While freedom of speech may be our First Amendment Right in this country, does it mean then, that freedom gives us the right to act like a bunch of jerks? That is the question in a case today of a grieving father, who is suing a Baptist church group for protesting at his son’s funeral this week.
In Baltimore, this week, the father of a Marine killed in Iraq took the stand to state his case against a church group that makes a practice of picketing soldiers’ funerals in an effort to show the world that “death is the punishment for this country’s immorality.” Albert Snyder said that he had hoped for a private funeral for his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, but with all the protesters outside the funeral, that was certainly not the case. What he got instead was a media circus that he said made him “sick to his stomach.”
Snyder testified that, ”They wanted their message heard and they didn’t care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside.” Snyder stated that the Topeka, Kansas Baptist church went overboard when they carried a sign which read, “Thank God for fallen soldiers,” and cited that the deaths of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were simply “punishment for this country’s tolerance of homosexuality!”
Mr. Snyder is seeking monetary damages in an unspecified amount, claiming that the Church’s action caused him “emotional distress” and is suing for invasion of privacy. The church’s protests have inspired several state and a federal laws about funeral protests, but the Maryland suit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.The case tests the limits of the First Amendment right to free speech. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Bennett instructed the jurors before the start of testimony Tuesday, that the First Amendment protection of free speech has limits including vulgar, offensive and shocking statements. He added that jurors must decide “whether the defendant’s actions would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, whether they were extreme and outrageous, and whether these actions were so offensive and shocking as to not be entitled to First Amendment protection.” Snyder said American military personnel are in Iraq fighting for freedom of speech. “They’re not fighting for hate speech. I pray for their children. Their children need help. To be brought up with that kind of hatred,” Snyder said. “My God is loving God,” he said, adding later, “I don’t look for hatred in the Bible.”
The Gorilla could not agree more with this statement and was personally outraged to hear that a church group would do such a thing outside a funeral of one of our soldiers. Whether you agree with the war or not, this is someone’s son who died, and a family who is grieving should be able to put their child to rest with a little dignity-not with a bunch of opportunists, using the situation to try to get their own agenda across. The Gorilla would love to hear YOUR thoughts on this matter!
October 27th, 2007 at 7:45 am
I agree with the Gorilla whole-heartedly! The church went way too far.
October 27th, 2007 at 11:58 am
I agree with the Gorilla, too. I served in the Air Force for 22 years, and would have given my life, if called upon, to protect our First Amendment rights. I am a Christian and do not agree with some of the cultural changes in our nation over the past 2 decades. However, to cause additional pain to the families of these brave men and women, and to disrupt the final tribute to their bravery with their protests on these cultural changes is unimaginable. Most conservative Christians revere the military because of their sacrifices, and this behavior flies in the face of all that. It dumbfounds me.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
This “church” is a splinter group of radicals. I am personally not in favor of the current acceptance of homosexual conduct but to equate our military deaths with punishment for that undesirable behaviour is, well, beyond any theological or imperical logic. It flies in the face of common sense, too.
This “church” group has protested many funerals in the same manner. Sometimes counter-protestors made up of veterans’ groups have peacefully intervened. After all, they have freedom of speech as well.
These so-called “church” protestors are totally out of line and should be ashamed of themselves.
October 27th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
I’m retired frome the USMC, and an avid church goer. I was praying one day and it’s like the Lord ask me if I was enjoying my freedom. I said yes Lord very much. Then it was like he said “did you know that with freedom also comes responsibilty”. I said I did not know that. Then it was like he said “Freedom without responsibilty is not freedom it’s lawlessness”. I have pondered that for a long time and can see the truth in it. It’s very hard for me to believe the lawlessness I see in a group like the one mentioned here, as well as what I see in the news media. Those people in that church group should not only be extremely ashamed of themselves but also need to understand they will one day pay for those actions.
October 27th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
If these jurors DON’T put this group in their place, I’m sure one rightfully poud veteran father of his fallen son or daughter soldier WILL one way or other. I know many men that would not tolerate that disresepct at their child’s funeral and might not have the patience to go through our justice system to stop it.
