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October 28, 2005
Remember Robinson's Suggestion?
From the Wichita Eagle on Oct. 27:
"A new Clay County, Tenn., resolution that bars demonstrations within 5,000 feet of a funeral service is being criticized by civil rights advocates, who say it could be applied to other forms of constitutionally protected protest."
View Wichita Eagle article
Apparently, the commissioners passed the measure to keep members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas from "attending" the funeral of Army Sgt. Wesley Tucker of Clay County.
Why not let 'em show up? Well, according to the Eagle, "The Rev. Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist, contends that American soldiers are being killed in Iraq as vengeance from God for protecting a country that harbors gays."
While having to deal with folks who maintain dubious Christian beliefs like 'Gay people cause God to murder American soldiers' seems like an absurd waste of time under normal circumstances, the thought of maneuvering through a gauntlet of ideologically perverted fanatics during the funeral of a loved one feels utterly unbearable.
However, there is the pesky concept of free speech and the right to assemble...
So what to do?
Of course, this issue of where it's ok to exercise your first amendment rights has already come up here in Chattanooga:
From The Pulse on July 27
"City Councilwoman Sally Robinson suggested at the Council meeting last week that Chattanooga should set aside a “free speech zone” in Miller Park for protests and street preaching." Get Behind Me, Protestors
These things deserve watching.
| By mkull | 09:30 AM
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