Why doesn't every state do this?

[Mississippi Sooner]

Arizona legislators quickly approved emergency legislation Tuesday to head off picketing by a Topeka, Kan., church near the funeral service for a 9-year-old girl who was killed during Saturday's shooting in Tucson. Unanimous votes by the House and Senate cleared the way for the bill to go to Gov. Jan Brewer later Tuesday for her expected signature. It would take effect immediately.

Without specifically mentioning the Tucson shooting, the proposed law would prohibit protests at or near funeral sites.

Dozens of lawmakers co-sponsored the bill, and legislative action was completed within 90 minutes. The Senate's committee hearing took just three minutes.

The Westboro Baptist Church said Monday it plans to picket Thursday's funeral for Christina Taylor Green because "God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America." The fundamentalist church has picketed many military funerals to draw attention to its view that the deaths are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Lawmakers denounced the church's plan to picket the funeral of a child.

"This is just horrific that ... people have to deal with this. We shouldn't have to do this in time of great pain for our state," said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat.

The girl was the youngest of the six people killed during the shooting at an event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was among 14 people injured. Giffords was shot in the head and critically wounded.

Numerous states have passed laws restricting protests at funerals after members of the Westboro church began protesting at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Arizona legislation is modeled on an Ohio law that was upheld by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sinema said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110111/...shot_picketing

[MR2-Sooner86]

This should have been done long, long ago when they started protesting the first soldier's funerals.

[Breadburner]

Why dont lunatics ever blow away people like Fred Phelps......

[Leroy Lizard]

I used to think that the Westboro Church, although a major irritant, was harmless. I'm not so sure. If these people are perfectly willing to call the murder of a young girl justified, what morally prevents them from committing the same act?

I see the SC tossing this legislation unless they make a case that, with their inflammatory material that condoned the murder, these people are too dangerous to allow near such a congregation of people they truly hate and think should die.

[Leroy Lizard]

In a twisted way, I can see the argument made that a funeral is for the benefit of the deceased and that, being a minor, the state has an interest in preventing people from protesting at her funeral.

It takes imagination.

[macdaddybuff]

Its a matter of time when they picket the wrong funeral and someone takes matters in there own hands and hurts these guys. I see it happening especially if they picket kids funerals.

[yermom]

I used to think that the Westboro Church, although a major irritant, was harmless. I'm not so sure. If these people are perfectly willing to call the murder of a young girl justified, what morally prevents them from committing the same act?

I see the SC tossing this legislation unless they make a case that, with their inflammatory material that condoned the murder, these people are too dangerous to allow near such a congregation of people they truly hate and think should die.

i was kinda thinking along these lines.

it sounds like they are telling any nutcase out there with a desire to do something like this that God is telling them to

[OULenexaman]

you do know that Topeka was built by and around Mental Institutions...

[MR2-Sooner86]

They're very dangerous people. This 20/20 interview is just...wow.

[sooner59]

I can honestly say that if they showed up at a child's funeral and someone killed the whole lot of them...I would smile and probably chuckle a bit. That is the extent of my feelings toward them. I agree that they will keep this crap up and get all of the Phelps women and children murdered just like the folks who's funerals they picket. And it will be sad that those brainwashed kids were mixed up in it.

I am a big supporter of individual rights, but when those rights begin to affect others negatively, I feel that is where you begin to lose those rights. IMO, if people are allowed by law or the Constitution to do crap like the Phelps family is doing right now, then as much as it pains me to say...those individual rights need to be stripped. Its not right morally.

[Leroy Lizard]

I can honestly say that if they showed up at a child's funeral and someone killed the whole lot of them...I would smile and probably chuckle a bit.

Eh, I'm not willing to go that far. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. This is why I think that a well-crafted law that prevents this type of thing from happening is the best solution.

[bigfatjerk]

I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.-Mitch Hedberg.

[soonerchk]

Because it's more fun to run around and leave them with flat tires?

[sooner59]

Eh, I'm not willing to go that far. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. This is why I think that a well-crafted law that prevents this type of thing from happening is the best solution.

Yeah, I was a bit too harsh. I probably wouldn't. Its just sad. And that 24 year old girl has more intelligence than both of her parents combined. It just makes me sad that some people can't have children of their own and would be wonderful parents, yet scum like that keep reproducing.

[Leroy Lizard]

Because it's more fun to run around and leave them with flat tires?

Lesson: The people that cling to these sorts of beliefs desire to be singled out for retribution. Having their tires flattened gives them a sense of purpose and demonstrates that, like Job, the truly righteous face indignations on a constant basis. The fact that they encounter vandalism only strengthens their belief that they are the truly blessed.

So don't be fooled by their complaints of mistreatment. They're just acting out their roles as the oppressed. And it prevents them from facing what they truly most fear: irrelevance.

[soonerchk]

Lesson: The people that cling to these sorts of beliefs desire to be singled out for retribution. Having their tires flattened gives them a sense of purpose and demonstrates that, like Job, the truly righteous face indignations on a constant basis. The fact that they encounter vandalism only strengthens their belief that they are the truly blessed.

So don't be fooled by their complaints of mistreatment. They're just acting out their roles as the oppressed. And it prevents them from facing what they truly most fear: irrelevance.

Indeed. I know a few posters like that.

[2121Sooner]

Eh, I'm not willing to go that far. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. This is why I think that a well-crafted law that prevents this type of thing from happening is the best solution.

That's cause you are a jew loving phag!!!


Man, they just channeled me and posted that.



And I am just kidding Leroy. You dont love jews.

[badger]

They were going to make more appearances in Oklahoma after the McAlester incident - at children's funerals this time - but I think they got death threats. They made a return trip to McAlester a month later or so, but I think their biggest audience was the media. Nobody gave a crap about them if they weren't at a funeral

What they do is basic bullying, and like MR2's video showed, they're bullying everyone, including their own.

[2121Sooner]

I like how they take the songs and then mix in a message of hate.


Kind of like Weird Al Yankovich, but meaner.

[badger]

I've heard Westboro compared to the extremism of Madalyn Murray O'Hair sometimes, but from everything I've read, the only similarity is the hate and the excommunication of defiant family members... but sadly, from the way Westboro members act, I could see the family meet the same demise if they make the wrong people angry enough