Holmes deserves to burn in a level of hell below that of bank ceos and sex offenders for the ruling that quote comes from.

The "yelling fire" ruling was in a case where someone was handing out leaflets advocating for fire code improvements, on a city side walk, across the street from a theatre that was not safely built. The theatre's owners took exception to that and rather than to improve their building to make it safe in the event of fire they had the protesters arrested by claiming [lying] that they were inciting panic.

The court ruled in favor of the business owners. Like they did almost every time a business in Victorian America trampled on the civil liberties of an individual. Remember this was when American big businesses could freely use mercenaries to gun down unarmed labor protesters.

i didn't know the meaning behind it, but I think regardless of the original use (which was horrible by reading that) the meaning behind it, to me, is the same. A person should not use the right of speech to create a place where people cannot assemble in peace. Not saying that people don't (Obviously they do) just that people should really THINK before they act or speak.

Then again, you have people who simply do not care about the rights and feelings of others and will do and say what they when when they want with little to no care of the people around them.

Just read that Westboro is planning to picket Elizabeth Taylor's funeral. As high security as I image that would be, I hope they get carted off to jail for resisting the cops!!! So sad! Liz did so much for others, and this is how it is repaid! I'm sure she did a world of more toward good out of compassion and giving of herself than these people claiming themselves to be God's people!

If I believed in an afterlife, I could easily imagine Liz Taylor languidly observing her earthly funeral proceedings from the fluffy comfort of a cumulus cloud. The WBC protestors look up by chance, and suddenly find themselves drenched in a golden spring shower. Except... That wasn't rain that sprayed down on them...

-- Nephele

I just took some small satisfaction from this idea.

I think if these people got carried out into the night by Charles Manson and his Crew of crazy fuck heads... I just might laugh a little...

This is priceless:

http://www.retirelikeme.com/2011/04/21/ ... ist-plans/

Yes, Midi PM'ed me a different link about this story -- it was a very enjoyable read.

I do take exception, though, with the author of this piece not only calling Phelps a "Democrat activist," but also with the author's ridiculous "update."

What the author fails to mention in his "update," is that Phelps ran for various offices (never getting actually elected) on the Democratic ticket before his "church" started picketing funerals. This was back in the day when Phelps (incredibly) was actually an active civil rights attorney, defending African Americans in discrimination cases. Before Phelps went batshit crazy with his Westboro Baptist Church. Today, Phelps would never receive Democratic party endorsement for any public office.

Additionally, the author talks about Phelps having been "closely associated with Al Gore for years," while completely neglecting to mention that for years afterwards Phelps and his "church" have been attacking Gore (and the Democratic party). In fact, in 1998 the Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funeral of Gore's father.

Phelps is a hate activist, plain and simple.

To quote one person who left a comment on the site: "What does being a Democrat have to do with anything here?"

-- Nephele

I saw this when it was going through made me so angry. It wouldn't happen here. The public would fight back and make their voices (and fists) known. I wouldn't hold my temper If someone had protested my mates funeral. They would of been crushed by the crowds of mourners who turned out for him. Thousands upon thousands turned out for liam and he well deserved every tear that was shed for him. A year younger then me died saving someone else. A real hero and that's why i support help for heroes!

I was extremely glad to hear about what that town did to Westboro. More need to do that exact thing.

It seems counter productive but this talking point came up in my politics class. Hate speech is actually the most protected form of speech under the constitution, seems odd but it's true. This ruling proves it.

I don't think hate speech should be protected at all. The only person's rights I'm interested in are my own, I will not defend anyone's rights to the death but my own.

I would die for my rights and anyone else's for that matter... but what I would like to know is, why are these people filled under 501(c)3? (This is not-for-profit status)... In other words, THEY DONT PAY TAXES!

This is like finding out that the KKK is having a cake drive to raise money and awareness how Africans needing to get shipped back to Africa and how the streets need to be all white...

I think if we have to put up with their shit, we should at least be benefitting from it, some how...

WBBC = a bunch ignorant zealots with to much money and time on their hands... Tax em...

There is nothing that they do that we could possibly benefit from. I do agree that they should pay taxes.

The Westboro Baptist Church is tax-exempt because they are a religious organization.

Maybe what we should be questioning is not so much why the WBC should get out of paying taxes, but why should any religious organization in this nation get out of paying taxes?

-- Nephele