OUR LATEST ISSUE
Gay News: The US Supreme Court has said that an anti-gay church can continue to picket military funerals with signs reading "God hates fags"
The Church blames war on gays
Church allowed to preach hatred
3 March 2011
The Court ruled by a majority of 8 – 1 that members of the
The case was brought by Alan Snyder, the father of Lance-Corporal Matthew Snyder, who was killed in
At his son’s funeral, members of the Church attended carrying placards bearing the slogans “Thank God for dead soldiers” and “God hates the
In his ruling Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged that, although the Church’s actions were hurtful, the First Amendment guaranteed them the right to express such opinions.
He said: “Because this nation has chosen to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that public debate is not stifled. Westboro must be shielded from tort liability for its picketing in this case…
“Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow and – as it did here – inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker.”
Samuel Alito, the one member of the Supreme Court who did not vote in favour of Westboro, said: “Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a licence for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case.”
The
They routinely picket military and high-profile funerals, blaming military deaths on the public acceptance of homosexuality and carrying banners proclaiming “God hates fags”.
They are also anti-Semitic, anti-Chinese and anti-Catholic and believe that Barack Obama is the Antichrist.
In 2009 Phelps was barred by the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith from entering the
