Search Results

3/31/2010 - KANSAS CITY. Mo. — The national commander of the nation’s largest organization of combat veterans is furious about the recent Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Court decision ordering Albert Snyder, the father of a slain Marine to pay legal costs to the Westboro Baptist Church. Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., led by Fred Phelps, has for years been taunting grieving mourners at military funerals nationwide. During the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Matt...

3/3/2011 - By Richard L. Eubank USA Today OpEd Wednesday's 8-1 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the free speech rights of the Westboro Baptist Church should send a chilling message across America, because it will only embolden the Rev. Fred W. Phelps Sr. and his followers to protest any funeral for whatever reason — and without legal recourse for the bereaved. This case should not be regarded as a victory of any sort by First Amendment advocates; it is just another e...

7/20/2010 - Last week's U.S. Supreme Court filing of a friend-of-the-court brief by 22 news media organizations in support of the First Amendment rights of the Westboro Baptist Church has outraged the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S."As despicable as their message of hatred is, at least the church has a vested interest in this fight," said VFW National Commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., a combat-wounded Vietnam veteran from Sussex, Wis. "The media only filed their brief to prot...

3/2/2011 - The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church’s right to protest military funerals, deciding it’s demonstrations are protected by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. "The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. thanks the Supreme Court for considering the case, but is greatly disappointed with the result. The Westboro Baptist Church may think they have won, but the VFW will continue to support community efforts to ensure no one hears their ...

7/16/2010 - ARLINGTON, Va. — Twenty-two media organizations have sided with a radical church against the father of a fallen Marine who is trying to sue it for picketing his son’s funeral. The media organizations filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Wednesday with the Supreme Court in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church, which protests near servicemembers’ funerals because it believes that troops’ deaths and other national tragedies are divine revenge for America’s tolerance of gay...