RE: Westboro Baptist Church Plans To Picket Leonard Nimoy's Funeral
March 1, 2015 at 1:16 pm
(This post was last modified: March 1, 2015 at 1:18 pm by Thumpalumpacus.)
(March 1, 2015 at 7:44 am)Norman Humann Wrote: So this is an organisation that is entirely dedicated to hate. How is it legal?
Here:
The Framers, in the First Amendment, Wrote:Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I have emboldened the two pertinent clauses.
(March 1, 2015 at 7:44 am)Norman Humann Wrote: They're clearly crossing the line between free speech and hate crime.
No, they're not. In America, a hate crime is the commission of what is already a crime (say, vandalism) which is motivated by bigotry based on race, religion, national origin, and so on.
It is not a crime to picket so long as the appropriate permits are obtained.
(March 1, 2015 at 7:44 am)Norman Humann Wrote: The point of their existence is to offend people.
There is no right to be free of offense.
(March 1, 2015 at 8:40 am)Vox Populi Wrote: It's a complicated matter to myself how free-speech and harrassment can somehow be classed under the same umbrella. (If that makes any sense).
According to the law, what they do is not harassment:
Quote:c) As used in this section—
(1) the term “harassment” means a course of conduct directed at a specific person that—
(A) causes substantial emotional distress in such person; and
(B) serves no legitimate purpose; and
(2) the term “course of conduct” means a series of acts over a period of time, however short, indicating a continuity of purpose.
(March 1, 2015 at 11:24 am)Spooky Wrote: What they do is dangerous, unnecessary, and quite frankly I wouldn't be sad if it gets them killed.
What dangers are there in marching with signs?
Should all unnecessary speech be stultified? Or just that speech which isn't to your taste?
(March 1, 2015 at 11:24 am)Spooky Wrote: I spent 8 years in the Army "Defending your freedom" (or whatever bullshit term they're using these days, I enlisted to escape from my familial situation). Not one person I ever met would support these fuckwits.
I spent four in the Air Force defending those rights, too ... for everybody. While I detest their message, I believe censorship is not the answer to these assholes.
