"Religious fundamentalism, regardless of the form it takes, decimates individual liberties, assaults the foundations of our society and threatens the country I love."Now a lawsuit against Phelps and his relatives, radical fundamentalist Christians who protest at the funerals of our nation's war dead, has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The question before the court is whether there are limits on the First Amendment's protection of free speech, including vulgar, offensive and shocking speech.
I want to be crystal-clear here: I abhor Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church and everything they stand for. If I'm ever at a military funeral and God's Assholes do anything to desecrate our heroes' sacrifices, I'll join other honorable Americans in taking lawful action to prevent them from adding to a grieving family's pain.The constitutional principle at issue, however, stands on the side of the Westboro Baptist Church. In this citizen's opinion, the First Amendment doesn't permit me to silence another citizen's speech simply because it offends me.
If the Supreme Court were to rule otherwise, it might support our sensibilities but it'd be a huge blow to our liberties.
