The KKK: Harassment or protected speech?

Or the Westboro Baptist Church, as you like.

There does exist such a thing as "hate speech", as everyone knows. According to some courts, Klan fliers or Westboro picketing is protected speech.

I'm pretty torn on the issue myself.. While protection of speech IS important, there's often context of where and who these people choose to express themselves in front of.

A child's funeral, for example. Is it "really" necessary to disrupt a funeral to express yourself? Personally, I don't even care what the topic is, it could be any sort of picket.. It's only common decency to allow a family space to bury their loved ones and grieve..

I know there's a distance level they have to be for funerals. Maybe there could be something added like a noise complaint similar to a next door neighbor blasting music in the middle of the night?

i like the canadian option

Technically any speech that isn't threatening violence is protected. Of course you shouldn't be pulling these kind of stunts at funerals. But then what do you expect from religious whack jobs?

Originally posted by Surtur
Technically any speech that isn't threatening violence is protected. Of course you shouldn't be pulling these kind of stunts at funerals. But then what do you expect from religious whack jobs?

Indeed. This right, here.

Saw some Westboro Baptist peeps protesting the fallen soldier of a friend's family when I went. I had this shitty urge to beat the shit out of them because of what they were yelling and the signs they were holding. I say "shitty" because reacting like an animal to trolls is exactly what they want.

But...daaaamn, it would have felt good to bury my fist into the faces of several of those adults who encouraged and brainwashed their children to do that stupid shit. But you have to be better than that.

Originally posted by dadudemon
Indeed. This right, here.

Saw some Westboro Baptist peeps protesting the fallen soldier of a friend's family when I went. I had this shitty urge to beat the shit out of them because of what they were yelling and the signs they were holding. I say "shitty" because reacting like an animal to trolls is exactly what they want.

But...daaaamn, it would have felt good to bury my fist into the faces of several of those adults who encouraged and brainwashed their children to do that stupid shit. But you have to be better than that.

Just remember to laugh at the fact that if the fairy tales these people believe in are true....there is probably some horrible fate awaiting these people in the after life lol.

Originally posted by cdtm
Or the Westboro Baptist Church, as you like.

There does exist such a thing as "hate speech", as everyone knows. According to some courts, Klan fliers or Westboro picketing is protected speech.

I'm pretty torn on the issue myself.. While protection of speech IS important, there's often context of where and who these people choose to express themselves in front of.

A child's funeral, for example. Is it "really" necessary to disrupt a funeral to express yourself? Personally, I don't even care what the topic is, it could be any sort of picket.. It's only common decency to allow a family space to bury their loved ones and grieve..

'You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have. The facts of life, the facts of life.' -John Adams

ie Freedom of Speech means we accept that we're going to hear comments and opinions we disagree with, be it the Westboro family, KKK, Alt-Right/Trumpers, ISIS supporters etc. It's a fair trade-off; censorship is rarely a good thing.

Bingo, censorship is rarely a good thing. Whether it is Westboro, KKK, Alt Right/Trumpers, ISIS supporters, Lunatic Leftists and Antifa, etc.

Agreed. What are your thoughts on something akin to noise complaints for funerals though? Not saying I support it just an idea I’ve been throwing around in my head.

If that was to me: We have restrictions everyday in life, so I see no real problem with having reasonable barriers, eg if Westboro wants to protest the funeral of a soldier, gay person or gay solider, they can, but the cemetery has the right to restrict them entrance, so they can do it outside the cemetery on the public road or sidewalk

Originally posted by Robtard
If that was to me: We have restrictions everyday in life, so I see no real problem with having reasonable barriers, eg if Westboro wants to protest the funeral of a soldier, gay person or gay solider, they can, but the cemetery has the right to restrict them entrance, so they can do it outside the cemetery on the public road or sidewalk

Originally posted by dadudemon
Indeed. This right, here.

Saw some Westboro Baptist peeps protesting the fallen soldier of a friend's family when I went. I had this shitty urge to beat the shit out of them because of what they were yelling and the signs they were holding. I say "shitty" because reacting like an animal to trolls is exactly what they want.

But...daaaamn, it would have felt good to bury my fist into the faces of several of those adults who encouraged and brainwashed their children to do that stupid shit. But you have to be better than that.

It takes a special kind of scumbag to try and provoke someone to that point, so they can sue them.

Which is supposedly their game. Many of Westboro are lawyers, and anything they earn by other means is tax deductible as church donations..

Compensation won form injuries sustained due to litigation is many a time tax free. If not always.

eg You get run over by a UPS driver, you sue UPS' insurance holder for injuries sustained/pain-and-suffering (your age will be a factor) and settle for say 2.75million, that's 100% tax free. Your lawyer will take his/her standard 33.33% (unless you agreed to a lower rate), but that's the cost of legal fees.

Originally posted by dadudemon
Indeed. This right, here.

Saw some Westboro Baptist peeps protesting the fallen soldier of a friend's family when I went. I had this shitty urge to beat the shit out of them because of what they were yelling and the signs they were holding. I say "shitty" because reacting like an animal to trolls is exactly what they want.

But...daaaamn, it would have felt good to bury my fist into the faces of several of those adults who encouraged and brainwashed their children to do that stupid shit. But you have to be better than that.

Indeed, you idiot, you should have had the urge to shoot them like a good, intellectual American citizen.

Originally posted by BackFire
Indeed, you idiot, you should have had the urge to shoot them like a good, intellectual American citizen.