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I think Gilda is echoing all (or at least most) of our deep down sentiments.
Sure, I'm up here staunchly defending the 1st amendment and saying Phelps has the right to be an asshole just about anywhere he wants. But that doesn't mean I don't wish he'd find a more appropriate place to do it. Do I think he should be protesting at funerals? Nope, not at all. But as I've mentioned, the first amendment would be pointless if we were allowed to modify it or to claim it doesn't apply just because certain speech makes us unhappy or squeamish. I'm not happy that Phelps is putting these families through listening to his crap while they're burying their loved one, but because passing a law to stop him would also limit other instances of free speech - ones which might make someone else unhappy but with which I would have no problems, I defend Phelp's right to do what he is doing.
Put another way, I don't want the fact that I think Phelps should stop what he is doing to cause a law to be passed that could stop other people from doing what I do not think they should stop doing.
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