Freedom of Morality

"Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and -- as it did here -- inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker."
-Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the majority


I support freedom of speech. 
I support morality. 
I am painfully aware the two are not always displayed together. 

Christians each and every week are taught lessons in morality.  And here is the best part...you don't have to believe in any higher power to be moral.  It is the common sense law of humanity to do what is right and honorable. 

Members of Westboro Baptist Church felt the need to inflict pain on a fallen Marine's family to state their point of view on homosexuality.  These "Christians" see the death of soldiers as God's way of getting back at humanity for the sins of gays and lesbians.  Church members are on record as saying their message is aimed at the unspecified actions of the military and those who serve in it. They believe U.S. soldiers deserve to die because they fight for a country that tolerates homosexuality.

Some of their do unto other slogans: 

• "Thank God for dead soldiers"
• "God blew up the troops"
• "AIDS cures fags."

Guess what, nimrods...they also fight to support your right for free speech. 

I hear people whining and crying about the increase in laws, how we are turning into George Orwell's big brother reality from his novel 1984.  They can't talk on their cell phones.  They can't text while driving.  They can't carry a gun.  They can't just breeze through an airport without being molested.  They huff and puff over the inconvenience safety. 

These laws and actions are in place to save lives.  Someone somewhere took a stand and realized people are physically harmed because of morons across the country or the knowledge that there are people in the world whose whole purpose in life is to kill an American.  Physical pain and death are not tolerated, but emotional pain...guess that is ethical and lawful. 

The Supreme Court has let me down.  There are laws in place to protect kids from bullies...bullies who use words to cause torment and pain.  What is so different with Westboro Baptist Church?  That they are adults targeting adults?  That the fallen Marine's family is not the intended target but used as a platform for media coverage?  That they do so in the name of God? 

Where is the morality?  Just like I tell my kids...just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Westboro Church members do have a religious message. Get this:

"That God's promise of love and heaven for those who obey him in this life is

counterbalanced by God's wrath and hell for those who do not obey him."

So now they get to play God. They must have skipped over the whole "Love your neighbor as yourself" part during church service.  One thing I'd like to remind the members of Westboro Baptist Church...they too will have their day of judgement. 

It makes me sick to my stomach that Americans would picket American soldiers funerals because their right is supported by American law.  Gold star families deserve respect.  They do not deserve to have their sons/daughters/husbands/wives deaths used as a soapbox to convey a personal view on homosexuality.

I wish they would use humanity's Freedom of Morality as much as they use America's Freedom of Speech.