A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
This is absolutely infuriating. What is WRONG with this country?
Posted: Mar 30, 2010
Saving the Memory of Matthew Snyder
I’m sure you all remember Fred Phelps’ noxious Westboro Baptist Church organization that goes around carrying “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” signs at military funerals. Well, a father of a Marine who received this nasty treatment sued Phelps & Co. for defamation and emotional distress. He won, but Phelps appealed. This is how it ended up:
The father of a Marine killed in Iraq and whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters from Kansas was ordered to pay the protesters’ appeal costs, his lawyers said Monday.
On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of Topeka’s Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder’s funeral in 2006.
Now the Marine’s dad wants to take it to the Supreme Court. I tried to read the Fourth Circuit’s judgment to see what the chances of a win in the Supreme Court were. IANAL, but I have to say, I didn’t think much of the 4th Circuit’s “they’re obviously loony, so nobody would take their defamatory statements seriously” logic.
So I personally think there’s a chance. And even if there’s not, it’s nice to see somebody trying to take the Phelps gang to task for their despicable behavior. If you agree, you can help the cause by donating at a site set up for Lance Corporal Snyder: www.matthewsnyder.org.
;
Totally agree - this story is so sad and the outcome outrageous! - heartfelt
[ In Reply To ..]To have their son's memory and his honorable death to be maligned this way is too much for any parent to have to bear. This is an out and out bastardization of the First Amendment. Any decent human would have respected their right to grieve in peace.
Yes, it's sad and infuriating ... BUT ... - SM
[ In Reply To ..]Much as I hate to say it, that slippery slope of preventing some folks from expressing their opinions -- much as we might despise what they have to say and how inappropriate we may find it to be -- is a dangerous one. Each silencing makes the next one that much easier.
I think there should - at least be some kind of
[ In Reply To ..]proximity rule/limit, so people can still speak freely, but can't be up in your face, affecting your personal space, or impeding you in any way. Personally, I think free speech is WAY overrated, but that's just me. Certain people, saying certain things, should be told to shut up. JMHO.
Expressing opinion fine, but this "church" PROTESTED - Backwards Typist
[ In Reply To ..]at Mr. Snyder's son's funeral. That is totally unacceptable. This is why Mr. Snyder sued them. As he said (and I'm not sure I have the whole quote right but it goes something like this), "I have no good memory, if there is such a thing, of my son's funeral, only the nightmare of this group."
Thanks for posting this, BWT. This is terrible. (sm) - Nikki
[ In Reply To ..]I hope the father will appeal this, but given the current Supreme Court, who knows what whacky ruling they might come up with!
To interfere with the funeral of ANYONE should be outlawed, but given that it was a fallen soldier somehow makes it even worse.
I really feel for the father. Not only did he have to bury his son, but he basically had to PAY for an obscene protest that flies in the face of the dignity his son should have been afforded.
He was interviewed on our local station today - Backwards Typist
[ In Reply To ..]and was appalled at the 'slap in the face'. He's so disappointed in our justice system for what he called an insult against any serviceman. The only reason he's been fighting them is so it doesn't happen to another fallen soldier's family.
And..., though you hate Bill O, I watched him this morning because I wanted to see if he had anything to say about it. He did, and he said he's going to do everything he can to help.
First of all, I don't "hate" Bill O'Reilly. (sm) - Nikki
[ In Reply To ..]I simply don't trust him and question his motives. "Hate" is a very strong word, and I don't hate anybody, including him, and never said I did.
Secondly, I heard that Bill O'Reilly is paying the father's "obligation" in the amount of $16,510. That was nice of him. However, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this case, and what Snyder needs help with is the money needed to appeal this to the SCOTUS.
I don't know whether payment of the "obligation" will render the case moot before the SCOTUS or whether they'll still hear it. By paying the "obligation," O'Reilly is conceding that Phelps is right, and that gives Phelps the license to continue on and on with his terrorizing of soldiers' funerals. Perhaps it should be Phelps thanking O'Reilly instead of Snyder. It's almost like O'Reilly is saying to Phelps, "Tsk. Tsk. Here's your money. Sorry about the trouble that Snyder caused you. It won't happen again because the SCOTUS won't have the opportunity to hear it, thanks to me."
This may sound a little off base, but I would not have questioned O'Reilly's motives if he had contributed money to Snyder's appeal to the SCOTUS, which is the money he REALLY needs right now to fight this injustice. Instead, O'Reilly just paid off the "bad guys."
Like I said, I don't "hate" O'Reilly. I just question his true motives.
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0331/world-liberals-cheer-bill-oreilly-gesture/
4/2/10
I'm editing this post because I found out that the Supreme Court is planning to hear this case in October. I hope they still do.
I believe I was wrong in being so rough on O'Reilly. I'm glad he was kind enough to pay the attorney's fees ordered by the court.
