Fred Phelps now has carte blanche to picket the entire nation...

[MrScorpio]

To give America the full effect of his indignation, he should do it from about a mile off shore.

No boat off course.... Only because he's holier than the rest of us and clearly should be able to walk on water.

[NobodyHere]

1. Personally

I think the 1st Amendment is greater than Fred Phelps

[MrScorpio]

2. It's greater than any of us, of course...

But, I'd like to know your particular perspective.

Can you clarify?

[NobodyHere]

6. If the Fred Phelps is struck down by it

Than what the hell the 1st Amendment protect?

If its only popular speech than it's pointless.

[MrScorpio]

8. Perhaps you can explain to me where I said his 1st Amndt rights should be invalidated

And I'm assuming you believe that I've stated that the government should somehow prevent him from exercising them... Because, that's the only way this can be a question about the application of the Bill of Rights.

However, and perhaps you've failed to notice this, I've merely said in a round about way that Phelps should just go take a long walk off of a short pier.

Which I don't think is an objectionable sentiment at all... Unless YOU have an objection to it, perhaps?

[spanone]

4. personally

fred phelps is a pos

[Poll_Blind]

7. +1 As odius as his speech is, I would agree in an eye-blink. n/t

PB

[tabatha]

3. That is a good, out-of-the-box observation.

Perhaps he'll have to go into low orbit.

[MrScorpio]

5. I'm sure that he'd love the high altitude...

He can witness the gayification of America from a wider perspective

[MadMaddie]

9. Phelps will now picket in DC

[Bragi]

10. Has something new happened on this? /nt

[MrScorpio]

11. The DADT repeal

I'm sure that he just blew a gasket

[Bragi]

13. Got it. Thanks. /nt

[justinsb]

12. He can't re-enter Canada

He would be arrested.

As progressive as this nation normally is there is a law against hate speech. Free speech is generally protected but speech that is seen to condone or incite violence against a particular group (race, creed, religion, sexual orientation etc) is a crime. I'm personally against the law, as I believe it comes close to 'thought crime.' I don't really consider it, in and of itself, an objectionable restriction but I do worry about the precedent it sets.

At any rate he and his group are banned here and he's been told that if he enters the country he will be arrested, tried and then likely officially deported - making any further entry a jail-able offense.

[Bragi]

14. It is "thought crime"

I'm a Canadian, and I too don't like our hate speech laws. I would much rather have something closer to actual First Amendment-style free speech rights.

[mindwalker_i]

15. Phelps just has an irritating business model

Like a lot of Republicans, Phelps doesn't give a shit about what gays do or any of that crap. He's just being as fucking obnoxious as possible to try to get somebody to hit him, then he can sue for violating his first amendment. This has NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT HE BELIEVES IS RIGHT OR WRONG, OR MORAL, OR ANY OF THAT SHIT! I think I read on slashdot that he and a son are both lawyers (Ishould check the wikipedia page on that).

So he protests soldiers' funerals, Elizabeth Edwards, whatever it takes to piss people off. Arguing about what he's protesting does absolutely no good, because it just plays into his hand. Arguing about free speech really doesn't do it either. I think people should protest him with signs that say, "Violate my 1st amendment, I need the money." Truer words and all.

[niyad]

16. I keep praying for a tornado to hit while they are all in his little "church"