More lulz from the Westboro Church

[Corrderio]

Not sure how many here heard of them, but they're part church, part hate group against gays and have some of the most fucked up views I have ever seen.

Anyway, more lulz at them protesting at a particular funeral for a fallen solider in Iraq:

Washington – A father of a Marine killed in Iraq says he won't pay the legal fees of a protest group who picketed at his son's funeral in 2006 – at least not until he hears from the US Supreme Court on the matter.

Albert Snyder, whose son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, was killed in Iraq, learned Friday that a federal appeals court is requiring him to pay more than $16,000 in legal fees to the Westboro Baptist Church, a Christian fundamentalist group that demonstrates during military funerals to gain attention for its antigovernment, antihomosexual message. The group rallied at Matthew Snyder’s funeral in March 2006 in Westminster, Md., chanting antigay slogans and carrying signs such as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” says Albert Snyder’s attorney, Sean Summers.

The group was protesting about 30 feet from the church’s main entrance, and Mr. Snyder had to enter through a separate entrance, Mr. Summers says.

Snyder subsequently sued the Westboro group for emotional distress and won a $5 million judgment. But on appeal, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding in favor of protecting the protesters' free-speech rights. About three weeks ago, the Supreme Court agreed to take the case and is expected to hear it in the fall. (Last year, the high court had declined to take up the issue.) Meanwhile, the circuit court has ordered Snyder, a salesman, to pay the church’s court expenses.

Snyder, of York, Pa., told Fox News on Tuesday that he would not pay the Westboro Baptist Church "until I hear from the Supreme Court."

“It’s fair to say that they are not getting any Christmas cards from Mr. Snyder,” adds Summers, in a phone interview. “He obviously thinks they are despicable and doesn’t understand why they would target him.”

The Westboro group has been protesting at military members’ funerals for years. The church leader, Fred Phelps, preaches that American deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality. (He was among those banned from Britain last year for fostering hatred or extremism.) The protests have nothing to do with the fallen service members' sexual orientation, and the church says its protests are held within a “lawful distance” of the funerals.

Ultimately, say some, the church protests are a matter of constitutionally protected free speech.

“I really don’t see that [the protest] was a violation of the First Amendment [principles]. It was a violation of decorum and good taste and all sorts of other things, but not a violation of the First Amendment,” says Charles Gittins, a civilian lawyer in Virginia.

But Summers argues that his client’s right to peaceful assembly and freedom of religion were infringed by the protests and that, unlike at a public park where people are free to express themselves, a funeral setting draws a “captive audience” that requires attendees to be in a particular location – they can’t simply walk away.

Westboro Baptist Church, which is based in Kansas, plans to protest in Florida on Wednesday, outside a funeral for a Marine killed in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan on March 22.

“Military funerals have become pagan orgies of idolatrous blasphemy, where they pray to the dunghill gods of Sodom and play taps to a fallen fool,” states a press release posted on the church’s website, announcing the rally at a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Justin Wilson. At the bottom of the press release are printed the words “Thank God for IEDs,” referring to the roadside bombs that have killed thousands of troops in both wars.

EDIT: Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100331/ts_csm/291560

[Lyn]

I don't really think it's "lulz", that 'church' is full of brainwashed assholes.

[archibaldcrane]

I am at least a little bit surprised that noone has rampaged on them yet. They seem to love IEDs so much....

[Corrderio]

I don't really think it's "lulz", that 'church' is full of brainwashed assholes.

Well, considering their views and protests at military funerals I do think these guys are the Jack Thompson of religion.

[ZarakiKujata]

Most of the church's members are Fred Phelp's extended family, hardly a real church.

[Alleya]

It's free speech. Dude is gonna lose.

[Takedown3]

not surprised

[*Shinzon*]

There's no way they can find that he owes them any money. I don't think he'd win his 5m suit but there is no way they can say he owes them anything. I'd be very shocked if they find he has to pay them.

[archibaldcrane]

It's free speech. Dude is gonna lose.

If they are loud to the point where they are drowning out the funeral (which would be part of his freedom of assembly - and is what he is arguing) he could have a case.

Freedom of speech is not unlimited.

[Alleya]

Why is that? As I understand it, it's not uncommon to have to pay legal fees.

If they are loud to the point where they are drowning out the funeral (which would be part of his freedom of assembly - and is what he is arguing) he could have a case.

Yeah...good luck proving that.

[archibaldcrane]

Yeah...good luck proving that.

He did, once. But it was just overturned on appeal. It's not like his case is so loony that no court would hear it, he has one win and one loss under his belt so far.

[dudeguy]

I think the lulz come from the fact that the retard church is gonna get the money they are asking for... other than maybe hate speech, they did nothing constitutionally wrong which means the dad unfairly took them to court, therefore the trolls win.

It is also funny that Phelps was a prominent lawyer in the civil rights movement back in the day... he'd be a hero to the left if he had just stopped there.

[ZarakiKujata]

It's free speech. Dude is gonna lose.

Beyond them stepping on his right of assembly, they are infringing on his religious rights too.

[Blabj]

>Religion

'nuff said.

[mistmonster]

Apparently Bill O'Reilly is picking up the tab. I don't really follow newsmax much but I saw it on fark.com today

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/o...3/30/id/354287

[dudeguy]

Apparently Bill O'Reilly is picking up the tab. I don't really follow newsmax much but I saw it on fark.com today

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/o...3/30/id/354287

I never thought O'Reilly would make me feel better about humanity.

[Drex]

wow

up is down, left is right, and i agree completely with bill o'reilly on something

fuck

[Guyverarmor]

I never thought I would say this but... fuck yeah Bill !

[archibaldcrane]

This just in: Bill O'reilly is reported to have given hate activist group "Westboro Church" more than $15,000!

[Abandon]

I think I'd actually murder the leader of that church. To picket someone's funeral? Get real.