Originally Posted by shakran

Sorry Bill. Usually you're pretty close to the mark but in this case I think you're wrong.

Don't misunderstand me - I think protesting at funerals like this is NOT appropriate by any stretch, and that's coming from someone who thinks the war should be protested damn near anywhere and anywhen.

But we cannot change people's constitutional rights just because we do not like their behavior. They have the right to express themselves. They have the right to protest. The constitution does not say anything about having those rights only where it is societally appropriate. As sad as it is when some people choose to abuse it, the constitution does not have an anti-asshole clause.

But let's look at what could happen should we outlaw this:

Protests at abortion clinics are out because that upsets the pregnant women who are already at a fragile time in their lives.

Protests on city streets are outlawed because they might offend or upset the citizens and cause an incident.

Protests in front of government buildings are outlawed because they are inappropriately using the imagery of the institutions as a backdrop to their protests.

War protests in general are outlawed because they are "not supporting the troops"

Gay rights protests are outlawed because they might offend heterosexuals.


That all sounds pretty ridiculous doesn't it? And well it should. We cannot snatch away people's first amendment rights just because someone might get offended, which is essentially what this move is attempting to do.

People do have a constitutionally protected right to be assholes. Unfortunately sometimes that will make us uncomfortable, and sometimes they will take that right too far, but we cannot remove that right for any reason, even the asshole argument.