Free speech or hate speech

By Oscar Y. Harward

When does free speech become hate speech? In my early years in the US Army, one of the first teachings was to honor our US Constitution, our American flag, and all of our Blessed freedoms as defined within.

The case of Texas v. Johnson (U.S. 397) in 1989, SCOTUS made a landmark decision declaring that burning (y)our American flag was ‘free speech’. My question that day and on every day since that decision, I often question as to how any loving Americans, or more specifically, any God loving Justice of the US Supreme Court, could ‘minimize’ our ‘symbol of freedom’ around the world.

It all originated in 1963 with the SCOTUS’ decision ABINGTON SCHOOL DIST. v. SCHEMPP, 374 U.S. 203 (1963). Everyone in the public schools had a “Christian Devotion” in the mornings, and with that learning, almost everyone went to some Church, Parish, Synagogue, etc. on Sunday mornings. Our Biblical principles in public schools were based on ‘Judeo-Christian’ values as defined by the Founding Fathers of our US Constitution. The US Supreme Court’s 1963 decision outlawed Prayer in schools. Most of our younger children were taught the importance of “God’s Word”.

Now, without the Biblical teachings in public schools or their attending Worship on a regular basis, we have reared one generation, who has reared another generation, who now are bringing up a third generation who see no reason to attend Church, Parish, Synagogue, etc., or read the Bible or to do any Biblical study. Today, there are little to no religious teachings in our public school. So many of our elected politicians, liberal members of our print media, radio, TV, and other medias are presenting us the ‘news’ and other print, radio, and television presentations in unacceptable and/or ungodly scenes.

Americans are now facing another SCOTUS decision in the case of members of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. These radical members protested the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, a US Marine who was killed in Iraq while serving America. Even though these Westboro Baptist Church were protesting on public property, their protest was so loud as to be disturbing to the Snyder family at the cemetery memorial service. SCOTUS will now make a legal determination as to whether the family should have ‘privacy rights’ at a funeral or whether protesting a funeral is ‘free speech’.

The bottom line is that if the Supreme Court of the United States renders a decision allowing protestors ‘free speech’ to override and abuse the ‘privacy rights’ of a family at a funeral, we have reached a point in time when any group may interrupt and/or overwhelm any other organized meeting(s) as a form of ‘free speech’. A SCOTUS decision in agreement to Westboro Baptist Church and against Snyder family’s ‘privacy rights’ at a funeral is the beginning of the end of civility in any House of Worship. May we trust the wisdom of our SCOTUS Justices to respect the ‘privacy rights’ of all families at funerals!

Furthermore, it is a dishonor and a disgraceful act for Westboro Baptist Church members to present themselves as part of God’s Families of Churches. Westboro Baptist Church is practicing ‘hate speech’. May God forgive them! May God show each of them the Light of His Love! God Bless America!