Apparently the American public believes in superstitions that are no less primitive than those of natives living in the rainforest or suicide bombers of radical Islamic sects. Members of a Midwest Baptist church claim that U.S. service men are dying overseas “..in divine retribution for American decadence and tolerance of homosexuality.” Now, I don’t have a problem with the Supreme Court defending their right to free speech. What bothers me is when Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. goes on to imply that their beliefs represent those of American society. According to Roberts: “The content of Westboro’s signs plainly relates to broad issues of interest to society at large regarding the moral conduct of the United States and its citizens, and the fate of our nation.” In addition, he says their beliefs “reflect matters of public import” [link]. Now if I’m to believe what I’m hearing from the highest-ranking justice in the land, then Americans are indeed a superstitious group of people. “Thank God for IEDs ..Thank God for dead soldiers” .. (!?) Forget federal funding for schools. No amount of education in the world is going to counter that type of savage thinking.
2 comments:
Freedom of speech, or not, I think there should be exception to those who interfere with another's grieving process. It's a level of disrespect that should not be allowed, I don't care who they are. This same group threatened to be present at a local funeral, here in my home town... luckily, they did not show but, had they, there were plenty of folks who would not have stood for it... in other words, it would not have been pretty. Given that we are all a part of the whole, I would have to question the judge who would use his office to suggest that this group represents anything, beyond hatred.. it certainly does not represent us, as a whole. Religion separates people, instead of bringing them together. I recently had a co-worker separate me... from them... because I "don't believe like" they do... sad...
I agree, freedom of speech ends at the sovereignty of another’s privacy. I think they should at least be sued for slander and breach of sovereignty. Heckling at a public speech may be rude ..but it’s a public forum. To suggest this was a matter of public import was not only wrong ..it made me shudder.
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