The $10.9 million verdict against the Westboro “Baptist”* Church (WBC) for protesting at a military funeral finally convinced me to visit that body’s website, godhatesfags.com, whereupon I found, well, this:

WBC engages in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words** and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED, etc.

That scream you hear is the writers at The Onion, rending their polos and button-down shirts, crying out to heaven, “Why oh Lord why have you made these people who are not only spiteful but well and truly beyond parody?”

Yes, the judgment should be tossed out on free speech grounds on appeal. I wouldn’t have voted with the majority if I was on that jury, however tempting it might have been. Hateful speech should not be prosecuted; else, why have a first amendment?

But put me on another hypothetical jury, one hearing the case of angry mourners who decided to beat the protesters within an inch of their lives. I’d also vote to let ‘em walk.

* “Baptist” is scare quoted above because no other actual Baptists consider the WBC to be Baptist. The story I linked instead scare quotes “church.” Fair enough, but my father is a Baptist minister, and really, Baptists don’t deserve this.
** “God is not mocked” I’ll give them. The rest of the slogans? Not in the Bible.