From Stop the ACLU:
FRANKFORT, Ky.  The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Monday, challenging a new Kentucky law that limits protests at funerals.
The law is an an attempt to prevent disruptions at military funerals. The law was aimed at members of the Westboro Baptist Church Cult, who have toured the country protesting military funerals with signs saying such things as, “God Hates Fags”, and “Thank God For Dead Soldiers.” Members of the cult believe the soldiers’ deaths are a sign of God punishing America for tolerating homosexuality.
I believe the First Amendment protects people’s right to peacefully assemble. I find it odd that the ACLU are not protecting the right of those who wish to mourn the fallen to assemble without being harassed by lunatic cultists.
Kentucky should have seen the challenge coming. Similar legislation was opposed by the ACLU in Louisiana and Tennessee.
However, in this case it doesn’t seem to be the cultists that the ACLU are worried about. They claim that it could lead to an innocent bystander being targeted.
Lili S. Lutgens, an attorney for the ACLU in Louisville, said a portion of the law is overly broad in the limitations it places on freedom of speech and on freedom of expression.
“The language is so broad that two people holding a conversation on a sidewalk, if there’s a funeral going on the funeral home, then they’d be in violation,” Lutgens said. “Somebody who was whistling as they walked down the sidewalk, if a funeral was in earshot, then they would also be in violation.”
Yeah right! Once again the ACLU are blind to good common sense and decency in favor of some absolutist view on free speech. The laws being presented are not infringing upon their right to expression. They can go 500 to 1,000 feet away and protest all they want.
What this legislation is attempting to do is no different than laws that protect political figures from protesters with reasonable buffer zones.
It is also odd that the ACLU have fought on the opposite side when those being protested against were abortion clinics. However it isn’t suprising, as we see more and more everyday, that the ACLU are selective in what kind of messages they protect as free speech, and which ones they either ignore or downright fight against.
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Previous article: God Hates Hate
May 2nd, 2006 at 7:17 am
ACLU Supports Disrespect of Fallen Soldiers…
Sometimes you would think that common sense would prevail, but not so with protestors nor with the ACLU when it comes to protesting at, of all places, Soldier’s Funerals……..
May 2nd, 2006 at 9:10 am
"ACLU files lawsuit challenging funeral protest bill"…
From TheKansan.com:The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Monday, challenging a new Kentucky law that limits protests at funerals. Lili S. Lutgens, an attorney for the ACLU in Louisville, said a portion of the law is overly broad in…
August 25th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
This is for all the UCLA and Phelps’ protesters~~~~~~My daughter is in the Navy and my son-in-law is a SGT for the Marine Corps. He has just returned from Iraq and I must say, we are all EXTREMELY PROUD of all the men and women fighting for this great nation of ours. Had it not been for the thousands of military personnel that have lost their lives fighting for this great country, YOU wouldn’t have the right to open your damn mouths, let alone protest something. I hope, that IF something were to happen to a member of my military family, y’all show your ugly self-righteous mugs at their funeral. Y’all just might have to finally see what “PROTESTING” is all about.
The families of fallen soldiers have the right to peace and quiet in the period of mourning for their loved ones. How would the Phelps or members of the UCLA feel if those families did to them as they are being done to. ~~BRO. PHELPS~~~ IF you are really a preacher, then you should know that the Bible says “Do unto one another, as you would have done unto you” If the public were to protest at your family’s funerals with signs stating “God Hates Bigots” and “Thank God For Dead Hypocrits”, how would you feel? Would you appreciate it——-Probably….that seems to be the type of people y’all are.