God Hates Fags

[faceless]

It's good to see that these maniacs will be scuppered at last. Though it's also interesting that 'free speech' has now got some conditions (which is as it should be in my opinion).

[Mandy]

This ties in with another thread about a British company being sued in the states for a death in Iraq of a soldier (or mercenary) -- whilst US companies are given immunity after KILLING Iraqi civilans.

It also reminds me of a news article yesterday of someone being sued in the US for criticizing a company :
http://fixyourthinking.com/2007/10/whats-been-going-on-in-last-week.html

Courts are the weapon of the establishment when guns & bullets don't work.

As such, I do not believe such a fine is correct. How could damages of $10.9m (£5.2m) be justified when an Iraqi blown to bits hardly gets anything (if at all).

[luke]

although i think this lot are idiots, i'm not sure i like the idea of restrictions on freedom of speech ... what is it chomsky says ...

If you believe in freedom of speech you believe in freedom of speech for views you don't like. Göbbels was in favour of freedom of speech for views he liked.. so was Stalin. [...] If you are in favour of freedom of speech, that means you are in favour of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise - otherwise you're not in favour of freedom of speech.

i go along with that

[Skylace]

I have to agree with Face. Freedom of speech is important but there are limitations. Like going to a funeral of someone and preaching this hate. If KKK members where doing this at black funerals a lot of people would be up in arms.

[faceless]

Mandy, this story has nothing at ll to do with that other story. It's about a group of fuckheads insulting people and being made to shut up - all extremist groups should face similar penalties if through their actions they promote hatred.

If they had a reasonable theological argument they might get away with it, but they clearly don't.

[Mandy]

The problem is that it is the powers that be (or the majority of jurors in a specific district) who impose such penalties.

Bush has brought in laws which can make almost anyone a terrorist, so anyone can be called an extremist.

Bush has also put people who support his views throughout the court system, right up to the Supreme Court. As such, I have no confidence in the court system.

If they had been banned, I would have thought that might be fair (though I am with Luke on the issue of freedom of speech). But to be fined $10.9m is grotesque.

[faceless]

I doubt you'd find a jury of decent people anywhere who wouldn't have condemned these people.

[Marcella-FL]

Banning hasn't stopped these people. They have been doing this kind of crap for 15 years and will keep doing it until their whole family is 6 feet under. Or maybe when the "grandfather" is ...

I hope more families bring lawsuits against them.

I was pleased to see the other groups that came out to support the families when they knew this group would be at the funeral. I remember one such funeral with over 500 bikers lining the route and escorting the family so they wouldn't have to witness or hear the insult.

[Mandy]

[faceless]

Mandy, do you think these people should be allowed to do as they please then? What if it was your brother who had been killed and they were there, revelling in your grief (the reason for his death being utterly irrelevant)?

[nekokate]

I think this news is excellent. Hopefully the fine will be enough to put a serious dent in the organisation of future "demonstrations".

I've seen numerous documentaries on these people and they are some of the most vicious, despicable human beings in the world. The size of the fine is justified because it will hamstring their funds.

The money should go to a good cause though - it's not all going to the guy who sued, is it? That would be a little unfair!

[Mandy]

[luke]

it'll be interesting to see what happens when they appeal, as i understand it ( and thats not a great deal! ) the first amendment protects stuff like this, if bush hasn't removed it already

i've seen that poem before mandy;

In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;

And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;

And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;

And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up.

thats my kinda worry with this, first its this bunch of nutters, then animal rights 'extremists', then the antiwar movement ... step by step everyone looses out, the totalitarian tiptoe as david icke puts it

i was thinking maybe they could do something like say you can have your protest, but it has to be within this area - a certain distance from the church, but then you can see that being misused - like, you can have you anti war protest - but right down the street where the politicians can't see or hear you. that kinda thing is already happening here ( remember the one manchester protest where they weren't allowed anywhere near the labour party conference )

its a difficult one - i guess i come out on the side that i don't really care what a bunch of nutters has to say, so i'd just ignore them. you can take offense if you choose to - i'd choose not too. you hear more offensive stuff walking through town at night

[Mandy]

I am with you 100% Luke .. and it is the "establishment" who could afford to hire expensive lawyers and win in court .. so a contest in court is fundamentally, tilted against the people (and in favor of the "establishment")

p.s. The Wikipedia page I referenced says "A well-known variant of this poem has the last stanza as "then they came for the Catholics". I can imagine the Catholic Church now being sued for it's many stands which may cause "hurt" to non-Catholics.
And why stop at Catholicism .. their is Islam and Judaism as well you can go after .. indeed, any religious book is bound to "hurt" some people.

[Skylace]

I don't like what they say, but I do defend their right to say it. However, I do see a problem as to where they are saying it because it's harassing these people. And last I checked harassment is illegal.