October 28th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
I’m atheist, and still find the actions despicable. Wow, an atheist has a more advanced moral and ethical code than someone acting in the name of “GOD”.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:04 am
While I am often critical of the propensity of people to sue, this is one law suit I am happy to see go forward. My heart goes out to the father who lost his son, as does the hear of any well adjusted parent. People should seek to bring comfort and support at the funeral …. the protesters need to find a different forum for their free speech.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:42 am
This group is, on a lesser scale, acting in the same manner as terrorists. They are choosing targets to inflict maximum damage, targets that have nothing to do with a war. Disrupting a funeral for anyone, whether a fallen soldier, a community leader, or a convicted terrorist is equally wrong. Trying to justify their actions by suggesting that the fallen soldier represents the war is like terrorists claiming the blood of the innocents they kill is the fault of a government. The terrorists commit murder in their cause. The protesters are disrupting a grieving process for those who attend the funeral (the innocents) and may try to justify it as a protest of the war, but they are equally wrong.
The Bible says, “Judge not lest ye be judged” and “let he who is without sin throw the first stone”. These protesters need to go back to the Bible and pray for guidance. They have made a mistake and need to change their tactics.
Mark
October 30th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
I definitely think this country will one day be judged for the immorality that gets further out of hand with each year. I think God will judge this country for allowing abortion to be legal in this great land. I don’t think that these Christians should ever feel justified to protest at a funeral for anyone. War produces casualties. Deaths are to be expected in any war. The feeling that our soldiers are dying because of the immorality of our country may have some validity only because as a whole this country is not in God’s will in all of its actions. When the Jews were out of God’s will in the scriptures, God allowed massive destruction of their people and lands to get their attention. God is a just God and one thing to remember is, He does not change. I am not trying to defend the actions of these church goers. They should know without a doubt that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. They have every right to voice their opinions but doing so at a funeral is beyond poor taste.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Freedom requires responsibility. The actions of this lone group are totally and entirely inverse to those of a bible-believing, Christ-centered, local church. The pastor of this church should embark upon a state-by-state, home-by-home apology tour - begging forgiveness from the affected families and from God Himself. Otherwise, he should renounce his pastorate and leave it to one who will effectively shepherd this stray flock. Please pray for this misguided few.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:49 am
As a devote follower of Jesus Christ I am appalled. There is no excuse for this behavior. No christian should ever behave in a manner that can rightly be called crule.
November 1st, 2007 at 12:48 am
Dear Gorilla,
As a prior Army paratrooper who was proud to have served my country, I am completely bewildered and outraged that our appreciation for the right to be free has become so twistedand taken for granted. These so called “Americans” need to get off the immediate gratification train and realize this troop valued his heritage and rights with a comittment that needs to somehow reintroduced to our Youth. Obviously a revisit to the past is needed.
On a side note, to all those who feel we are spending way to much in Iraq, what was the cost in (besides human life, which is irreplacable), for the 9-11 disaster? Trillions? What would the cost be again ? Quit bitchin about the small picture and get some common sense with at least a dash of patriotism.
Out
November 5th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Dear Gorilla,
It is way off base for these folks to be protesting in this fashion. It is not acceptable in our current standards of appropriate conduct of civility. Furthermore, I would submit that the target of their outrage and preaching should be turned inward toward professing Christians rather than outward toward America in general. God says in His Word that “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Also in Proverbs, we are told, ” and the plowing of the wicked is sin.” So even the everyday tasks of those who are not believers is not honoring to God. To state that the judgement of God is upon America because of her wickedness is only a reflection of the impotence of Christians ensnared by the same sins they seek to somehow correct in unbelievers. Christians need to concentrate on living a holy, pure life and warning those who chose not to believe that there is a judgement day coming, not passing judgement on others themselves. Thank the Lord we have an instruction manual which tells us how to be reconcilled to God and how to behave appropriately.