Today, an argument brought before the U.S. Supreme Court will decide in Snyder v. Phelps, a case regarding the first amendment rights of free speech vs. those of privacy.
The argument has been brought to the highest court in the land by the parents of Marine Corps Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq in 2006. Members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, led by controversial minister Rev. Fred Phelps, traveled 1,000 miles to demonstrate at the funeral of Lcpl Snyder. Members of the church stood near where the funeral was held, waving signs that said "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Hates Fags" and "God Hates You."
A poem was placed on the internet entitled "The Burden of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder," which states that Matthew's parents "taught Matthew to defy his creator" and "raised him for the devil."
A Maryland jury ruled in favor of the Snyder family, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond overturned the damages from the previous court ruling, and the Snyder family appealed to the Supreme Court.
No one will know how the the U.S. Supreme Court will rule, but one has to be careful on tampering with free speech rights. However, too often groups hide behind the constitution to pervert their own agenda. The rights of the Snyder family were violated when Rev. Phelps and his followers disrupted the funeral of their son. The court must also look at the emotional strain on the Snyder family at the same time, having to lay their son to rest and then have to deal with protesters.
Rev. Phelps needs to confine his protest to those in Washington not our fallen heroes. How would you rule?
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