Quote:


Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.




So, do the mourners attending funerals have the right to assemble peaceably, or to exercise their right to religious ritual in the burial of their dead, or are they excluded from these basic constitutional rights? If we acknowlege those rights, and then those rights are abridged, do the mourners have the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances? If the absense of law forsakes those rights, is it the obligation of the government to then pass laws protecting those rights?

Is there really any difference in the government sending in forces to disrupt these funerals, or to knowingly turn a blind eye while vigilantes like the Phelps's do the disrupting? The government is not allowed to prevent religious expression, peaceful assembly, or free speech, but is it obligated to guarantee those rights from aggressive disruption by others?

If the mourners are forced to take the law into their own hands in order to exercise their rights to peaceful assemble and to express their religious beliefs through the ritual of a funeral, doesn't this represent a breakdown in our laws and our society? Laws do not always benefit everyone, but they usually benefit the majority. Aren't disputes like this what laws are for?

We all agree that there are limits to the degree that you can exercise free expression. Loud parties late at night in your own home will draw complaints from the neighbors and visits from the police. Would it make a difference if the hosts of the party had an agenda motivated by religious or political beliefs? Most of us agree with these restrictive statutes because we believe we are entitled to a peaceful existence and a good night's sleep. There are literally hundreds or even thousands of other examples. We should ask whether these same conventions should apply to the parties involved in these funerals.

Regards,
Cody

I was born a long ways from where I was supposed to be. - Bob Dylan