Supreme Court sides with Westboro Baptist Church

WASHINGTON (ABP) – The United States Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on
March 2 that anti-gay protests outside of military funerals by a
controversial Kansas Baptist church clan are protected speech under the
First Amendment.

The ruling overturned a jury decision that
held Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., liable for millions of
dollars in damages for picketing near the Maryland funeral of a fallen
Marine with signs indicating that God was killing soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan in judgment of America’s toleration of homosexuality.

In its ruling, the high court upheld an appellate court’s overturning
of that decision that said the soldier’s father could not receive
damages for constitutionally protected speech simply because it was
hurtful.