Should freedom of speech allow this?

[ducknwork]

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/articl...ts-ok/19389387

This really infuriates me. Let me tell you something right now...If there had been some of these idiots around when we buried my grandpa, they would have grounds for a countersuit against me for whipping every damn one of their sorry @sses.

Rant aside, should these protests be allowed by law? What should the SCOTUS decide in this case? What is your opinion?

[BonMallari]

As much as I detest what they are doing, the freedom of speech was designed to protect dissenting opinions....no matter how sick or depraved or vile it may be

[YardleyLabs]

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/articl...ts-ok/19389387

This really infuriates me. Let me tell you something right now...If there had been some of these idiots around when we buried my grandpa, they would have grounds for a countersuit against me for whipping every damn one of their sorry @sses.

Rant aside, should these protests be allowed by law? What should the SCOTUS decide in this case? What is your opinion?

Actually, the question is easierr to answer when you state it in terms of making such protests illegal. I believe that the government should not limit protests on public issues unless it is under some uniform standard for judging whether those activities present safety issues unrelated to content. That is, if you would prevent people from gathering to praise the heroism of a soldier that died in action because of traffic safety concerns, you should deny these idiots the right to gather for the same reasons. However, if you permit the activities of which you approve, you also need to permit those of which you disapprove. The private damage issue is much more interesting. To make a finding for damage, you would first need to establish that there was a legal entitlement to conduct the funeral without disturbance. That opens a whole chain of possibilities. For example, what if the funeral is held near a construction site? Do construction activities need to be curbed to avoid interference? What if grave diggers are on strike to protest policies at the graveyard. Does picketing have to cease during funerals? Finally, as with public action, is the interference defined objectively by the activities being performed (yelling, carrying posters, etc.), or by the agreement or disagreement of the "injured" parties with the content of the activities (being offended by negative messages vs. being comforted by supportive ones).

[road kill]

Actually, the question is easierr to answer when you state it in terms of making such protests illegal. I believe that the government should not limit protests on public issues unless it is under some uniform standard for judging whether those activities present safety issues unrelated to content. That is, if you would prevent people from gathering to praise the heroism of a soldier that died in action because of traffic safety concerns, you should deny these idiots the right to gather for the same reasons. However, if you permit the activities of which you approve, you also need to permit those of which you disapprove. The private damage issue is much more interesting. To make a finding for damage, you would first need to establish that there was a legal entitlement to conduct the funeral without disturbance. That opens a whole chain of possibilities. For example, what if the funeral is held near a construction site? Do construction activities need to be curbed to avoid interference? What if grave diggers are on strike to protest policies at the graveyard. Does picketing have to cease during funerals? Finally, as with public action, is the interference defined objectively by the activities being performed (yelling, carrying posters, etc.), or by the agreement or disagreement of the "injured" parties with the content of the activities (being offended by negative messages vs. being comforted by supportive ones).

There is a time & a place for everything.

WTH happened to common sense?

Can the KKK demonstrate at MLK's funeral??


Man, we have some SERIOUS BONG issues around here.

Upside.......if that happens when I'm around you won't be having to read anything by me anymore because someone will go to the hospital and someone will go to jail, whichever one I am you can count on it happening!!



rk

[YardleyLabs]

There is a time & a place for everything.

WTH happened to common sense?

Can the KKK demonstrate at MLK's funeral??


Man, we have some SERIOUS BONG issues around here.

Upside.......if that happens when I'm around you won't be having to read anything by me anymore because someone will go to the hospital and someone will go to jail, whichever one I am you can count on it happening!!



rk

Actually, I would say that from a governmental perspective that the KKK would have the right to demonstrate at MLK's funeral. The common sense perspective would be that other members of the crowd would be likely to kill them and if I were a cop I would do nothing to prevent it. Around here, some of the biker groups routinely provide "protection" during military funerals to prevent interference by these religious kooks.

[road kill]

Actually, I would say that from a governmental perspective that the KKK would have the right to demonstrate at MLK's funeral. The common sense perspective would be that other members of the crowd would be likely to kill them and if I were a cop I would do nothing to prevent it. Around here, some of the biker groups routinely provide "protection" during military funerals to prevent interference by these religious kooks.

I think a funeral is a pretty private time.
Especially one who gave his/her life in service to the country that offers and protects ones right to dissent.

Wouldn't that energy be better spent with those that ordered the soldier to war than the warrior??

Rhetorical question.

BTW---I have ridden in 2 of those processions for young Marines who gave all and I have ridden to the "Wall" twice.
No protesters were seen!!



rk

[ducknwork]

Can the KKK demonstrate at MLK's funeral??

Freedom of speech would say yes, but we all know how anything white vs. black works out in this country.

[kb27_99]

To bad a semi couldnt have went off course huh.

[dnf777]

Whether or not they have a valid concern....whether or not they have a legal right.....its in very poor taste, and common decency would say this isn't right. Kind of like farting in church. People who would do such a thing are more concerned with generating publicity, than forwarding their belief. We shouldn't give them bandwidth.....its what they're after.