the crazies hail from everywhere – not just the muslim world.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered the family of a slain Marine to pay $16,510.80 in court costs to a congregation that organized an anti-gay protest during the Marine’s funeral. The congregation, which claims God is using soldiers’ deaths to punish America for “the sin of homosexuality,” plans to use some of that money to fund more demonstrations at soldiers’ funerals.
Seems like the only people being punished here are grieving family members of the dead soldiers.
“By the court making this decision, they’re not only telling me that they’re taking their side, but I have to pay them money to do this to more soldiers and their families,” Albert Snyder, whose son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, was killed in action in Iraq in 2006, told CNN.
The court’s order follows its ruling earlier this month in favor of the free speech and assembly rights of the protesters from Westboro Baptist Church, who waved signs saying “God hates the USA”, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” and signs with anti-gay slurs at Snyder’s funeral in Maryland.
The Snyder family sued the congregation in 2007, claiming privacy invasion, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy. A jury awarded the family $2.9 million in compensatory damages plus $8 million in punitive damages, amounts later reduced to $5 million. The congregation appealed and earlier this month the 4th Circuit reversed the jury’s verdict. Full article.