Supreme Court torn over speech rights, private rites
A
family's right to privacy for the funeral of a slain marine clashed
with a small church's right to preach its antigay gospel in a case
argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on October 6. Despite religion's
prominent role in the dispute, however, the justices seemed most
interested in, and perplexed by, the limits of another freedom
guaranteed by the First Amendment: free speech.
Westboro Baptist
Church, an independent congregation with about 50 members based in
Topeka, Kansas, has picketed nearly 200 military funerals in recent
years with signs like "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "You're Going to
Hell" and "God Hates Fags."
Founded in 1955 by Fred Phelps and
composed mostly of his relatives, Westboro Baptist Church believes that
God is punishing America for its tolerance of homosexuality by killing
U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
