Funeral protester (member Westboro Baptist Church) appeals ruling (8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald-AP

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- A member of the Westboro Baptist Church, which protests at soldiers’ funerals, is appealing a federal judge’s decision dismissing a part of her lawsuit against the state of Nebraska claiming its ban on flag mutilation is unconstitutional.

Shirley Phelps-Roper’s attorney Margie Phelps, who is also a member of the Topeka, Kan.-based church, filed a notice of appeal to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp ruled last week that Phelps-Roper, 52, can proceed with a federal lawsuit challenging Nebraska’s funeral protest law, but she dismissed part of the lawsuit challenging the state’s flag-mutilation law. Smith Camp said those arguments can be raised during a criminal case in state court involving Phelps-Roper, and don’t need to be addressed in her federal lawsuit.

“What people need to be real clear on in Nebraska ... is this little church that services God will not bow down and worship your filthy flag period,” Phelps said after the judge’s ruling.



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20100428/NEWS97/704299989#funeral-protester-appeals-ruling

[Ian David]

1. They've paid for the flag it's their private property, they can do what they want with it.

I hope they win, but that it costs them a lot of money.

[elleng]

2. Fine, just 'worship' from a filthy jail cell.

:thumbsdown:

[provis99]

3. who cares if they mutilate some crappy flag?

People need to stop worshiping a piece of cloth like its a holy relic or something.

[sui generis]

4. if they really believed what they said

they certainly must believe that taking more extreme action, such as assassinating gays, burning flags, being violent and generally acting in the vengeful petty style of their particular "god" would be protected by that "god". I mean do they or do they NOT believe that their god would take up for them?

Certainly I have to wonder why they are so scared of being martyrs. Don't they believe in god? Don't they believe in the afterlife?

:shrug:

Seriesly, Shirley Phelps Roper, dead Fred, and all, why don't you all drink some special koolaid and prove that your afraid of dying?