The 6-foot tall letters that sprawl around Newhouse III serve as a constant reminder to me of the sometimes overlooked tangibility of our First Amendment rights as Americans. My political science education at Syracuse University also serves as a constant reminder to me of the magnitude of our freedoms as Americans and how we take for granted the preponderance of things we’re allowed to do, without a fear of our government.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church, the famously antigay, antimilitary and anti-pretty-much-everything. The ‘church’ was sued after it protested the funeral of fallen marine Matthew Snyder in 2006 and caused ’emotional distress’ to the family.

What a paradox.

There will always be debates about where free speech ends. But it’s even harder to protect the people who use that freedom to revile the very people who give them the protection to speak.

Confused? Me too.

There is no doubt that publicly disparaging someone who gave up his or her life for the country is despicable, but the Supreme Court made the right ruling. As long as the ‘church’ protests within the confines outlined by the city it protests in, it should be able to say whatever it wants.

We all have things we’re passionate about. Even though these people may be brainwashed to hate or operate under indisposed, misguided opinions, they still have a right to express whatever they want so long as it’s not an immediate threat to anyone’s physical health. If they are passionate enough to travel all over the country and spend all this money defending themselves in courts of law, then they should be allowed to protest.

The ruling disgusts me as much as the next guy, but we can’t let an extremely small minority of disillusioned people operating under foolish pretenses distract us from the fundamental freedoms we hold true as Americans.

David Hess Kaplan

Junior broadcast journalism, political science and history major

Published on March 1, 2011 at 12:00 pm