Another First Amendment victory for funeral protesters

The three-judge U.S. Court of Appeals ruled last week that a Nebraska law keeping protesters 300 feet away from a memorial service was unconstitutional. The Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas has been picketing military funerals around the country contending that war deaths resulted from America’s growing acceptance of such activities as same-sex marriage. -db From [...]

The U.S. is alone among western democracies in protecting “hate speech.” Chalk it up to a healthy fear of government censorship.

BY PETER  SCHEER–An inebriated John Galliano, sitting in a Paris bar, unleashes an anti-semitic rant (“I love Hitler”) that is captured on a cellphone camera and posted on the internet. Within days the Dior designer is not only fired from his job, but is given a trial date to face criminal charges for his offensive [...]

Free speech: Supreme Court allows church protests at military funerals

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 [...]

Kansas woman wants to restrict mean postings on memorial websites

The Kansas City Star January 16, 2011 By Matt Campbell A woman from Overland Park, Kansas is promoting a federal law to keep people from posting cruel and tasteless comments on online memorials. The woman is aware of the First Amendment obstacles in getting such a law though Congress. -db

Supreme Court justices lean toward limiting free speech for personal, hurtful attacks

Two U.S. Supreme Court justices, both strong advocates for the First Amendment, said during a hearing of a case about protests at a Marine’s funeral that they thought people could be sued for outrageous personal attacks leading to speculation that the Court will establish a new limit to free speech. -db The Los Angeles Times [...]

Fall term: U.S. Supreme Court to consider two key First Amendment cases

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider this fall whether to extend the protection of the First Amendment to violent video games and protests at military funerals with the distinct possibility that the Court will extend protection as it did last term in striking down a federal law banning videos depicting violence against animals. -db First [...]

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

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 [...]

First Amendment cases: Supreme Court to hear Kansas case of protesters at military funeral

The Supreme Court will hear the case of a Marine father who sued protesters who picketed his son’s funeral with signs reading “God Hates You” land “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” The picketers were from a Baptist church that believes God hates homosexuality and is punishing the U.S. for tolerating it with the death of [...]