I've seen this post lately making the rounds on Facebook:
So the US Supreme Court has ruled that you have the right to protest military funerals. I invite you to start your protest in my front yard, and we can see If your First Amendment right is better than my Second Amendment right. Re-post If you're a vet, love a vet, or just support vets!
That was a ruling from the United States Supreme Court back in March. Why a post like this is suddenly making the rounds on Facebook, I don't know. I don't take it literally and don't think anyone should either. Its a not so clever play on the Amendments. I think its trite.
Before someone starts to think that I somehow supported the Westboro Baptist Church protesting Military Funerals, slow down. I do not support that church or its apparent mission to protest at funerals all across the land that involve US servicemen.
I...DO...NOT...SUPPORT...THEM...
I'm not very keen on Churches in the first place, but these guys are way off the beaten path. I find them disgusting, un-American and unlike most Christians I ever met. I'm glad that most people look at them as fools or a cult like organisation. This piece isn't about me trying to defend their message.
What I find interesting is that the people that are posting it to their status updates on FB are doing so, I imagine out of a sense of support for Veterans, the Military, etc. Which is fine. I've said before I don't think Facebook is the best place to honor someone's military service, but for this post, let's look past that, ok?
The Military historically fights to preserve and protect our freedoms. Yes, there's other reason usually involved, but the overarching justification for the armed services is to protect us. We've all heard countless times that those soldiers died in battle so we could live free. Or some variation thereof. One of those freedoms what the first Amendment touches on. The Freedom of Speech.
The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on the case that Westboro had a right to express its speech, regardless of its sickening message. Chief Justice John Roberts said, "Westboro believes that America is morally flawed; many Americans might feel the same about Westboro. Westboro's funeral picketing is certainly hurtful and its contribution to public discourse may be negligible," he said. However, "As a nation we have chosen a different course -- to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate."
Doesn't sound like the Court wasn't jumping up and own in joy over its decision. If it had voted against Westboro, our Constitution would've taken a pretty big hit. The irony of the facebook post is that these people who are so supportive of servicemen, if they'd received a favorable vote, would be applauding a weakening of one of our first Amendment rights, which thousands of fallen soldiers died trying to, indirectly, protect.
Yes, protect for assholes like the Westboro Baptist Church.
We don't want to let anyone detract from our freedoms, certainly not a motley crew like Fred Phelps and his lot...
Sources:
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-02/us/scotus.westboro.church_1_anti-gay-protests-albert-snyder-westboro-baptist-church?_s=PM:US
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