Massacre in CT

[stickmanmob]

So, the Westboro Baptist church is planning to portest the funerals of the young children kild in CT. They are a Christian religious group, so I was curious as to other peoples opinions on the topic.

[Darias]

The Westboro Baptist Church is perhaps the strongest argument for repealing the first amendment. I support free speech, too, but I think hate speech, bullying, and harassment speech should be illegal.

Well if they are on someones property, it's called criminal trespassing. You can't protest on private land.

However, nothing is worth compromising on the first amendment, especially this group. When laws are made concerning regulating hate speech -- who makes them? Either the tyranny of the majority or the government.

Speech that criticizes religion is already regarded as hate speech in countries that make such speech illegal.

If we start a new tradition of regulating free speech, can see easily see a future where a government labels criticism as criminal "hate speech."

However, If we start compromising on the first amendment today, I would face jail time for my posts I've made here. Because criticizing religion and talking about god or Christianity negatively could easily be considered "hate speech" by the "moral" majority.

Everyone has the right to say whatever they want, apart from speech that leads directly to violence or harm like shouting fire in a crowded theater.

No one has the right to not be offended. I'm offended by idiocy on a daily basis. If we're going to start outlawing speech, whether we find it detestable or not, then we're going to create martyrs for evil ideas and simultaneously withhold rights to future generations.

[Choir Loft]

The Westboro Baptist Church is perhaps the strongest argument for repealing the first amendment. I support free speech, too, but I think hate speech, bullying, and harassment speech should be illegal.

In many cases the accusation of 'hate speech' is merely a ruse to take away someone's rights.

Liberty is expensive. Those that founded this country did so at the cost of their lives, their families, their fortunes and their honor.

The concept of liberty is simple. Give your neighbor the same rights that you yourself demand. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

For when you begin to cry for the end of liberty for others you sow the seeds for tyranny that you and everyone you know will have to live with.

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than to those attending too small a degree of it."
- Thomas Jefferson

It is better to reason with one who offends you than to take chains and remove him from your sight. For the very chains you use to enslave your neighbor will enslave you.

Sow the wind and you will reap the whirlwind.
- the Bible

but that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...