When is a protest not a protest? If Tommie Smith and John Carlos made their protest in the locker room rather than on the medal stand, would it have been the same? If Dr. King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech in front of the bathroom mirror instead of on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, would it have been the same? No and no. Protests are meant to be seen and heard. But not if the Nevada legislature has anything to say about it.
This week, Nevada’s political bobbleheads are considering a bill designed to prevent protestors from disrupting funerals and memorial services. That’s ‘cause folks like the BSC motherhubbards from the Westboro Baptist Church raise a ruckus outside military funerals shouting things like “God loves dead soldiers!” Tasteless as that may be, guess what? Here in the USo’A we’ve got a little thing called the First Amendment. Putting restrictions on protests is a violation of Americans’ rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
Now, we don’t believe in what the WBC stands for...after all, they’ve got “church” in their name. But here’s the crux of our biscuit…when politicians start preventing “funeral” and “memorial” protests, where will it stop? War protesters? Union picketers? American Idol fans? Political douchebags have no idea what this country stands for. Here in America, we let people speak their minds no matter how ugly the message is. Are you listening fat boy? Knowing people like the WBC, the KKK and other hate groups can spout their rhetoric whenever they want warms our collective heart. Why? ‘Cause when you’re up close and personal with a pile of horseshit, it makes you much more appreciative of the smell of flowers. Smarter brotherhubbards than us have said it before…we don’t agree with what they say but we’ll defend to the death their right to say it.
(8.-)
This week, Nevada’s political bobbleheads are considering a bill designed to prevent protestors from disrupting funerals and memorial services. That’s ‘cause folks like the BSC motherhubbards from the Westboro Baptist Church raise a ruckus outside military funerals shouting things like “God loves dead soldiers!” Tasteless as that may be, guess what? Here in the USo’A we’ve got a little thing called the First Amendment. Putting restrictions on protests is a violation of Americans’ rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
Now, we don’t believe in what the WBC stands for...after all, they’ve got “church” in their name. But here’s the crux of our biscuit…when politicians start preventing “funeral” and “memorial” protests, where will it stop? War protesters? Union picketers? American Idol fans? Political douchebags have no idea what this country stands for. Here in America, we let people speak their minds no matter how ugly the message is. Are you listening fat boy? Knowing people like the WBC, the KKK and other hate groups can spout their rhetoric whenever they want warms our collective heart. Why? ‘Cause when you’re up close and personal with a pile of horseshit, it makes you much more appreciative of the smell of flowers. Smarter brotherhubbards than us have said it before…we don’t agree with what they say but we’ll defend to the death their right to say it.
(8.-)
