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October 31, 2007 at 22:12:21

Is Phelps Loss, a Loss for All

by Brian Wolf     Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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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!!

 

www.freeworldradionetwork.net

Brian is a featured internet radio host on b Blogtalkradio.com. He was also a founding member of the Free World Radio Network where he and his 5 fellow progressive hosts produce and host a variety of shows each week. Brian is a champion for free speech and reminding our elected representative's that they work for us, not the other way around. WE THE PEOPLE. 1/20/09

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3 comments

Conservative prolife anti-death penalty tree hugger. Believe that less government is good government, government cannot solve anyone's personal problems, the government taking money from one group of people and giving it to another group of people is a crime, and that people should take responsibility for their own lives.
Mad JayhawkConservative prolife anti-death penalty tree hugger. Believe that less government is good government, government cannot solve anyone's personal problems, the government taking money from one group of people and giving it to another group of people is a crime, and that people should take responsibility for their own lives.

Phelps

What Phelps is doing is repulsive.  It is similar in many ways to what people are doing in auditoriums all over this country and even in congressional hearing rooms.  People with some kind of beef or agenda are intruding on an event and trying to take it over for their own political purposes.  People did not go to a funeral or to hear a speaker to listen to some one continually  interrupt or try to make the event about them or their particular cause.

I think that the interrupters have a right to speak in most cases but the people at the event have rights too.  Where does the line get drawn?  Hard to say. 

I think that there should be a common sense line drawn of some kind.  Say, let the public event organizers come up with the rules of conduct and let potential attendees know what they are.  Seriously disobey them and you are disturbing the peace and can be arrested.   If you do not like the rules do not go to event.   There almost can't be one rule fits all.   A tough call for anyone who thinks the First Amendment is sacred.  

Whatever happened to good manners?

by Mad Jayhawk (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 221 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 9:07:54 PM
 


DOB -- September 20, 1940. Became active in civil rights and peace movements in 1962. Active in socialist and antiwar movements -- 1963-69. Active in Gay Liberation from 1969 to present.
rhalfhillDOB -- September 20, 1940. Became active in civil rights and peace movements in 1962. Active in socialist and antiwar movements -- 1963-69. Active in Gay Liberation from 1969 to present.

PRECEDENT OF BANNING SPEECH ALWAYS DANGEROUS

   Rob Kall, I am surprised you don't know about the Reverend Fred Phelps.  Phelps  and the members of his Baptist Church, which consists primarily of the members of his extended family, first became known for picketing the funerals of people who had died from AIDS, carrying signs saying "God Hates Fags," etc.  After Matthew Shepherd's murder, the website of his Church had a picture of Shepherd in the flames of hell.  In the last year or so, they have started picketing the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, saying their deaths are God's punishment of the U.S. for tolerating homosexuality.

   I doubt that even most fundamentalist Christians support Phelps for, even though he holds up for public view Christianity in all its raw ugliness, even fundamentalist Christians do not want to see the full despicability of their own religion.  After all, when they burned us at the stake, I am sure some of them said it hurt them more than it did us!

   Of course, Phelps is about as despicable as you can get and my contempt and hate for him is made even stronger since I am Gay and thus one of the targets of his attacks.  But I too am distressed by the successful lawsuit against him because it is impossible to demarcate a class of speech set off for banning and leave the remaining areas of speech safe.  Someone is bound toe find some other topic of speech odious enough for outlawing.  I am sure that Phelps would find my speaking, writing and demonstrating for Gay Rights just as despicable as I find his picketing the funerals of Gays who have died of AIDS.  In fact, he is picketing the funerals of service  members and calling it God's punishment for the state's not banning my and other Gays speaking in favor of Gay Rights.

   I can accept the restriction of requiring Phelps and his supporters to picket a certain distance from the funeral to spare the bereaved additional distress.  But, although I am sure the father of the deceased service man was hurt and angered by Phelps picketing his son's funeral, I doubt he suffered 11 million dollars woth of pain.

   If I can prohibit someone from displaying a swastika or a noose, they can prohibit me from displaying a pink triangle.

Robert Halfhill   rhalfhill@juno.com 

by rhalfhill (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 270 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 2:35:00 AM
 

 

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