Tempting as it might be, you cannot use violence against peaceful demonstrators. We are a democracy after all...

I view this issue like a view the flag burning one. I believe in a strict interpretation of the 1st Amendment, that includes Offensive free speech. The constitution was written to protect the rights of self-centered whackjobs regardless of their cause from radical Maxists on the left to Neo-Nazis on the right.

While I oppose an outright ban, I DO think their should be certain restrictions so that these nutcases cannot actually interfere or disrupt the service, keeping them at a certain distance for example...

Also I think ALL funerals (not just military) should be protected, so for example people attending the service of someone who died from AIDS doesnt get the Christian Fundimentalists chanting "F*** Burn in hell!' during the wake.

Oh, and to anyone who is about to paint me with the American unpatriotic brush, my objection is strictly constitutional you'd never see me protesting a funeral, not even at a Neocons...

I've never seen an attitude that a butt stroke to the jaw couldn't adjust.

Originally Posted by Missileer

I've never seen an attitude that a butt stroke to the jaw couldn't adjust.

You know Missiler, not too long ago you accused me of whitewashing the Saddam Hussein Regime, but that is EXACTLY the type of tactic Saddam would have used to silence any protester. Doesn't that seem just slightly hypocritical to you?

Originally Posted by mmarsh

Tempting as it might be, you cannot use violence against peaceful demonstrators. We are a democracy after all...

I view this issue like a view the flag burning one. I believe in a strict interpretation of the 1st Amendment, that includes Offensive free speech. The constitution was written to protect the rights of self-centered whackjobs regardless of their cause from radical Maxists on the left to Neo-Nazis on the right.

While I oppose an outright ban, I DO think their should be certain restrictions so that these nutcases cannot actually interfere or disrupt the service, keeping them at a certain distance for example...

Also I think ALL funerals (not just military) should be protected, so for example people attending the service of someone who died from AIDS doesnt get the Christian Fundimentalists chanting "F*** Burn in hell!' during the wake.

Oh, and to anyone who is about to paint me with the American unpatriotic brush, my objection is strictly constitutional you'd never see me protesting a funeral, not even at a Neocons...

well said. It's good to see a fellow Constitutionalist

While I think banning protest at funerals would be a violation of the first amendment, I wouldnt mind seeing some kind of law banning protest on burial grounds all together. So that encompeses it all without saying you cant protest a funeral, you just cant protest a funeral in a grave yard(or other burial ground).

Good for SD for finally putting a stop to this crap.

Does anyone have a link to the actual laws that are or will be enacted? I will research further when I get to work.

See, I believe that physical abuse and mental/verbal abuse should have the same punishments and therefore if someone wants to express their discontent verbally than another person should be able to counter protest their discontent physically. Person A (5'2" 120 lbs) uses his advantage of having wasted X numbers of years going to college which ultimately proves that he can sit still for 50 minutes at a time and little else, to heckle Person B. Person B (6'4" 240 lbs.) uses his advantage of 1'2" and 120 lbs. to remind Person A that he needs to shut his mouth every now and then.

And this is why I feel this way.

Husband and wife, not so happily married for 13 years, the wife spends the last five years of their marriage yelling at her husband, husband hits her once because after so many years he is sick of her ****. Husband is sent to jail fro domestic assault, couple gets divorced, wife gets everything, the house, the dog, you name it.

Sorry, but in a situation like that I feel that the husband had every right to do what he did and if a protestor or some idiot is yelling at someone twice their size and calling them an idiot for their beliefs they should know that yes, there is a good chance they will get knocked out. But hey, that's just how I feel, when I become President I will see to it that those things are fixed, someday....

Originally Posted by mmarsh

Tempting as it might be, you cannot use violence against peaceful demonstrators. We are a democracy after all...

I view this issue like a view the flag burning one. I believe in a strict interpretation of the 1st Amendment, that includes Offensive free speech. The constitution was written to protect the rights of self-centered whackjobs regardless of their cause from radical Maxists on the left to Neo-Nazis on the right.

While I oppose an outright ban, I DO think their should be certain restrictions so that these nutcases cannot actually interfere or disrupt the service, keeping them at a certain distance for example...

Also I think ALL funerals (not just military) should be protected, so for example people attending the service of someone who died from AIDS doesnt get the Christian Fundimentalists chanting "F*** Burn in hell!' during the wake.

Oh, and to anyone who is about to paint me with the American unpatriotic brush, my objection is strictly constitutional you'd never see me protesting a funeral, not even at a Neocons...

..The new law bans protests within 1,000 feet of a funeral, memorial service, burial, or other ceremony from one hour before the service until one hour after the service...

It doesn't restrict it to just military services. It is not telling them they can not picket or gather or otherwise cause a nuisance of themselves. It just says they can not do it for a certain amount of time in a certain place. Much like city ordnaces involving curfews for minors and noise etc.

Originally Posted by Marinerhodes

Does anyone have a link to the actual laws that are or will be enacted? I will research further when I get to work.

An update on the funeral protest bans.

Kan. House Passes Funeral Picketing Bill

On Wednesday, Shirley Phelps-Roper, Phelps' daughter, promised a lawsuit over the 300-yard restriction.


"The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken on this issue, and they can't put us out of sight and sound of our targeted audience," she said. "If they don't like what they see, they need to drink a frosty mug of shut-the-hell-up and avert their eyes."

Ain't she sweet? A real paragon of love and kindness.