Now I hope Mr. Snyder can raise enough money to afford the legal costs associated with taking this case to the Supreme Court. Hoping the justices have regained some sense of right and wrong since they ruled that corporations are people, if they agree this is wrong, it will hopefully stop Phelps for good, though that may be wishful thinking.
I apologize for going over the top with the first message above.
Similar Messages:
This Country Is Absolutely Falling Apart Under Obama.May 01, 2015
No message, and none needed. Q.E.D. ...
How Did This Country Turn Into A Country Without Borders? Reagan And Bush Debate 1980Jul 13, 2015
We could go on pretending that the history of the United States and everything bad came into existence on January 20, 2009, when Obama took the oath of office, thereby nullifying everything that had theretofore happened in American history before Obama became president... OR.... novel idea, we could watch, listen, and learn from history and actual facts. The Governor of California, Ronald Reagan, believed in an open door policy in North America and free trade with unwavering support. htt ...
This Is Just Absolutely Rotten!! I Come On HereOct 20, 2012
asking for prayers and get a Well, a I know this is a prayer board BUT (SHAME ON YOU) and a Scream I guess. Wow!! What kind of people are you all? NOT Christians that is for sure. SHAME ON YOU ALL! ...
It's Absolutely Amazing To Me How The MSM (sm)Aug 03, 2013
can totally ignore Obama's gun-running escapades in Benghazi, and the monthly lie detector tests for intimidation of the CIA agents who were there. Not a mention of it this morning. Suppression of news - isn't that what Communists do? I know we should be used to it by now, but my God. He could commit a murder on camera and none of the sheep would care. It's like they really did drink the Kool-Aid. ...
This Is Absolutely Chilling. Welcome To The Mar 01, 2014
Scary stuff. link ...
Anyone See This? Absolutely Pathetic. (sm)Apr 15, 2015
Reporters tripping over themselves to get to Dairy Queen. I have to admit I laughed when I saw it yesterday, but it really is pathetic now that I see it again. Link ...
Absolutely BeautifulSep 26, 2015
All eyes were on Michelle Obama when she arrived at the China State Dinner held Friday at the White House in Washington, D.C. The First Lady looked effortlessly posh, donning an off-the-shoulder black silk crepe mermaid gown by designer Vera Wang, as she welcomed China's president, Xi Jinping, as the evening's guest of honor. http://news.yahoo.com/everyones-losing-minds-over-michelle-173300182.html ...
I Absolutely Hate Spiders! Feb 28, 2011
I hate when I am sitting here typing at 2:30 in the morning and a spider is crawling up the wall! I am absolutely terrified of spiders to the point that it is hard for me to kill them. I did it though, used the fly swatter, hopefully it died as it is behind furniture so it is hard to see but now I really do not want to put my feet on the floor to continue typing. Having real panic feeling like it is coming out from there, big and ******. One time, I was cleaning my house ...
Draconian Measures Absolutely NecessaryMay 15, 2012
from taking the country down again. Wake up people fascinated with dogs, verbal mistakes and other people's private lives. danger. danger. ...
Absolute Power Currupts AbsolutelyFeb 27, 2012
There has been this crazy movement in the States that have their legislatures and executive branch all in the Republican party. They have pushed through anti-bargaining legislation, they are trying to take away the people's right to vote through various shennanigans, they are trying to deregulate the polluting industries, and now they are even trying to force women into getting transvaginal ultrasounds. I didn't go and vote the last election, but I certainly will ...
Chris Mathews Absolutely Beats Mar 18, 2010
anti-reform guy from Americans For Prosperity into ground about their lack of any positive contributions to health care - only criticisms. Chris had him pinned to the wall for the whole interview. It was beautiful. reminded me of the scene in the Matrix when Neo just flicked the bullets away with his wrists. AFP is the group that sponsored the Columbus Ohio rally. the mysterious man in the suit and tie badgering the disabled man was holding an AFP sign. Its so ...
This Proves That BP Is Absolutely Despicable And Evil. SmJun 12, 2010
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0611/rfk-center-bp-discouraged-crews-respirators/ ...
Absolutely...very Hard To Find Any Values InJun 22, 2017
"The president also said that “those coming into our country must embrace our values” and he renewed calls for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico." "Frankly, I'm not even sure what are values are anymore in this country. We don't place any values around life or the loss of it, we place no value on our environment or on peace, or on equal opportunity, or on women's rights. Quite obviously, we place no value on healthcare. What exactly are the shared values this man sp ...
"I Mourn For The Country" -- "the Country Is Doomed"...Nov 07, 2012
"America is gone as we know it." The hyperbole is very sad to read. Even though you didn't vote for Obama, don't you WANT our country to start healing? We won't heal if citizens don't start to break the overly-dramatized sense of gloom and doom. ...
