Iowa lawmaker pushes measure on flag desecration at military funerals!

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: crazyewok
I would say to do it at a funeral encroaches on ones right to privacy as a funeral should be a private affair.

If they are doing it from a public thoroughfare they most certainly do as ruled on by the Supreme Court.

But one can still encroach on ones privacy from a public thoroughfare.

Does the right to free speech and assembles give me the right to stalk a woman and yell insults as long as I only remain on public property? Or is that harassment?

originally posted by: thesaneone
Glad to see that non citizens are all for removing our rights a little at a time.

1) non citizens cant vote so we cant remove your rights

2) Your really not getting this whole international forum idea are you?

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
I bet you don't even get access to the funeral.

en.wikipedia.org...

Only for republican presidents, we cremate our libtard presidents and ship their ashes back to Europe... right along with their elitist ideologies.

originally posted by: crazyewok

Does the right to free speech and assembles give me the right to stalk a woman and yell insults as long as I only remain on public property? Or is that harassment?

Protesting an event and stalking/harassing an individual are two entirely different things.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: crazyewok

Does the right to free speech and assembles give me the right to stalk a woman and yell insults as long as I only remain on public property? Or is that harassment?

Protesting an event and stalking/harassing an individual are two entirely different things.

I think protesting requires a permit and two or more people?

anything else would probably be harassment and defamation lawsuits...

besides most cemeteries are private property.

originally posted by: AinElohim

I think protesting requires a permit and two or more people?

You can protest individually and often times without a permit.

anything else would probably be harassment and defamation lawsuits...

Certainly harassment. Defamation typically needs to show financial injury.

besides most cemeteries are private property.

True, but if they are on a public road it does not matter who owns the cemetery.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: crazyewok

Does the right to free speech and assembles give me the right to stalk a woman and yell insults as long as I only remain on public property? Or is that harassment?

Protesting an event and stalking/harassing an individual are two entirely different things.

I would say its the same as harrasing at a funnral are the same,

Both are done purely for offensive reasons. Both encroach on privacy.


A funnel is not just a event. It is a very personal and private thing.

originally posted by: crazyewok
A funnel is not just a event. It is a very personal and private thing.

None of that is a factor. They are on the street and well within their rights. The Supreme Court has ruled on this numerous times and it is not going to change because some lawmakers in Iowa want it to.

This is unconstitutional.

a reply to: AinElohim
Protesting requires a permit? Great, because the constitution is that permit.

I got an idea, Lets not have anymore military funerals?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
Calling people 'fags' or burning a flag is not inciting violence. It is considered socially unacceptable but if non-protesters attack the protesters over it then they are the ones breaking the law.

Which is the intended purpose of this group, so they can sue. The problem is they are not really demonstrating, their intent is o incite violence. The question is how do you prevent them without infringing on rights.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
Calling people 'fags' or burning a flag is not inciting violence. It is considered socially unacceptable but if non-protesters attack the protesters over it then they are the ones breaking the law.

Which is the intended purpose of this group, so they can sue. The problem is they are not really demonstrating, their intent is o incite violence. The question is how do you prevent them without infringing on rights.

Best way I see is allow them to protest.

But wack a restraining order on them so they cant do it within say half a mile of a cematery.

They still get to assemble and protest. Just not at the funnral.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
The question is how do you prevent them without infringing on rights.

I see no way without it becoming a slippery slope.

originally posted by: crazyewok

But wack a restraining order on them so they cant do it within say half a mile of a cematery.

They still get to assemble and protest. Just not at the funnral.

Sure, then it is just not near a police headquarters because protesting police brutality could incite more violence or some other such scenario.

We have to take the good with the bad. Or in this case, the very bad.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: crazyewok

But wack a restraining order on them so they cant do it within say half a mile of a cematery.

They still get to assemble and protest. Just not at the funnral.

Sure, then it is just not near a police headquarters because protesting police brutality could incite more violence or some other such scenario.

We have to take the good with the bad. Or in this case, the very bad.

Then its ok to stalk people.

I see tormenting funeral goers as a invasion of the right to privacy.

You rights end where mine begins

comparing it to protesting at police station or public building is apples and oranges. As its not a private or personal event.


We are at a impasse here.

We will have to agree to disagree.

originally posted by: crazyewok

Then its ok to stalk people.

You do know the difference between stalking and protesting, correct?

While I do not condone Westboro's behavior they make their intentions known ahead of time and are not following the same family(s) around repeatedly.

I see tormenting funeral goers as a invasion of the right to privacy.

What about picketing someone who is opting for euthanasia if you are against it? What about picketing a church that makes comments you disagree with?

You rights end where mine begins

To a degree as long as I am not breaking the law in the pursuit of my rights which the Supreme Court has ruled they are not. If it were not so why would no one have filed a legal challenge to halt their activities and have it upheld?

comparing it to protesting at police station or public building is apples and oranges. As its not a private or personal event.

It does not matter what the 'event' happens to be, it matters where you are when you are protesting. They cannot go into the cemetery to protest since it is private property. They must remain on PUBLIC property which we are all entitled to occupy in are Constitutionally guaranteed rights to protest from.


You may feel otherwise but United States legal precedent says you are wrong and do not have a sound legal leg to stand on. Case law has repeatedly shown that the right to assemble and protest are as sacrosanct as the rights to a free press and freedom of religion. We take the opinions we agree with along with those we do not because while I may feel all of my opinion are 'right' you may not and vice versa.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

There is often a a police presence at any pubic protest. They are there to maintain peace. They have no qualms about intervening if the need arises.

a reply to: crazyewok

No one here is in agreement on what westboro does. We all think it's despicable. But manners don't enter into it. They do this because they can. There really is no argument.
We can't pick and choose who is allowed freedom of speech or freedom of assembly. Our country is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. To quote good old Abe Lincoln.

I'm sorry but that is not correct. We have the right to protest anything not just the government and the only time freedom of speech can be denied is when one of my kids tries it. a reply to: NavyDoc