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Washington (CNN) -- A Kansas church that attracted nationwide attention for its angry, anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. military members has won its appeal at the Supreme Court, an issue testing the competing constitutional limits of free speech and privacy.
The justices, by an 8-1 vote, said Wednesday that members of Westboro Baptist Church had a right to promote what they call a broad-based message on public matters such as wars. The father of a fallen Marine had sued the small church, saying those protests amounted to targeted harassment and an intentional infliction of emotional distress.
"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," the court's decision said.
Supreme Court rules for anti-gay church over military funeral protests - CNN.com
Sometimes, and I mean sometimes free speech is a bitch.
But it is free speech.
I may not like it, but that's the way it is.
At the end of the day, I actually feel nothing but sorry for the members of the WBC, to dedicate your life to this kind of hate, and to go out of your way to inflict this kind of pain on a grieving family shows a lack of happyness and fulfillment in your life, and for that, I truly feel sorry for them.