Funeral picket ban struck down

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Omaha World Herald

A federal appeals court Thursday struck down a Nebraska law that keeps protesters several hundred feet away from a funeral or memorial service.

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a U.S. District Court ruling against members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., relying on its 2008 ruling in a Missouri case that said peaceful protests near funerals are protected by the First Amendment’s right to free speech.

The opinion came on the appeal of a lawsuit filed by Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church that regularly protests at the funerals of fallen soldiers. Phelps-Roper had asked for a preliminary injunction to stop enforcement of the law, saying it was constitutional.

When Phelps-Roper filed her lawsuit, Nebraska’s law prohibited picketing within 300 feet of a funeral or memorial service. Lawmakers have since passed a measure that requires picketers to stay at least 500 feet away from funerals.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20111020/NEWS97/111029984#funeral-picket-ban-struck-down

[Rhiannon12866]

1. Oh, boy...

x(

[truthisfreedom]

2. Time to pass more hate law.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. “Plus, it's just good, clean fun,” she said.

She said she wants the case before the Supreme Court because it will help Westboro spread its message and allow members to exercise their constitutional rights to protest.



FUCK HER!

She and her entire KLAN are disgusting excuses for human beings!

[Scuba]

4. I wonder what would happen if WBC turned up at one of Limbaugh or Gingrich's next weddings?

[Donnachaidh]

5. how the HELL can they judge a phelps protest as PEACEFUL?

The signs alone incites violent reactions. They INTEND to incite violent reactions.

Seriously, these judges are on crack.

[COLGATE4]

6. As much as it rankles me to say it, the Appeals Court was right.

Even such bottom-feeding scum as Westboro have the right to protest, so long as it's done in a legally-prescribed manner. Not muych difference between this decision and the Nazis march in Skokie, Il some years ago. It's America - we are allowed to protest and the Constitutional protection doesn't just protect speech we agree with.

[newfie11]

7. We have an idiot senator that is a closeted repug and now this

What the hell is wrong with the folks in Nebraska??? I live in the far western part of the panhandle and most people are like sheep. No one seems to care what the country is doing to them. For the most part they support anything said on faux news. It is very depressing.

[lbrtbell]

11. The panhandle is the armpit of Nebraska

You're in the minority of intelligent people there. People in the east have a better grasp of things, overall. Don't forget, that's why one of Nebraska's electoral votes went to Obama. Not everybody in that state are stupid sheeple. :)

[Javaman]

8. Something really simple needs to be done...

rather than try and ban the wesboro types from protesting, there needs to be a transcending of issues.

Now, I don't know if I could do this, but someone with much more character, more tolerance and willpower, would talk to the protesters and invite them to the funeral.

Have them sit down and pay their respects.

They may still rant and rave, but in my experience, they win because we continue to fight them. If we invite them in, it completely diffuses their message.

they want that negative publicity, it keeps them funded. However, by showing that you have more compassion then those who preach hate, then the message becomes not about the protesters but about people seeking peace.

I know this certainly isn't and won't be a popular idea, but frankly, I'm just so tired of the hate.

[tawadi]

9. I have mixed feelings on this one

Too bad people cant let families bury their loved ones in peace. On the other hand, this is part of our constitution. Too bad it doesn't seem to apply in all OWS protests too.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Yes, crazy bigots can protest funerals, but sane peaceful people can't portest a bank!