Another Unconstitutional Bill Signed Into Law
The president has signed into law the "Honoring America's Veterans" act, because what better way to honor veterans than to shred the constitutional rights they supposedly fought to defend? The law prohibits any protests two hours before or after a military funeral, and even when protests are allowed, they must be 300 feet away from the actual burial site.
The intention is to stop the loathsome bigots of the Westboro Baptist Church from insulting people at soldier's funerals, but it's using an unconstitutional sledgehammer to squash a gnat. If the law is allowed to stand (though I suspect the supreme court will strike it down on first amendment grounds) then it would be illegal if, for example, survivors of the My Lai massacre dared to protest when the men who murdered their families were given heroes' burials.
In my ideal fantasy version of America, politicians would face a three-strikes law: any lawmaker who votes for (or executive who signs) a law that is later struck down for being unconstitutional gets one strike. Three strikes and you're out, and banned from holding public office ever again.
The intention is to stop the loathsome bigots of the Westboro Baptist Church from insulting people at soldier's funerals, but it's using an unconstitutional sledgehammer to squash a gnat. If the law is allowed to stand (though I suspect the supreme court will strike it down on first amendment grounds) then it would be illegal if, for example, survivors of the My Lai massacre dared to protest when the men who murdered their families were given heroes' burials.
In my ideal fantasy version of America, politicians would face a three-strikes law: any lawmaker who votes for (or executive who signs) a law that is later struck down for being unconstitutional gets one strike. Three strikes and you're out, and banned from holding public office ever again.
posted by Jennifer Abel at 2:02 PM
2 Comments:
If the law is allowed to stand (though I suspect the supreme court will strike it down on first amendment grounds) then it would be illegal if, for example, survivors of the My Lai massacre dared to protest when the men who murdered their families were given heroes' burials.
I may be wrong, but I rather doubt any of the perpetrators of My Lai have or will be given a hero's burial. One usually needs a lilly white bit of parchment certifying that one served and was discharged honorably in order to qualify for any veterans' honors.
However, much as I despise the Westboro group, I do agree that the law should be struck down. As long as they are not tresspassing or harassing someone I see no reason why people should not be allowed to protest at military funerals - or for that matter, any other public or private function. On the other hand, a buffer zone while the funeral is in progress doesn't seem too unreasonable to me - although three hundred feet might be a bit much.
I don't see why any of this should be a federal law. And why should military funerals be singled out for special protection?
I like your idea of a 3 strikes rule. Better yet would be term limits: 2 terms in office, followed by summary execution.
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