This article talks about the Phelps' family, who practically make up the members of the Westboro Baptist Church. They picket the funerals of dead soldiers with signs that say things such as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and have made many controversial stands. (As shown in the picture above with Fred Phelps). They have been at the "heart of decades of local debate about the proper limits of the First Amendment when speech is meant to be as purposefully inflammatory as it is here."
The Phelps' and the Westboro Baptist Church believe "the acceptance of homosexuality has doomed America."
"Fred W. Phelps, whose operation is at the center of the case before the highest court now, arrived [in Topeka] a half-century ago to work as a preacher for a local Baptist church. Now a self-described prophet of God’s wrath, Mr. Phelps has solicited outrage with his venomous protesting at military funerals all over the country — including the burial of a young Marine in Maryland that prompted the case before the Supreme Court — as well as burning the Koran and enlisting his grandchildren to stomp on the American flag."
This situation definitely makes you wonder exactly how far our freedom of speech should be able to go. Yes, it is a right as an American, however, doesn't this seem to be taking the right a little too far? When you're inflicting pain on other people (although it is not physical), isn't there some point where the line needs to be drawn? I think so. Surrounding a funeral of a loved one with hate signs, is disrespectful, insensitive, disgusting, and just rude. I honestly can't believe how some people are these days. Where is the respect?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/us/10kansas.html?pagewanted=2
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