Everyone has a right to his or her opinion. They deserve freedom of speech. However, people also have the right to be peeved by what others say if it offends or upsets them. Sometimes individuals with different opinions can debate civilly. Other times, one side reduces the others’ opinion by going from debating to smearing.
For years, the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. has been using free speech to justify spreading their hateful message. Their Web site is named www.godhatesfags.com. Their sister sites are called www.americaisdoomed.com, www.beastobama.com and www.godhatestheworld.com. These sites list reasons why God hates almost every country in the world.
Westboro Baptists have picket signs that say, “Thank God for Sept. 11,” “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and “Thank God for breast cancer.” They’ve probably gotten the most press for their picketing at soldiers’ funerals, where they claim that God killed these soldiers because of America’s sin.
One deceased soldier’s father couldn’t take it anymore. Albert Snyder, father of fallen Marine Matthew Snyder, is fighting the church in the Supreme Court, suing the church for defamation and invasion of privacy. The picketers protested on a public street outside the Catholic church where Matthew funeral was held, shouting that his death was God’s punishment.
My mother always tells me that my rights end where others’ rights start. This church had no right to intrude on such a private moment. They’re not spreading the love that I believe churches are supposed to spread. They hurt this soldier’s family deeply and they don’t care. If they want people to listen to their message, maybe they should try being kind. If people want to listen to them, then that should be their decision. You can tell people about your views but you can’t start World War III if they don’t agree. People have the gift of choice and the gift of free will to make these choices.
I believe in God. I don’t believe that he is beating down on the world because he hates it. Westboro doesn’t realize that soldiers have always died in battlesbattle. Countless others have died in earthquakes, tsunamis, blizzards, hurricanes, epidemics and freak accidents. We live in a messed up world. These things happen. Some things can be prevented but people are messed up too and they’ll never stop making mistakes. Evil people will always exist and tragedies will always happen. It’s because of these evils and tragedies that we should strive for love, peace and compassion more than we ever have. Instead of condemning, let us love. Instead of fighting, let us promote peace. Instead of pointing fingers at perpetrators, let us help those in need. That is the most effective way to tell those who laugh at suffering, “What you are doing is wrong.”
The families of the soldiers whose funerals Westboro has made unwelcome appearances at, lost their beloved children, parents, spouses and siblings in the horror of war. A compassionate person would help them and give them hope. A cynical person would protest and say “God is punishing you.” I hope that Snyder wins the case and I hope that Westboro is stopped from twisting free speech into an I-have-a-right-to-hurt-you rule.
