Fred Phelps; When is a Win a Loss?
As happy as I am, and I am! I am also torn. I loathe Fred Phelps, you all know that. And I'm glad he was held accountable, but there is a big part of me that is saying NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! FIRST AMMENDMENT!!!!!
Of course not near as big as the part that's going WOOOOOOO_HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Eat that Rev. Bigot!
Even though I fight and oppose this guy with every chance I get, and as happy as I am, there's just a little something that I'm not quite comfortable with. And I think it's the concept of "drawing the line" with free speech. Once you draw it, it tends to keep moving, a moving line of what is, and is not, free speech. The line changes direction as the political zeitgeist holds sway.
The line, like free speech itself, is a two edged sword. What we like now, we may come to hate, should things change.
We should be damn careful if we do decide to draw it.
That being said. EAT THAT YOU BIGOTED PSYCHO!!
Of course not near as big as the part that's going WOOOOOOO_HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Eat that Rev. Bigot!
Even though I fight and oppose this guy with every chance I get, and as happy as I am, there's just a little something that I'm not quite comfortable with. And I think it's the concept of "drawing the line" with free speech. Once you draw it, it tends to keep moving, a moving line of what is, and is not, free speech. The line changes direction as the political zeitgeist holds sway.
The line, like free speech itself, is a two edged sword. What we like now, we may come to hate, should things change.
We should be damn careful if we do decide to draw it.
That being said. EAT THAT YOU BIGOTED PSYCHO!!
Labels: free speech, Phelps, Westboro Baptist
posted by Brian | 8:52 PM
2 Comments:
It is a slippery slope, that's fer shure.
Hi, I found this site via Aiko Annie's.
I don't see the problem, really. Most churches spread their message by holding services at their locations. They may reach out by distributing pamphlets, mailers, door hangers, letters to the editor, etc. They might hold an event, such as a concert, to attract people, or do something charitable for the community - I just read a letter in the paper about a local Catholic group that has picnics ion the park for the city's growing homeless population.
The point is, they don't NEED to be predatory about it. My priest could make a point about sin without singling out a dead stranger to be an example. Phelps and his ilk do not NEED to use the grief of bereaved families as a prop, but they go out of their way to do so. I don't see why that should be protected by the first amendment any more than any other form of slander or harassment is.
Why can't the cops pretend that they're anti-war protesters? There seems to be no issue with the 1st Amendment that keeps them from beating, pepper spraying, and arresting the anti-war folks, even when they're being peaceful.
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