WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Supreme Court has upheld a decision to allow The Westboro Baptist Church to make anti-gay protests at military funerals, with a majority vote of 8-1. The court found that the church members should be allowed to picket funerals by relying on their First Amendment rights to free speech.
The court declared that the protesters’ controversial signs that read “God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11,” “America is Doomed,” “Thank God for IEDs” and “God Hates Fags,” constituted lawful and peaceful commentary on political issues under First Amendment legal precedent.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: “Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and, as it did here, inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a Nation we have chosen a different course, to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate. That choice requires that we shield Westboro from tort liability for its picketing in this case.”
The case was originally brought by the parents of Matthew Snyder, a Marine who died in Iraq in 2006 when Westboro Baptist Church protested outside the church where Snyder’s funeral was to be held.
Matthew Snyder’s father was originally awarded compensation of $11 million. This was reduced to $5 million, before the award was annulled altogether because of the church’s constitutional right to voice its conviction.
The church believes that God is punishing America for tolerating homosexuality by killing soldiers in conflict situations.
