"Thank god for dead soldiers"

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A church whose members cheered a soldier's death as "punishment" for US tolerance of homosexuality has been told to pay $10.9m (£5.2m) in damages.

The Westboro Baptist Church was taken to court by the father of Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder, a marine who died serving in Iraq in March 2006.

The church cited its constitutional right to free speech in its defence.

But Albert Snyder's lawyer urged the jury to ensure the damages were high enough to stop the church campaigning.

Members of the church - based in Topeka, Kansas - have denounced homosexuality for years, initially targeting the funerals of Aids victims.

But they later extended their pickets to the funerals of soldiers, who they say are being punished by God because of America's tolerance of homosexuality.

Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again
Craig Trebilcock
Attorney for Albert Snyder

Louis Theroux on the most hated family in US

Last year they caused outrage when they attended the funeral of Matthew Snyder with signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "You're going to hell".

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Have seen these idiots in action many times. They have no clue or decency. Possibly the worst thing to ever come out of Kansas.
Shoulda been $100 million.

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gee, and they say love is weak.

that's a hell of a lot weaker, whatever it is.

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That Westboro Baptist Church is an abomination.

It's got that website "godhatesfags"....

I believe they were the ones that built that plaque about the gay boy that got tied to a fence and beaten and left for dead in the middle of winter. Said something like "on this day so and so started his first day for all eternity in hell" paraphrasing, these people don't deserve my time to look it up.

On a thread in the past, it was brought up that people like these are best ignored.

I'm glad they got sued and lost.

Standing there saying they are just practicing their freedom of religion...makes my blood boil.

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BALTIMORE -- Leading constitutional scholars say the multimillion-dollar award this week to the father of a Marine killed in Iraq is likely to be overturned because the church members who protested his son's funeral enjoy broad protection under the 1st Amendment.

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dys- I am of two minds on this one. Personally, I think what those people are doing is an abomination. If I had my druthers, I would wring their necks.

Problem is, that under our Constitution, people are entitled to espouse unpopular ideas, no matter how obnoxious. So I think that the Constitutional scholars are right. To start chipping away at that right, would be doing Americans a grave disservice, in the long view.

Just wonder if those idiots who protest could be jailed for disturbing the peace, or some such thing.

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Hardcore fundamentalists never get it. Punishment only hardens their resolve to be full blown idiots.

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sad but true.

however, if I was the mother of a killed soldier, at least I'd feel like I did something.

The poor family, my sympathies go out to them.

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Rockhead wrote:

Have seen these idiots in action many times. They have no clue or decency.

U don 't have to have a clue, nor to be decent
to have First Amendment protection,
any more than Second Amendment protection.

The only function of either of those amendments
to the Supreme Law of the Land
is to expressly deny government any authority
to legislate in those areas.
David

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Ask them to a funeral in your neighborhood, and then tell me about their rights.

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Rockhead wrote:

Ask them to a funeral in your neighborhood, and
then tell me about their rights.

Emoting changes nothing, Rockhead.

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And what are they changing by mocking and defaming the dead and mourning?

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Thay r changing nothing;
just wasting time, making fools of themselves n being mildly annoying.

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mildly... from a distance maybe, like viewing a waste dump from an airplane, where you don't smell the garbage.

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True.
That 's a good way to put it.

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"Thank god for dead soldiers"

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