House passes bill to increase fines for protests at military funerals

[AGENDA21]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — People who protest at military funerals would be subject to increased fines and jail time up to a year under a bill the House has passed.

The legislation is aimed at members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, who have been protesting at funerals for soldiers killed in Iraq. The protesters claim U.S. soldiers are dying because God is punishing America for tolerating homosexuality.

The bill (HB 7127) would increase fines to one-thousand dollars and raise jail time to one year for anyone who disturbs military funerals. Protesters now face up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.

Six states have limited the demonstrations. More than 25 states have introduced legislation to either ban or curtail the protests.

http://www.tampabays10.com/tallahassee/capital_article.aspx?storyid=29146

[JuniperLea]

1. GOOD!

That is one place where there should be ZERO tolerance for protesting!



Those poor people have been through enough... all the fear while their family/friend is serving... the horror at their death... it just stinks to have this asshole and his band of dumbasses protesting there.





Gives us all a bad name, too...

[400Years]

2. gimme a fucking break

You cannot have free speech for some.

As detestable as these scumbags are this sets a bad precedent.

[JuniperLea]

10. bullshit

There is such a thing as respect for the dead. It's a private ceremony for the survivors.

[400Years]

17. if you can't see the implications

there is nothing I can do for you.

[napi21]

4. I agree! We all have the right to free speech, but a military funeral

should be off limits...not on free speech grounds but simple honor to a dean soldier.

Switch the damn protests to Shrub's caravans, Pa. avenue, the Mall, and Pub speeches!

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. Why just military funerals?

It is still legal to disrupt the funerals of gay people, or anti-war activists. ALL funerals should be protected, or none.

[noonwitch]

9. I like the way the good people in "The Laramie Project" handled them

With the big sheets attached to their shoulder racks, so that Matt Shepards' family wouldn't have to see the ugly signs that the protestors were holding up. I really think sometimes those type of methods are better for dealing with people than changing laws that may affect everyone's freedom of speech in the long run.

Last night, one of Phelps' followers was on Hannity and Colmes. Hannity gave her hell. It's unnerving to find myself agreeing with the blowhard, but she deserved it. Colmes reamed on her too, but he is just not as nasty as Hannity can be. I just wish they were not only focusing on the military funerals, but pointing out that Phelps got his first recognition over the funeral in Laramie.

[JuniperLea]

11. That's right`

You are absolutely right.


Hold a protest at the White House and name the source of your issue... let the fallen rest in peace... let their families rest as best they can.

[napi21]

12. I don't know if it's illegal to disrupt any funeral, and it should be.

But I haven't seen anyone disrupting any but military ones.

[TechBear_Seattle]

14. Phelch got his start at disrupting the funerals of gay people

He demonstrated his hate at the funerals of Matthew Shepard, Rev. Fred Rodgers (aka "Mr. Rodgers" of childrens' television fame) and Coretta Scott King. He has also demonstrated his hate repeatedly outside schools and churches that were not as virulently bigoted as he; I've counter-demonstrated against him in Seattle several times.

[marmar]

3. But...

I hope some Congressional nutcase doesn't decide this needs to be extended to other protests.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[JuniperLea]

13. There's no need to be so rude!

It's not like you sat here and argued this issue for days on end!

You may be right... I for one may just reconsider my opinion... but not because you were fucking rude and nasty about it! Short sighted idiots rarely change their positions on issues... but they just may be the ones who post fucking unnecessarily rude posts!

[Justitia]

5. But in the very same state, a judge has eliminated protester buffer zones

at women's clinics, saying they impede "free speech" (even if the clinic had already been set on fire).

Don't get me wrong, I am totally against protesters at ANY funeral.

I just cannot believe the bald-faced hypocrisy in their treatment of women seeking health care.

:grr:

[dysfunctional press]

8. won't they have to amend the constitution for this?

seems to me to be a free speech issue.

[bunkerbuster1]

15. Eh. Floriduh legislators...

The bills any state legislators may pass at any given time may bear some semblance of Constitutionality. Who knows if this one does.

[MadHound]

16. Despite the fact that this is Phelps,

Despite the fact that this is disrespecting the families of dead soldiers, I cannot condone this sort of legislation. It limits the first amendment, free speech and freedom of assembly, and sets a horrible precedent for future rulings. First they ban protests, out of respect, at military funerals. Then they ban protests, out of respect, at inagural parades. Then they just plain ban protesting, out of respect of course.

Slippery slope people, slippery slope. How many times have we seen these sorts of good natured laws turn around and bite us on the ass later on?