Brown vetoes Calif. funeral protest ban

[rug]

SACRAMENTO, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- California Gov. Jerry Brown says he reluctantly vetoed a bill aimed at a controversial anti-gay church known for protests at military funerals.

In his veto message Wednesday, Brown said he was "very tempted" to sign the ban on protests, the Sacramento Bee reported. But he said the bill is unconstitutional based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on similar legislation from another state.

The Westboro Baptist Church, a small group mostly from one extended family in Topeka, Kan., has become notorious for picketing the funerals of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Rev. Fred Phelps, the church's patriarch and pastor, suggests those deaths are God's punishment for U.S. tolerance of homosexuality.

The bill passed the California legislature almost unanimously.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/09/08/Brown-vetoes-Calif-funeral-protest-ban/UPI-21201315507128/

[digitaln3rd]

1. Good.

The WBC are vile and evil but banning protests isn't the answer.

[darkstar3]

2. Funny.

In this case, people have recognized that it doesn't matter how distasteful the behavior of some minority group members may be to the majority, because it is wrong to legislate away the rights of minorities.

Yet we still have laws that strip away the rights of women and anyone on the LGBT spectrum. I would say this qualifies as legal hypocrisy, but I recognize that the victor in both cases is religion.

[NMMNG]

4. The difference is the venue

Generally whenever the issue of LGBT rights is taken to the courts, equality wins. It's only when it's put on a ballot, when campaigns of lies and fearmongering (OMG think of the children!!! Religious Freedom will be destroyed!!!) can be used to trump justice, that LGBT equality is in peril. That's why human rights should never be subject to the whims of "the people".

[NMMNG]

3. Good

Repugnant as they are, they're exercising their right to Free Speech. What's more, they're a perfect example to refute the RRRWers any time they whine that Christians are being "silenced" in the US.

[murielm99]

5. A similar law passed in Illinois.

I have been wondering how long it will be until it is challenged. As much as I hate to say so, it should be challenged.