Thursday, March 3, 2011

Freedom of Speech

You may have heard that the Supreme Court ruled yesterday in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church and supported their right to torment the families of our fallen Soldiers at their funerals. I have stood face to face with these people and I know how vile and vapid they can be.  Be that as it may, I admit that I'm really torn on this one.  While I find the Westboro actions repugnant, I believe in the Constitution and I do not subscribe to the theory that the framers couldn't foresee the situations we face today and we therefore need to alter the basic tenants of the Constitution itself.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has spoken and freedom of speech has been protected.  While the Westboro people celebrate, they need to remember two things:
  1. That freedom goes both ways.
  2. There are people out there who will now feel pre-vindicated in their right to take matters in their own hands in terms of silencing the Westboro clan.
I documented my first and other encounters with the Westboro clan as a member of the Patriot Guard Riders back in 2006. Read about it here.