ACLU Sues for Anti-Gay Group That Pickets at Troops’ Burials
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas church group that protests at military funerals nationwide filed suit in federal court, saying a Missouri law banning such picketing infringes on religious freedom and free speech.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit Friday in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., on behalf of the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church, which has outraged mourning communities by picketing service members’ funerals with signs condemning homosexuality.
The church and the Rev. Fred Phelps say God is allowing troops, coal miners and others to be killed because the United States tolerates gay men and lesbians.
Missouri lawmakers were spurred to action after members of the church protested in St. Joseph, Mo., last August at the funeral of Army Spec. Edward L. Myers.
The law bans picketing and protests “in front of or about” any location where a funeral is held, from an hour before it begins until an hour after it ends. Offenders can face fines and jail time.
A number of other state laws and a federal law, signed in May by President Bush, bar such protests within a certain distance of a cemetery or funeral.
In the lawsuit, the ACLU says the Missouri law tries to limit protesters’ free speech based on the content of their message. It is asking the court to declare the ban unconstitutional and to issue an injunction to keep it from being enforced, which would allow the group to resume picketing.
“I told the nation, as each state went after these laws, that if the day came that they got in our way, that we would sue them,” said Phelps’s daughter Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the church in Topeka, Kan. “At this hour, the wrath of God is pouring out on this country.”
Scott Holste, a spokesman for Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, said, “We’re not going to acquiesce to anything that they’re asking for in this lawsuit.”
The suit names Nixon, Gov. Matt Blunt (R) and others as defendants.
You must remember that Fred Phelps is a Democrat and supported Al Gore. He held fund raisers for Gore and Phelps himself was a former Democrat candidate for Governor of Kansas.
The news media never tells of Phelps political convictions but rather they lead you into believing he and his group are right wing religious fanatics.
BobF – thanks for the info on Phelps political background. I did not know it and, yes, the media did not mention it at all. You know that if he had funded Repubs or run as a Repub, the media would be on it endlessly. Another good example of why the Internet is the kiss of death for the MSM.
Bob I wish more people knew what you said. I didn’t know that and I have been posting about this Phelps jerk for a long time. It is weird how in my anger at him I never evevn gave a single thought to his politics, only to how evil he is and the horrible things he does to the troops and the loved ones of those that were killed in action.’
Thank you so much!!
WT, check the Constitution under separation of Church and State. Phelps is being protected under Article 52 of the Democrat’s Constitution by the separation of Church and State Clause that they so fervently believe in, therefore Fred Phelps as a Democrat cannot have his political beliefs discussed in the same venue as his religious beliefs, this separation forbids that his being a Democrat be published by the media to protect his image.
Jack oh I see, thank you. So many things that have little catch all’s to them.
Here’s a couple links on Phelps and Gore
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=15559
http://ussneverdock.blogspot.com/2005/07/america-deranged-funeral-update.html+
ack- the Phelps group makes me sick- I find what they do revolting and disgusting.
Has anyone ever seen Shirley Phelps in news interviews? The woman is deranged and fanatical to the point of being scary.
Personally, I think I should hire the ACLU to protect MY rights in as far as she is clearly a danger to society( and herself since I swear AND do declare every time I have ever seen the woman on a news interview, she appears near having a stroke from being so fanatical.)
WHY isn’t the ACLU protecting people from her and her clearly evidenced INSANITY?
Oh…I forgot! She is hiding behind the vestiges of religion, therefore she is protected because she is exercising her religious freedoms. Yeah, right. There is NOTHING religious about this woman, she is EVIL incarnate. I fully expect to see her head turn in circles and for her to spew green vomit each time she gives an interview.
She is THE human face of evil, and what it can do to humanity.
Check this out, it’s hilarious. A reporter from Australia confronting Fred Phelps Jr.
http://www.break.com/index/confronting_fred_phelps_jr.html
Bob thank you for the links on Phelps and Gore.
The other link is soooooo funny. Hahahahahaaha
Thank you.
HI BarbieGirl, your right.
Awhile back I posted an interview that was on Fox and it was hilarious. The girl with Fox really laid into the wife of Phelps and it was sooo good.