49 AGs File Brief Against Westboro

I have a real solution for the Phelps cult Does anyone have a tree limb grinder we can borrow for a few days. And does anyone own a dog food factory. Although I'm concerned that feeding these worms to our 4 legged friends might make them sick.

of course Va. didn't join this case- our AG is too busy suing Obama over healthcare and the Univ of Va. over climate change (he thinks it's a hoax)...HE'S MADE A NUMBER OF ANTI GAY Statements/proposals- I wouldn't be at all suprised to find out he donated money to Westboro.

@ArtNola, you wrote: "I can stand on the sidewalk in front of someone's house and say whatever I want because I am on public property." You are right to an extent. One can stand in a public place, but they can't say whatever they want. One can't libel or slander, they can't incite a riot, or sedation - so one really can't say whatever they want in a public place. Further, if one were on a public sidewalk, in front of someones house, saying whatever they want, they also can't say it too loud because one could be guilty of disturbing the peace.

@Sean, I understand what you are saying, I would just like to know at what point freedom of speach crosses the line and becomes harassment. I can stand on the sidewalk in front of someone's house and say whatever I want because I am on public property. I am all for Freedom of Speach as long as it doesn't interfer with someone elses personal freedoms. And to the contrary, I would not want to see a conservative homophobes funeral picketed by anyone.

What about the fact that the locations of where Westboro people picket adversely affect the rights of freedom of assembly (also a constitutional right) of the people who are there for the funeral and not to hear obscenities shouted about their departed loved ones. The rights of free speech of the protesters are not abridged when they are told they cannot protest in a specific space when there is no abridgment when they would protest in a different space. There is no censoring here, just a restriction on where the speech can occur. There are specific spaces set up at political conventions where people can protest and they get arrested if they try to do it somewhere else. Same kind of thing here; they can protest pretty much anywhere they want except close enough to the funeral where they can be seen or heard. What prevents them from protesting down the block?

Why doesn't anyone picket them. Let's get a group of people together and send them to their house and tell them that they are the ones going to hell. I wouldn't even let them take a shit in peace. Drill them.

I agree with the A.G.s. What Revrend Phelps does is morally reprensable not only to myself but to our nation, our culture and our very humanity. But I would not for the life of me, allow anyone to chip away free speech. Not for this, not for anything. Freedom comes with a price. The price of free speech is free speech.

Freedom of Speech is one thing but what the Westboro Church does is emotional and verbal assault and they have no business going to anyone's funeral and behaving like psychotic pigs. I think its only fair that if a member of the Phelps family dies, that thousands of drag queens and transvestites should show up with signs that read FUCK YOU ASSHOLE ROT IN HELL. Give them a taste of their own medicine.

I am ambivalent about this. Yes, Phelps and his ilk should stick a sock in their mouths. Freedom of Speech is a stickler. If I were on the court I would say, fine, have your protest. But have it 2000 feet from the church and funeral motorcade. Yell and scream all you want. The do it for POTUS.

Free Speech...hmmm. Well, it all depends. You can't slander anyone, is that a violation of free speech? It's illegal to yell 'Fire' in a movie theatre, is that a violation of the First Amendment? Would Hitler's rhetoric be allowed to pass today in the US? Sedition is illegal, is that a violation? Point is there is a point where Free Speech must be governed or all hell breaks loose. Do the Phelp's protests constitute a danger to good order and public safety, I dunno but I would lean to the 'yes' side on that. However, 48 AGs, Im sure Democrat and Republican, all feel that Phelp's kind of Speech should be censored. It's a miracle that people haven't been killed at these events yet, its only a matter of time.