So wrong there is no right

[CSmrw]

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/13947821.htm

This story reports on so many things I find despicable I can't even get them all straight in my head. But the one thing that chilled my blood....again... is the notion that states are considering bans on protests. I don't care where the protests take place, as long as entrance and egress issues are not compromised anyone should be able to protest anything they want, anywhere public owned land exists. Once again, bleeding hearts are trying to solve problems reasonable minds shouldn't even consider problems through weight of law. I am truly sick of morality legislation and I am starting to think of anyone condoning it as un-American.

 

[loriersea]

I don't think protesting at funerals should be banned, no matter how awful they are.

What really bothers me, though, is that nobody seemed to care when Phelps and crew were protesting at the funerals of gay people and AIDS victims.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

I don't think protesting at funerals should be banned, no matter how awful they are.

What really bothers me, though, is that nobody seemed to care when Phelps and crew were protesting at the funerals of gay people and AIDS victims.

That's probably because gays in the military can't practice their lifestyle openly. If they could, you'd probably hear more about it. Honestly though, do you really need to hear about his protest exploits? He's already proven he's a moron.

 

[Kelly]

???wrong thread??

 

[loriersea]

That's probably because gays in the military can't practice their lifestyle openly. If they could, you'd probably hear more about it. Honestly though, do you really need to hear about his protest exploits? He's already proven he's a moron.

Phelps isn't just protesting at the funerals of gay people in the military; he's protesting at all military funerals.

I just think it's a sad comment on the disregard shown for gay men, lesbians, and people with AIDS that legislatures in several states are considering banning funeral protests because of Phelps' behavior at military funerals, whereas there was never any such discussion when we was protesting at other funerals. I don't think he should be legally barred from protesting, simply because I don't like the idea of limiting people's freedom of expression, but if legislators think it is okay to try to limit his freedom of expression now, I don't know why they didn't consider doing it back then.

 

[CSmrw]

That's probably because gays in the military can't practice their lifestyle openly. If they could, you'd probably hear more about it. Honestly though, do you really need to hear about his protest exploits? He's already proven he's a moron.

It's not just the protestors. It's almost everyone involved in this story. It's like watching a group of five year old's get into a knock down drag out over who is the best Power Ranger. The whole thing, the whole mess is so....wrong. At a funeral, for a soldier who died in a war a reasonable people should never have involved themselves in, one faction of mystics battles it out with another faction of mystics over whether their Gods approve of something or other, while motercycle enthusiasts sing Niel Young songs and legislators try to think of ways, not to educate and illuminate but separate and incarcerate those involved. If you made this up and replaced Christians, Bikers and Legislators with Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves it would be too big a fairy tale to publish.

 

[Autumnleaf]

It's not just the protestors. It's almost everyone involved in this story. It's like watching a group of five year old's get into a knock down drag out over who is the best Power Ranger. The whole thing, the whole mess is so....wrong. At a funeral, for a soldier who died in a war a reasonable people should never have involved themselves in, one faction of mystics battles it out with another faction of mystics over whether their Gods approve of something or other, while motercycle enthusiasts sing Niel Young songs and legislators try to think of ways, not to educate and illuminate but separate and incarcerate those involved. If you made this up and replaced Christians, Bikers and Legislators with Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves it would be too big a fairy tale to publish.

Problem is there is no physical consequence for such nonsense. If anyone had tried it during world war II at a GI's funeral I suspect more than a few protestors would have found themselves missing teeth, with concussions and broken ribs in the pokey for disturbing the peace.

 

[flicka]

I dunno. I would never want to see a ban on protests but I wouldn't shed a tear or loose any sleep if funeral protests were illegal. I guess I just can't think of anyone in their right mind who would do such a thing, so I have no problem at all shutting up those who are out of their minds on certain occasions. I haven't really given the issue too much thought but that's my gut feeling.

 

[ApocryphaNow]

It's not just the protestors. It's almost everyone involved in this story. It's like watching a group of five year old's get into a knock down drag out over who is the best Power Ranger. The whole thing, the whole mess is so....wrong. At a funeral, for a soldier who died in a war a reasonable people should never have involved themselves in, one faction of mystics battles it out with another faction of mystics over whether their Gods approve of something or other, while motercycle enthusiasts sing Niel Young songs and legislators try to think of ways, not to educate and illuminate but separate and incarcerate those involved. If you made this up and replaced Christians, Bikers and Legislators with Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves it would be too big a fairy tale to publish.

