The Supreme Court began the new session this week hearing testimony from one of the most highly controversial issues in the past several years: Westboro Church’s “Christian” antics of protesting at military funerals. Albert Snyder sued the parishioners of Westboro Church when they protested his son’s funeral. He wanted to give his son a proper, private burial and felt with the protesting taking place, it made that nearly “impossible”.
Let me say before I continue that I am a Christian. I do not believe that anyone who comes from a Christian church protesting at funerals, military or otherwise, are true Christians. As Christians, we are called to make disciples of all nations and the way these people are behaving not only cause people who may possibly look at them as ways that Christians typically react and refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior based on the actions they are showing at these funerals, but also offends Christians like myself. No one living on this Earth today knows exactly why there is so much suffering in the world. We can only speculate. But those who attend Westboro Church believe that God is punishing the U.S. for accepting the homosexual lifestyle and allowing gay men and women in our military. That is the most absurd speculation I’ve ever heard.
Back to the Supreme Court. Westboro Church believes that it’s their First Amendment right to protest at military funerals. I believe in our Constitution. It’s the foundation to what makes the U.S.A. such a great nation. We have rights and freedoms based on this document. Freedoms that the very people who are being buried have died for and members of Westboro Church are protesting. I don’t know if the Supreme Court considers the church members actions as being hate speech, but I certainly do and so do many people who I have talked to about this. Who in their right mind would protest at a funeral holding signs that say, “God Hates Fags” or “Thank God For Dead Soldiers” if there wasn’t hate in their heart. An issue that the Supreme Court seems to have is that Mr. Snyder’s son or Mr. Snyder’s family wasn’t singled out during the protest, but Mr. Snyder’s son, Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was singled out in a web post on Westboro Church’s website. Justice Scalia made a comment that the web posting had nothing to do with the funeral. The actual protest itself was a protest in generality. They didn’t hold a sign that said “Thank God Mr. Snyder’s Son Is Dead”. It’s my opinion that those from Westboro Church are clearly taking part in hate speech. Isn’t it only right that when hate speech is made during a private forum, even if it’s on public property, that those who are participating in hate speech should be prosecuted for spewing hate? Isn’t this what members of Westboro Church are doing? Spewing hate?
At the time I’m writing this blog, it appears that the Supreme Court will side with Westboro Church even though a couple of Justices seem to be siding with Mr. Snyder. A decision will most likely not be made until next year. Until then, I suppose Westboro Church “Christians” will continue protesting at funerals of those who have died so they can be free to protest.
