Free Speech or Simple Hatred?

nobody@vox.com(Seamus Id) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:47:51 -0600

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This is what a grieving father had to see at his son's funeral. He sued the Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church, winning $10.9 M. I don't think he wanted $$. I believe he wanted a much-deserved apology, & a lesson taught.
This church is led by the hatred spewing, Rev. Fred Phelps. The word zealot falls shy of describing the man who could lead this disgusting abuse of the right to free speech.
I adamantly support free speech. I believe it's fundamental to developing our societal conciousness. Without the free exchange of ideas we would cease to grow culturally.
However, to picket a soldier's funeral with signs that read, "Thank GOD for dead soldiers!" is horrible. Add to that, that this soldier gave his life believing that he was protecting the very ideals that allow them to wave that message of hate at his funeral. Rev. Fred Phelps disrupted the respect that young man was owed for dying for his beliefs. I have to ask myself would he, the Rev., be willing to die for his?
This soldier, who may or may not have been gay was victimized post-mortem by sign-waving zealots. His sexual orientation means little in this, though the sign-wavers would disagree.
Whether they were there to warn the living of their version of sin, or simply to hate the dead; They had no place there.
Regardless of intent, they sent only a message of hate. They brought their children to indoctrinate them in that hatred. They poisoned a process of grieving for a lost loved one. All this, they did to make the statement of their beliefs heard. The belief that God punished that soldier for the US's "tolerance" of gays.
I do not condemn them for their beliefs no matter how much they sadden me. Instead I ask:
Should a funeral be the venue for such a hideous outrage?
I don't believe in war. Neither do I believe in most of organized religion. I do believe in respect. The Rev. Fred Phelps could use a lesson in just that.