Bush bans protests at military funerals

[kpete]

Bush bans protests at military funerals
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - President Bush, marking Memorial Day with a speech paying tribute to fighting men and women lost in war, signed into law Monday a bill that keeps demonstrators from disrupting military funerals.

In advance of his speech and a wreath-laying at America's most hallowed burial ground for military heroes, Bush signed the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act." This was largely in response to the activities of a Kansas church group that has staged protests at military funerals around the country, claiming the deaths symbolized God's anger at U.S. tolerance of homosexuals.

The new law bars protests within 300 feet of the entrance of a national cemetery and within 150 feet of a road into the cemetery. This restriction applies an hour before until an hour after a funeral. Those violating the act would face up to a $100,000 fine and up to a year in prison.

Monday's observance at Arlington National Cemetery was not a funeral, so demonstrators were free to speak their minds at the site.

And several did.

more at:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060529/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

[Rufus T. Firefly]

1. They counted the freepers as "protesters?"

And the Phelps people can burn in hell. But what else is new?

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. If you shut Phelps up, a lot of us will be going down with him

Not in support, but it is a free speech issue.

I want him to burn in hell too but I don't want to lose my free speech rights.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

11. I agree.

Guess I should have made that point, huh? :-)

I don't like abortion clinic protests being banned either - however they can't block access or interfere, just like the Phelps people should be able to protest as long as they don't actively disrupt or block access to the funeral.

[Minnesota Libra]

2. Let me say that the only moment of sanity Bush ever had was...............

.....when he put military funerals off limits to demonstrators. Remember, those families have lost a loved one in our name.:patriot: We don't have to like the WH Idiot:puke: or his "shoot your friend in the face" muppet master:nuke: does to respect our military families. In fact our message to the world should be, :patriot:"our military are loved by one and all but their commander in chief is hated by one and all".:patriot:

[William769]

10. Couldn't agree more.

[bullimiami]

3. well it cuts both ways. if phelps cannot protest, neither can anyone else.

This is further degradation of freedom and embracing of totalitarianism. I dont like it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Exactly!

[yngliberal]

4. Banning free speech

What's next?

[msongs]

5. still ok to protest at funerals of gays/lesbians thank gawwwd nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. related topic and poll - please vote!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1307064

[lpbk2713]

7. WTF does he care about military funerals?

He has never been to one yet. And he is responsible for thousands of deaths.

[MindPilot]

12. I hate the idea of a law directed at one individual

As much as I loathe Fred Phelps and everything he represents, I loathe even more the concept of making law with such a narrow focus. Aren't there already local anti-nuisance laws which could be applied to the Phelps gang to keep them from disrupting a funeral? Any funeral, not just a military one? This is not the jurisdiction of the federal government.