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Westboro Baptist Church members exemplify limits of free speech in return to CMU
By Theresa Clift on April 23, 2012 3:56 pm / 15 comments
The “most hated family in America” returned to Central Michigan University Monday.
Associate Professor of Journalism Tim Boudreau invited Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., to speak to three journalism classes to illustrate the “outer limits” of the First Amendment.
The group became nationally known for protesting soldiers’ funerals following 9/11 with signs reading “God hates fags” and ”Thank God for dead soldiers.”
“They raise a lot of questions about how much speech we should protect, and whether we, as a nation, would be better off if we restricted their offensive speech,” Boudreau said.
In 2011, the group won a U.S. Supreme Court case, which ruled their hate speech was protected by the First Amendment.
Shirley Phelps-Roper first appeared on campus, along with daughters Megan and Rebekah, in November 2010.
Shirley, along with her brother and Pastor Fred Phelps Jr., daughter-in-law Jennifer Phelps-Roper and church member Taylor Drain, junior at Washburn University, visited CMU this time around.
“We know that this is a generation full of rebelling against God,” Shirley said.
The members argued with students, proclaiming God hates Catholics, the United States military and the gay and lesbian community.
“Every dime you give (to a Catholic Church) pays a pedophile priest,” Shirley said.
Hopkins freshman Elizabeth Roberts told the group her plans to start basic training at the Air Force by the end of the summer.
“…You will be fighting for same sex marriage and for a nation that has made God its number one enemy,” Shirley said.
Roberts said the dead soldiers give them the right to do what they do.
“Then shut up while we exercise them,” Shirley said.
Reflecting on the event, Roberts said she did not think Shirley and the group understood the point she was trying to make.
“I don’t even know what to say,” she said.
Several students noticed the group members using their iPhones, and asked questions.
Steve Jobs was given a gift from God, Shirley said. Anyone using an iPhone, iPad or Mac for anything other than to serve God is misusing it.
Fred said the group has been picketing for 21 years on the streets, engaged in 48,000 pickets in all 50 states, and spent millions of dollars of their own money.
When asked if they feel like giving up on spreading their message due to major opposition, Fred said no.
“I’m 59 years old, don’t tell me I don’t love this country,” he said. “I’ve done more to tell this country the truth.”
Shirley said after living for more than 50 years, she knows the destruction and mayhem in the world today is unprecedented.
Boudreau, a member of the CMU Media Board, disagreed.
“I grew up in Flint, Mich., and we had a lot of problems then and we have a lot of problems now,” he said.
The WBC has been banned from the United Kingdom and condemned by the Ku Klux Klan.
The sessions were held at 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Park Library Auditorium.
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15 Comments
everyone single quote says “____ said.” Learn new words.
I understand that these people won a 1st Amendment Free Speech case in the Supreme Court. I can live with that. However, I know for a 100% fact that your free speech is limited by the number of people willing to listen. They may have the right to say whatever they want, but we have the right to not listen as well.
The university broadcasts its welcoming message through the “Take Care” initiative where we are told to “Lead by example” and keep our friends and neighbors safe. Yet here we are allowing these people on campus to spew filth and ignorance in the form of hate speech just one week after 14 year old Kenneth Weishuhn of Iowa committed suicide after being a victim of anti-gay bullying.
The strongest way to quiet these people and to stop the spread of their atrocious message is to ignore everything they say or do. We all learned the basic communication process in COM 101: a message is encoded and sent, then the message is decoded and received and then there is feedback. All we have to do is break the cycle. Their freedom of speech will end when we stop giving them an audience to listen.By providing these people with an audience, professor Tim Boudreau is not acting as a instructor. He is acting as an instigator and enabler of this vile speech. While my comments here probably have no effect on Mr. Boudreau whatsoever, as he most likely anticipates some backlash from the community, I hope they shed light on the hypocrisy at CMU.
I find they’re technique and execution extremely flawed. You cannot lead a group of people who want others to follow when you do not dialogically speak to them. When you are listening to their question to spit something back to them you are ignorant and uneducated (no matter if they’re all lawyers or whatever) A conversation for understanding (which i assume was a purpose of bringing them here) needs one person talking then responding with the question in the answer. I give no credit to them for their ability to cut people off. They sound dumb
I think there is a conflict of interest when Tim Boudreau is ”a member of the CMU Media Board” and CM-Life reports on his publicity-seeking behavior. This is essentially a puff-piece for Boudreau – it parrots his justification that the event illustrates the limits of 1st Amendment rights, and has no dissenting voices from protestors outside.
