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Westboro Baptist Church

Government rights in limiting peaceful protesters

donal brown November 15, 2011

Local governments can legally regulate peaceful assembly by acting to curtail excessive noise, stop the blocking of pedestrian and automobile traffic, protect life and end destruction of property, writes Braden Goyette in ProPublica. No matter how repugnant the viewpoint, the government is restricted from stopping its expression, a principle upheld recently by the  U.S. Supreme Court in its decision to allow the Westboro Baptist Church to picket military funerals carrying anti-gay placards. -db From a

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Federal judge bags Michigan law limiting funeral protests

donal brown September 12, 2011

A federal judge ruled that Michigan’s law limiting funeral protests was unconstitutional in prohibiting conduct that would “adversely affect” a funeral. The judge said the law violated the First Amendment and was unconstitutionally vague. The ACLU sued on behalf of an army veteran and his wife arrested for displaying signs and bumper stickers critical of then President George W. Bush while riding in a 2007 funeral procession of a friend killed in Iraq. -db From

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Free speech: Supreme Court allows church protests at military funerals

donal brown March 2, 2011

In an 8-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that hurtful public speech in protests at a military funeral was protected by the First Amendment. Followers of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas had picketed the funeral of a Marine who died in combat in Iraq with signs that read “America is Doomed” and “God Hates Fags.” The church members believe God is punishing American for its pro-gay bias. The decision written by Chief

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Law review publishes articles on lawsuit over religious group’s picketing of soldier’s funeral

donal brown September 23, 2010

The Cardozo Law Review de•novo has published a number of scholarly articles analyzing Snyder v. Phelps, a potentially momentous case up for hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court in October. -db Cardozo Law Review de•novo September 2010 Funerals, Fire, and Brimstone Albert Snyder won a jury verdict and a substantial monetary judgment against the Westboro Baptist Church after they protested at his son’s funeral. The Fourth Circuit reversed. When the Supreme Court hears Snyder v.

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Federal court overturns Neb. law on flag desecration

FAC September 3, 2010

A federal judge overturned Nebraska’s ban on flag mutilation yesterday, clearing the way for Kansas protesters to continue trampling on the U.S. flag when they protest at military funerals. September 3, 2010 By The Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. — The ruling from U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf said the law can’t be applied as long as Megan Phelps-Roper and fellow members of the Westboro Baptist Church “otherwise act peacefully while desecrating the American or Nebraska

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