A bill designed to prevent disruptions at military funerals has cleared the U.S. House and heads next to the White House for President Obama’s signature.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Olympia Snowe and inspired by a Frankfort teenager, passed the Senate in mid-July.
The Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans, or SERVE, Act would strengthen restrictions for protests at military funeral services. The act would require 120 minutes of quiet time before and after military funerals, up from the current 60 minutes. It also would expand the buffer zone around military funerals to 300 feet from 150 feet, and expand the buffer zone around funeral access routes from 300 to 500 feet.
The legislation would also increase civil penalties for those who violate the law’s provisions.
Snowe introduced the legislation in April 2011, a month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that protesters have the right to protest at military funerals. That court case, Snyder v. Phelps, involved a military family and the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, which has used military funerals as a platform to promote its claim that God is angry for the country’s tolerance of homosexuality.
Snowe credits Zach Parker of Frankfort with inspiring her to introduce the SERVE Act. Parker took on a months-long quest last year as a Searsport District High School senior to raise awareness about a need to protect military funerals from offensive protests. He developed proposed legislation as part of his efforts, which began as a class project.
“Those who fight and die in the service of our country deserve our highest respect, and I commend the House and Senate for giving this issue its due consideration,” Snowe said in a statement released by her office. “Our nation has a vested interest in honoring those who serve in our armed forces, and this bill achieves that while respecting the intent of the First Amendment to our Constitution.”
While it may seem like a good idea and I do agree the WBC are a bunch of A-holes, it does infringe upon free speech.
Sadly good taste and common sense are something that WBC doesn’t have thus the law is required.
I agree with you Woodbooger, it does infringe upon free speech. One of the unfortunate side effects of free speech is that we often have to listen to reprehensible talk, and the WBC are masters at it.
On the other hand, over the past few months there have been quite a few effective counter-protests at funerals, specifically designed to prevent or obscure the WBC protestors. These counter-protests are inspiring…people of all types, entire communities, have gathered together, peacefully, to protect the families of the fallen. I personally feel that it has been encouraging to see folks come together this way, especially considering the current state of our political discourse. A positive side effect, I guess.
“Those who fight and die in the service of our country deserve our highest respect, and I commend the House and Senate for giving this issue its due consideration,” Snowe says…She’s got it wrong…. “Those who fight and die in the service of our GOVERNMENT deserve our highest respect, and I commend the House and Senate for giving this issue its due consideration..
So much for free speech….The fascists win again..
If you are a Reverend it seems to me you have a perverse understanding of the Word as well as weak argument for invoking fascism here.
There are many restrictions on freedom of speech, one of which is wisdom and another is love. The WBC has yet to resemble either of these and so they cause harm. In so doing the requirement is an external restriction.
I am a thiry year Veteran of the military. I did not serve our government but served to protect our Country and its citizens. Though I disagree with a lot of Senator Snowes views I do agree that those who have fought and died for our COUNTRY deserve our ultimate respect regardless of our views. A motorcycle association called the Patriot Guard Riders is one group that counter protests the WBC at Military Funerals if invited by the deceased families. It is a stiring site to see all those riders, standing at attention with American Flags shielding the funeral from the likes of the WBC. This law was a long time coming and I am glad to see the Senate and Congress pass a law that is long past due.
Good deal….
It comes down to this……speech is not free. In America, you have a god given or constitutional right to it, however there is constant price for it…..these soldiers were the ones that died to continue to give it to us. They paid the ultimate price for your freedom of speech. This act should give their families some privacy and honor during funeral services. It is a very small sacrifice we can all afford to make. Our American founding fathers would probably agree. It is the right thing to do. THEY EARNED IT. That’s it, cut and dry folks…..no other events or issues should be entertained on this topic.
21 years US Military Thanks Zach!
I am sorry how does limiting the rights that theses brave men died for respect them? You respect them by letting our Constitution grow and stand by it no matter what. What they heck did they die for? So we can limit our rights and be proud doing so? You support the man by counter protesting, making an effort to be there for your fellow American. This law is simply taking the easy way out.
looks like “the man” as you call it, is closer to making a law to provide some peace during militarily funerals. Guess who you’ll have to deal with if you want to change it…the same “man”
What? The Man I am referring too is the Solider that so bravely died for our freedom, everyone freedom. I will honor him by fighting against the tearing down of our freedoms. This is a infringement on our rights and is a complete travesty. What did he die for? He fought for his country and for his Fellow citizens, yet we say thanks but no thanks we will just give up our rights.
I am glad. This is incredibly disgraceful and rude of the WBC and does nothing to enhance thier cause.
I don’t understand the argument about this infringing on free speech?
A person cannot stand on a street corner and yell racial slurs, you cannot stand outside of a schoolyard and scream obscenities, or stand outside of a gay club and yell homophobic derisions, well people at funerals should not be able to do these things either.
When “free” speech interferes with the freedoms of others, especially those mourning the loss of a loved one, it now exacts a price and is no longer ‘free”.
Actually I am pretty sure you can do all of those things as long as you do no direct it toward anyone. Also if your last sentence was true then basically all protest could be limited. So yes this is an infringement of our rights. Sorry this solider died, but apparently we want to make it for nothing.
You pretty much said it with your last sentence. I hate that they protest like this…hate it more than flag burning. And if I were King, “We” wouldn’t allow it. But thankfully for everyone, I’m not. We live in a free country where the biggest idiots of us have the same freedoms I have. And thank god for that.
I still don’t see how anyone’s free speech is being
stopped just because a zone to exercise this free speech
is being instituted. The nutcases will still be able to demean
and denegrate the deceased military person and their families.
They just will be able to do it further away from them which
will protect the family’s rights to honor and mourn with the respect they
deserve to have.
Let try and create a zone to exercise your right to bear arms and see how that goes. Its not a zone, but basically tell people you we can make a law that says when and were you can protest. That is really scary government control.