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October 7, 2010

Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Anti-Gay Funeral Protests
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The Supreme Court has heard arguments in the case of a Pennsylvania man
challenging a homophobic church that held a protest at his son’s
military funeral. The father, Albert Snyder, initially won a $5 million
judgment against the Westboro Baptist Church, which demonstrates outside
military funerals to publicize its anti-gay views. Church members
believe that military deaths are God’s punishment for homosexuality in
the United States. A federal appeals court overturned the $5 million
penalty last year after ruling the church’s First Amendment rights were
violated. Earlier this year, the court ordered Snyder to pay Westboro
over $16,000 to cover the costs of its successful appeal. On Wednesday,
Snyder said the church’s actions shouldn’t be considered an issue of
free speech.

Albert Snyder: "In my opinion, speaking as a father, the Phelps and the
Westboro Baptist Church conduct was so extreme, it went beyond all
possible bounds of basic human decency, that it can be regarded as
utterly intolerable in a civilized nation. All we wanted to do was bury
Matt with dignity and respect."



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