A jury in Baltimore awarded $10.9 million in damages to the family of a Marine killed in Iraq against the Westboro Baptist Church, its "pastor" Fred Phelps, and two of Phelps' daughters, for their offensive actions in picketing the Marine's funeral in yet another chapter of their nationwide hate speech and pandering for media attention. Westboro is the cult from Topeka, Kansas, composed of various members of Phelps' extended family known for their offensive picketing around the country, more recently at military funerals, and their "God Hates Fags" Web site.
Congratulations to the jury!
Naturally, the Phelpses will appeal (Phelps is a disbarred attorney and most of his fourteen children are law school graduates), but I hope the appeals court will uphold the verdict. It sounds as though the trial judge was very careful to educate the jury about First Amendment issues and when a tortfeasor crosses the line into outrageous, unprotected speech. Now, I hope the soldier's family aggressively pursues collection so that that "church" is drained of assets and its ability to spew its venom around the country.
It's people like the Phelpses that give Christianity a bad name and make me not want to be affiliated with the religion.
A personal journey through faith as a moderate Christian and former choir boy.
About Me
- Lyric_Baritone
- Washington, D.C.
- Lyric Baritone is a Christian and former church musician now residing in Washington, D.C. Like many other people, he is on a continual quest for religious wisdom and grace, and he does not claim to have any of the answers.
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