Not sure if there is a thread on this anywhere but now that it is mandatory to look at a petition in the united states if it has over 25,000 signatures there is a movement to classify the Westboro baptist church as a hate group. This will remove their tax exempt status from the government and overall will help stop the stupid things that they do.
Currently there are over 200,000 signatures but I encourage all of you to sign here.
Now that I've said that, what do you guys even think about this stupid organisation? The things they do I think even normal religious people are against and is just terrible.
And what's to stop someone from declaring their city a funeral site?
I so wish you were joking, but sadly this is a legitimate question. I would like to say common sense, but we all know that won't do any good.
One way would be, say, any place within a half mile of where a funeral is currently taking place. That would limit it to areas where bodies are buried only and only during certain times. I'm having trouble imagining how you could circumvent that unless you want to argue that the government is going to continuously bury bodies outside of places where demonstrations usually take place.
Honestly, why would anyone need to protest on site during a funeral? The WBC can speak what they want, but that doesn't give them the right to be complete ******** to people who are grieving.
Our system allows protests, but they need to get permission from the local authorities first; those will check if the demonstrations are ok or if they are against international and national laws for example. I don't know how they would handle a WBC funeral protest, I'm sure they wouldn't allow it but I don't know with what justification. Of course I know that this probably wouldn't work in the US as the government is so mistrusted there and people would cry out about an apparent loss of freedom. I just can tell that here in Switzerland, it usually works fine and most demonstrations get permissions.
One problem I see with that WBC is that you cannot legally enforce decency. You cannot put someone behind bars for just being a jerk, or am I wrong? Protesting at funerals is of course much more than just being a jerk, but, my point is you need certain objective criteria, and "decency" doesn't really grant that. But it should by all means be thrown in the balance in case of a judicial evaluation for any other reason.
There already exists a policy blocking protests at military funerals, they could just extend this to all funerals.
~~~Darth Caedus
Now we can't counter protest WBC when they break the law.
OBAMA, YOU DON' GOOFED.
We have a right to offend. People will use this right in ways you disagree with, but that's why it's a right. People have this idea they should only protect freedoms for people they agree with. After all, if you're not taking advantage of a freedom, why would you care if it were taken away?
We have a right to offend. People will use this right in ways you disagree with, but that's why it's a right. People have this idea they should only protect freedoms for people they agree with.
Yes, but that doesn't mean that people have a right to offend people wherever and whenever.
Yes, but that doesn't mean that people have a right to offend people wherever and whenever.
Here's an excellent debate on the subject. What authority do you believe has the right and the necessary insight to decide what speech of your is deemed acceptable and what is considered too offensive and therefore censored?
What authority do you believe has the right and the necessary insight to decide what speech of your is deemed acceptable and what is considered too offensive and therefore censored?
None, really. However, I don't think that applies to location. There is really no reason that anyone needs to protest on site during a funeral.
WBC are atheists in disguise trying to make religious people look bad
Please don't associate us with those people.
None, really. However, I don't think that applies to location. There is really no reason that anyone needs to protest on site during a funeral.
They protest on military funerals due to their philosophy that the military is at fault for allowing homosexuals to exist, whilst their fighting is incurring the wrath of God. All that aside, if that is their philosophy, funerals of the military *would* be their prime target, so I really don't think we can regulate where a group decides to protest. I'm really not sure on that.
They protest on military funerals due to their philosophy that the military is at fault for allowing homosexuals to exist, whilst their fighting is incurring the wrath of God. All that aside, if that is their philosophy, funerals of the military *would* be their prime target, so I really don't think we can regulate where a group decides to protest
Thing is though, they still can protest about all that, but they don't need to do it on site at the funeral. They can, quite simply, do it somewhere else.
Who knows? Probably not, but let's leave that door open.
Or, we address what is currently an issue and have it be if in the future someone can explain why there is a need to protest on site during a funeral then it can be rescinded.