It was only a matter of time before the beast of hate began to devour itself. For so long the most intolerant sects of fundamentalism have been skulking in the shadows, growing more and more frustrated with every civil liberty gained by those not sharing their specific beliefs. They have gone mad from starvation and are now striking out to inject their venom into the hand that feeds them: moderate to conservative Christianity. As vile and reprehensible as this is (for the simple reason that the family of the dead should be allowed to mourn in peace, regardless of whether we agree with how they died), something this disgusting needed to happen eventually. Christians need to see the pain and fear brought on by the brethren of their faith that they would rather pretend to not exist. They need to know that they can't just ignore these sects just because they aren't always the direct target. Now that they see it, we need to work together to combat it (hopefully through education). We are a community and we are in this together.

That we atheists disagree with the ideology of Christianity has nothing to do with this. I am still tolerant of Christians and call many of them my friends. To insinuate that the problems of people in this country are somehow not worthy or childish just because we do not agree with their ideology is to lower ourselves to the very level we condemn.

I do not support passing laws the curtail free speech or civil liberties, on that I agree with you. However, I must again insist: to trivialize this problem is to set ourselves up to be victims ourselves. We must have compassion for our fellow man.

 

[wanderingone]

I'm not sure I'd be opposed to limitations on protests against private individuals at private events... it seems to border on harassment of individuals rather than protest of a government policy.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

I'm not sure I'd be opposed to limitations on protests against private individuals at private events... it seems to border on harassment of individuals rather than protest of a government policy.

I'm not for limitations on protests as long as they are not violent. Loss of any form of freedom of speech in which no one is physically injured is wrong and can lead to more and more restrictions.

 

[Caylin]

If these people ever came to a funeral in my family, they prolly wouldn't be walking away. There are *alot* of well armed military people in my family.

 

[Silent Bob]

I have to agree that on the issue of protesting during a funeral: Freedom of speech be damned.

You should have every right to protest at any given time about anything you want. But when you show complete disrespect for the dead you should be arrested no matter who the dead person is. To me protesting during a funeral is the same as going over the grave, unzipping your pants and peeing on the tombstone.

It isn't about limiting freedom, it is about conserving human decency.

 

[loriersea]

Problem is there is no physical consequence for such nonsense. If anyone had tried it during world war II at a GI's funeral I suspect more than a few protestors would have found themselves missing teeth, with concussions and broken ribs in the pokey for disturbing the peace.

Right. Society would be so much better if we just physically assaulted those who offended us, much like Jesus taught.

 

[ottaia]

I don't think protesting at funerals should be banned, no matter how awful they are.

What really bothers me, though, is that nobody seemed to care when Phelps and crew were protesting at the funerals of gay people and AIDS victims.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to loriersea again.
​

 

[Cerberus~]

Right. Society would be so much better if we just physically assaulted those who offended us, much like Jesus taught.

Some people need to be stomped into the ground in order to teach them not to do stupid things. If good people whooped the hell outta the bad people a little more, we'ld all have cars that drive in the sky by now.

 

[ApocryphaNow]

Some people need to be stomped into the ground in order to teach them not to do stupid things. If good people whooped the hell outta the bad people a little more, we'ld all have cars that drive in the sky by now.

The problem here is synthesizing a universal defintion of "bad." Some would argue, and I would tend to agree, that attempts at following your advise are the kind of things that lead to this situation in the first place.

 

[Cerberus~]

The problem here is synthesizing a universal defintion of "bad." Some would argue, and I would tend to agree, that attempts at following your advise are the kind of things that lead to this situation in the first place.

I don't advocate going out and looking for trouble, but if trouble finds you, give it trouble.

Hell, I wish we could go back to dueling. Then, we can either kill them A-hole, or expose him as the cowardly punte they really are.

 

[flicka]

Some people need to be stomped into the ground in order to teach them not to do stupid things. If good people whooped the hell outta the bad people a little more, we'ld all have cars that drive in the sky by now.

Haha! I think a good old fashioned smackdown once in awhile might be necessary to keep the crazies from gaining power. Unfortunately, people have different ideas on what 'crazy' is so we end up doing nothing in the name of freedom. It's one of those 'take the good with the bad' kind of things but some boundaries should not be crossed. I think this is one of them.

 

[LouTheWicked]

What Phelps does is appalling, protests at funerals should definately be banned.

Someone should hack and destroy his website too...