Hillary Clinton Should Withdraw From The Race. She Is AbsolutelySep 06, 2016
If she withdraws now, there may be time for the Democrats to float a substitute. What you read in the phony polls notwithstanding, Trump will beat her by more than 5 points. ...
The Left Is Absolutely Terrified Of Free Speech. Feb 02, 2017
for the cancellation of his scheduled UC Berkeley appearance Wednesday evening. UC Berkeley cancels Milo Yiannopoulos event amid violent protest Shortly after the Breitbart News editor’s event was called off, he posted a statement on his Facebook page: “I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building. My team and I are saf ...
Absolutely Perfect Idea--Obama As Supreme Mar 19, 2015
I saw it proposed as an idea today that when the next Democratic president is elected in 2016 that they should nominate Barack Obama as the next Supreme Court Justice. He is well-educated, a constitutional lawyer, level-headed, hard to fluster, and writes flawlessly. This is just a perfect idea! ...
Mike Rowe Absolutely Destroys Guy Who Accuses HimAug 23, 2017
Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe had some choice words Tuesday night in response to a question he got accusing him of harboring “white nationalist” sympathies. Rowe posted a question submitted to him on his Facebook page that accused the TV host’s advocacy for the skilled trades of amounting to anti-intellectualism, and therefore racism. A man named Chuck Adkins asked, “One of the tenants of white nationalism is that college educated people are academic elitests. Comment? No? I’m n ...
Is This What Our Country Has Come To?Oct 27, 2010
It's politics people. Someone's going to lose. There are millions of people in the country who vote. Every one of their vote is important whether or not they vote democrat, republican, or a different party. Each election seems to get worse and worse. The problem here is that this is the first time since any of us has ever seen, that the people are finally standing up and exercising their rights. They want their voices heard and rightly so. Our ...
Our Country Needs Help.Sep 30, 2012
Our nation is broke, broke, broke. We are in debt to the tune of over 16 trillion and mounting due to interest alone daily. We are going to be in only more trouble if we keep borrowing to give money to other countries and stimulus bills to create jobs and give to other solar panel companies like Solyndra (latest recipient SoloPower). GM is recalling over 40,000 cars for repair after the losses already taken. The entitlements we have paid into such as Medicare and Social Security are going t ...
What Is Going On In This CountrySep 10, 2014
Father seeks closure in son's 'Houdini handcuff suicide' (CNN) -- Victor White III died in a Louisiana hospital, the victim of a gunshot that police said White fired after being frisked twice, handcuffed and placed in the back of a New Iberia police cruiser. ...
While Going Around The CountryDec 10, 2016
preaching "Hire American, buy American" Donald Trump has just hired 64 foreign workers to work on his estate in Florida. ...
The Country Woke Up, All Of ItNov 07, 2009
Call them liberals, call them progressives. Many fell asleep at the switch and the result was G. W. Bush. That caused us to wake back up, though, and take the country back. The radical conservatives slept through the Bush years and only woke up when Obama was elected. But in their sleep, they heard things. And when they awoke, they parrotted those things that they had heard. Not correctly, but what do parrots know? The left objected to loss of our civil rights through the wiretapping and data ...
I Need To Find A New Country, SmJan 19, 2011
No wonder it was not broadcast on MSNBC as the President promised. This will knock your socks off ! !&nb ...
Why Is This Country Bankrupt?Dec 09, 2010
And the House of Reps just passed the Dream Act...here is hoping it dies in the Senate. A Real Eye Opener … WHY is the USA BANKRUPT? 1.$11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments. Verify at: http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8 2.$2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.or ...
I Have A Question. If Our Country Is In Such....smMar 17, 2010
bad financial shape, why has the dollar been steadily gaining over the euro for the past few months? Is it because they are in worse shape than we are? Last fall I paid 1.53 for each euro. Today I can buy a euro for 1.37. ...
New Country Dance?Aug 19, 2010
"He is married with two children and 3-step children." I wish I had 3-step children. Sounds like they are easy to take care of... in only three steps. ...
Since The Country Is So DividedAug 15, 2012
a chance of a civil or race war in the near future? I think Democrats and Republicans both want to keep the country divided and distracted while they rob us blind. Your opinion? Thank you. ...
Has Anyone Moved Across The Country?Jan 18, 2013
I am looking for a cross country mover, specifically one who can move my car. I've contact Allied Vans and Mayflower and they are giving me an estimate soon. Any others out there? ...
Just As An Example Of How This Country Is Going Downhill (sm)Jul 30, 2013
Why should this even happen in the first place? You hear about this kind of thing everyday, somewhere. As Americans we should be able to fly our flag whenever we want to - there shouldn't have to be a "backlash." Just one form of tyranny. link ...