Get ready recently widowed women who’s husbands were in the business of something we don’t like! You are one boring Saturday with us having posterboard and markers laying around from us getting in your face! Missouri has re-legalized funeral protests.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan ruled the laws violate the right of free speech guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Gaitan concluded Missouri officials did not demonstrate the protest restrictions served a significant government interest nor that they had been narrowly tailored to prevent the harm of interruptions of funeral services. The judge wrote he was sympathetic to the argument people attending a funeral deserve some protection but noted a federal appeals court already had previously rejected that argument.
Why would we have this rule and why is this even newsworthy that the previous law has been overturned? That would be the lovely people of that same church the protested the St. Louis Lady Gaga concert. (See Some Dumbass Church Will Be on a St. Louis Hate Speech Tour This Weekend and Bigots Picketing Lady Gaga at Scottrade Center)
[Missouri Attorney General] Koster also plans to appeal Gaitan’s latest ruling, said spokeswoman Nanci Gonder.
Isn’t that something you just that have to say when you lose a legal case? “We’re going to appeal! All the way to the supreme court if we have to!” It seems to be said every time without fail. No one ever just says “Well shit. Whatever!” or “Eh. They were right anyway.” but it sure would be refreshing.
Of course, baring any un-written lawyer rules, “Eh. They were right anyway.” is what Koster should have said. Yes, protesting a funeral, especially because they were simply gay rather than a serial molester or Nazi, is messed up, but free speech is both good and bad. You gotta have both.
The move here is pass a law that says anyone protesting funeral can’t press charges for physical non-weapon related violence on the funeral grounds.
While you’re at it, add a rider on there to pass a law that says ass-less pants are cool at Walmart. You can’t sell jeans and scissors and not expect that kind of thing!
via Yahoo! News