Filthpig Fred Phelps and his gang of funeral-picketing ghouls have been ordered to pay the family of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, killed in Iraq, nearly $11 million in damages as a result of a lawsuit brought by the slain veteran's father.
Naturally, they will appeal, as the judge in the case fully (and, one assumes, cheerfully) admits that the award "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants." Hell, that would be the case if Snyder's family had been awarded a sack full of cat turds. Still, there are two ways to deal with Phelps and his disciples, it seems. Either walk up to them when they're at their next picket and shoot each of them in the head (which, I suspect, would be frowned upon as overdoing it even by everyone who doesn't like them), or keep bleeding them white with these suits until they can't even afford to keep a vehicle to drive them all to their latest hate rally. Yeah yeah, free speech, whatever. If it's their free speech to be dispicable swine, then I say it's everyone else's to counter them however they see fit. Remember, this kind of thing — hate speech, I mean — doesn't so much take place in a "marketplace" of ideas as in a boxing ring. Phelps is free to don his gloves and jump in for a few rounds. But he shouldn't snivel and whine if he gets TKO'd.
Let's hope the appellate court has the decency to uphold the award, and isn't swayed by the "but it's our religion!" argument to rationalize antisocial behavior intentionally designed to inflict pain and suffering.
I'm happy to see them on hard times, but I get real anxious whenever free speech is abridged...
ReplyDeleteWell, remember, First Amendment notwithstanding, there are such things under the law as harmful speech that can be sanctioned. Libel and slander, for instance, as well as perjury. In this case, I think it was determined that, far from being an innocent protest, the Westboro protesters intended to disrupt the funeral and cause emotional suffering to the mourners. I guess it gets down to the age-old issue of whether "free speech" allows you to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater. There's such a thing as voicing unpopular opinions, and then there's intentionally inciting harm. There are many grey areas that distinction can cover, it's true, but I don't think anyone can say with any honesty that there was the simple exercise of free speech in the "minds" of the Westboro thugs when they set out to target funerals.
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent news! I love to hear about idiots getting punished for doing stupid crap.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that annoys me about the idea of suing the Phelps clan is the knowledge that there are so many friggin' lawyers in that family. Old Fred is lawyered up! And, since they're family/church members, I'm sure they don't collect a fee. Beside the filing fees and routing court expenses, it probably doesn't hit their bank accounts really hard. I read somewhere that they always leave one of the lawyers at home on any picket so that they will have an uninvolved party to represent them in court. Bastards.
ReplyDeleteI hate violence and I don't think anyone should do anything to the Phelps when they have their children around (which is ALWAYS because they're assholes and they drag their kids to protect themselves - I think)...but, I wouldn't mind seeing one of them get "accidently" hit by a car. Or, see one of them get accidently nudged by a big biker dude who happens to be an attorney. ;)
Well, p-momma, remember, having a bunch of lawyers in the family didn't save them from this judgment. And ol' Fred got his ass disbarred years ago. Everyone knows the Westboro schtick is to try to get sued, to try to make easy money by claiming free speech infringement or religious rights trampling or some other bogus nonsense. Backfired on them big time here, though.
ReplyDeleteThis is great news. I hope it sends a message out to the other crazy bastards out there who think this world is without consequence in this life.
ReplyDeleteThese assholes will probably revel in the monetary suffering that comes with Christian persecution... meh, as long as it is suffering they endure.
I don't feel guilty for hating these kooks. I'd rather spend a day with Hannibal the cannibal than these grinning freak jobs.