Funeral Protestors

      The most terrible event a parent could ever got through is the death of their child, and unfortunately,  America looses many of it's brave young soldiers each and everyday. With every death of a soldier comes the real life nightmare of every parent, and what could make their grieving process any worse than picketers at their child's funeral. An editorial article in the LA Times address the recent Supreme Court Case which ruled that members of the Westboro Baptist Church are protected under the first amendment to picked and protest at the funerals of US soldiers. The particular case that preceded this decision was that of a diseased US Marine's father, Matthew Snyder. He argued that the protesters signs displaying messages like "Thank God for 9/11" , "Don't Pray for the USA", and "Thank God for IEDs" were not only offensive for obvious reasons, but added a great amount of unnecessary grief to him and his family. The church members and their Pastor, Fred Phelps, claim that the reason God is killing US troops is because of the United States tolerance of gay rights and homosexual
activities.
       The author continues to explain that the Supreme Court ruled that under the first amendment the protesters have every right to be outside of the funerals. As long as the picketers are at least 1,000 feet away and are peaceful, they are exercising their American rights. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. explains that there was an eight to one majority on wether or not the protests are constitutional, and they did counter three argument against Phelps who was ordered to pay Snyder damages for "intentional infliction of emotional distress". The protesters were in their designated distance, the Snyders' couldn't read the signs from that distance, and none of the picketers entered the church or used any violence or profanity. The Chief Justice continues to argue that the protest was not intended to be a lash on that protocolar family or soldier, but is more of a message to a public issue. He quoted the 1989 Supreme Court case that decided that burning the American flag is constitutional, "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the first Amendment, it is the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable." This idea embodies that although people may not like the ideas portrayed but it is their rights as citizens to express them, and it is not the governments place to tell them they cannot do so.
       I feel that this situation is a very complex and dense one. It really bothers me that people could ever protest someone who lost their life to give them the very freedom that allows them to even practice their religion not to mention protest for it. I fully believe that the constitution protects this right and the Supreme Court decision was
the correct one, but that does not make it the right one. The law is sometimes too narrow and ambiguous and neglects special situations like these. I honestly cannot imagine blaming the deaths of our brave and beloved soldiers that are dying for no other reason that to protect our country for the imperfections of our society. If the people who protest are that desperate to look for someone to blame, I think that there are much larger problems in our society than homosexual tolerance. Overall I support our troops no matter how I feel about the war or reasons they are fighting. I am completely understanding to being against the war but I cannot fathom ever abandoning and demising our soldiers.