voted for it, or it was just one of those voice votes and Ron decided not to object.

Or he wasn't present.

I don't see the federal jurisdiction unless the funeral is on federal property. You can't realistically say wherever a soldier goes feds have jurisdiction to regulate everyone around them.

Time and manner restrictions are ok, up to a point. Two hours before and after might be too much, I don't know how long families are typically there. And our law has always recognized funerals and treatment of dead bodies as particularly sensitive. I'm not as outraged at the restriction, to be honest, as to the idea that the FEDERAL govt is passing it.

I'll consider tomorrow if I'm being inconsistent with my beliefs, but that is where I initially come out. They have a right to speak but not where it OBVIOUSLY intentionally causes severe distress to grieving innocents, and they can do it somewhere else. On balance I think the rights of the mourners to mourn in peace and associate with other mourners outweighs the right of the protesters to not only say what they want but also in the manner and place and time most calculated to hurt.

If they did it at a memorial (the statue or something, not the event) it would carry the same sick message, but not hurt people as deeply. I don't see why they have a right to do THAT.
 
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Oh geez, it's pathetic that some of you who claim to be libertarians are advocating laws against free speech...and some of you took the oath to defend the first amendment.
Now that the WPB can't go picketing at the military funerals, maybe they'll start picketing the civilian funerals....the anti-free speech law that was just passed says nothing about civilian funerals.

I'm not a libertarian.
 
This is sick and in the good ol days, this would never have been a problem, it would never have even made a newspaper because some poeple would have had the shit kicked out of em, but law abiding poeple seem to get serious jail time nowadays.

Its better not to pass laws, if WBC decide to protest then cops should be called to make sure they stay on the sidewalk and do what they do best... make sure they don't block entrances. Think that is pretty reasonable, they can keep the family members in cars and ride them onto the burial grounds, obviously there will be burial grounds next to roads etc, unfortunarely, they'll have to choose more inaccessable grounds. Also under the constitution, these can be sorted out locally either by State or City regulations, but never by communist central planning.

I think WBC get alot of play time because MSM want to portray Christians as nutjobs just as Hollywood portrays all Christians as Catholics.
 
........................... I do want grieving families to be given respect in their hard time.

Why? Those 'grieving families' were living off the pay for murder in criminal war received by their dead member- WHO FREELY CHOSE TO JOIN THE SLAY FOR PAY BRIGADE. You should seriously consider reserving your sympathy/respect for thoae more deserving.
 
Why? Those 'grieving families' were living off the pay for murder in criminal war received by their dead member- WHO FREELY CHOSE TO JOIN THE SLAY FOR PAY BRIGADE. You should seriously consider reserving your sympathy/respect for thoae more deserving.

Yeah, nothing better than the death of soldiers, right? My dad fought in Vietnam. I just can't WAIT until he fucking dies. My brother went to war in Afghanistan. We're really looking forward to him kicking the bucket. CAN'T FUCKING WAIT!

Sometimes this forum makes me physically ill.
 
As much as I hate Westboro Baptist Church. This is a violation of their 1st amendment rights.

^^ This

I think regardless of our feelings on our rights detailed in the first amendment, I chose to hold my opinions on this legislation out of respect for the families and loved ones of America's soldiers. I know where this type of legislation is going and the abuses that it will eventually lead to; but for me, personally, there will be a better time for me to speak out against it. Right now though, I don't feel it is the best time. I do want grieving families to be given respect in their hard time.


To be honest, if I were in Congress, I probably would have voted yea on it.

Cowards.

I would happily go to jail for kicking some Westboro Baptist ass but no laws against free speech please

lol

It's disappointing that Amash voted for this.

WTF??? Going to have to question him on FB about that
 
..........because some poeple would have had the shit kicked out of em, but law abiding poeple seem to get serious jail time nowadays.

.......................................

Hmmmmmmm, I think your problem is that you think that 'law-abidding' is not peaceful protest, but rather physically assaulting those whom YOU personally dislike.
 
I think regardless of our feelings on our rights detailed in the first amendment, I chose to hold my opinions on this legislation out of respect for the families and loved ones of America's soldiers. I know where this type of legislation is going and the abuses that it will eventually lead to; but for me, personally, there will be a better time for me to speak out against it. Right now though, I don't feel it is the best time. I do want grieving families to be given respect in their hard time.

I feel the same way. I should be angry about this bill, but I'm not. The way I see it, you only really get one chance to lay your loved ones to rest, and it is a private event intended for the surviving families, politics aside. I could imagine how I'd feel like my rights are violated if someone came in and ruined that for me and mine. I really don't know how the Fed gov intends to enforce it, though. I guess we'll have to have some sort of Funeral Patrol Bureau which is what scares me. Should have been done at the local or state level.
 
Does this mean no more drone strikes on Funerals ?

@Hypocrisy
 
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