Interesting position Disappointed in CMU. CMU is an institution of Higher learning, LEARNING GET IT? Yet, you are arguing for censorship and the redefining of one of our greatest and most fundamental constitutional rights. The right to free speech. You have accused the Westboro folks of ignorance and hate speech, but I suggest it is you who is guilty of being ignorant and filled with hate towards Mr. Boudreau and my Constitution. In closing I believe you would probably be more comfortable living in a country such as Canada, where speech is severely limited and people are fined and jailed for speaking their minds.
Huh???
You have to read Disappointed in CMU comments .
No. I was not arguing for censorship and the redefining of anything. Please don’t put words in my mouth.
I was merely saying that those who get angry at what the Westboro Baptist Church do and say will accomplish more by ignoring the “Church” than arguing with it.
Bring them to campus as much as you want. Let them say whatever they want. They have every right. But if no one came to listen to them speak, they wouldn’t come back ever again. These people thrive on attention.
In closing, I believe you would probably be more comfortable living in a box where you are always right, rather than reading a comment before you respond.
My friend, Pfc. Brian Backus, was killed in action on June 18, 2011 in Afghanistan. Westboro Baptist Church tried sending their members to Harbor Beach, MI to protest at his funeral. They were ran out of town by the members of the community. I’m glad that I didn’t see any of them at his funeral. It would have been outrageous. He died a hero, saving 6 lives the day that he passed and countless others during his tour. He’s my hero, and no soldier or Marine, their family, or their friends should have to go through the ridicule of some hateful people who take a story too literally.
WELL DONE HARBOR BEACH! I hope they beat their a$$es as well.
Westboro Baptist Church spreads its hate through picketing
in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration,
attempting to create a confrontation. This is not a church, this is a hate
group. This is not about protesting, freedom, or God. They are in it for the
money and the press; this is a family law firm. They are not a
“church.” It is a scam. They go after anything that can get them in
the news. This is a family of lawyers using this “god hates you” thing to make
money. It is time for this scam and the hate to end.
The church has
received money from lawsuits and legal fees. For example, they sued the city of
Topeka several times in the 1990s(this show has been going on for years). WBC
received $16,500, and is pursuing another $100,000, in legal fees for a case
won in court. The WBC is considered a nonprofit organization by the federal
government, and is therefore exempt from paying taxes!
Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist Church is shown
admitting on camera that her oldest son was born out of wedlock. Hypocritical
Phelps-Roper’s vocal condemnation on strangers having sexual congress outside
of marriage while she herself was guilty of the same. They are NOT what they
say they are! THEY ARE NOT A CHURCH!
Well, if Jessie Jacka$$ and Al Sh!thead can call themselves reverends the Westboro folks can call themselves a Christian church group.
Condemned by the klan? How low can you go if you are even condemned by the snake-bellied klan.
QUOTE: Roberts said the dead soldiers give them the right to do what they do.
“Then shut up while we exercise them,” Shirley said.
Now THERE’S a brilliant counterpoint. The best thing that the classes could have done at that point would be to walk out. They have the right to blather on, just like I or anyone in the class have the right to not listen to it. Two things could restore my faith in Journalism at CMU: students walking out of this, and Professor Boudreau giving an A for the day to the first person that did.
These maggots are the worst people that American Society has to offer. They laughably call themselves Christian, but there is absolutely nothing Christian in their message or behavior. Instead, their hypocritical, myopic and hysterical actions drive people away from true Christianity.
Poor sad worn Shirley Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist
Church(hate group) has been shown admitting on camera that her oldest son was
born out of wedlock. Even with the ever hypocritical Phelps-Roper’s loud vocal
condemnation, of strangers. She herself
was guilty of the “SIN”. Looking at her, on one of her rants you would not
think this is a “church”. They are NOT what they say they are! THEY ARE NOT A
CHURCH! May just be in to look crazy,
and be looked at?