IN DEFENSE OF WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH
An Editorial by Ian Gibson
      
      A federal jury in Baltimore recently awarded Albert Snyder of Westminster $10.9 
million in damages from Westboro Baptist Church, a radical Christian group that 
protested Snyder’s son’s funeral shouting slogans and flaunting signs proclaiming such 
memorable phrases as “Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” “God Hates Fags,” and “God 
Hates America.” Snyder, whose son Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder died in the Iraqi 
conflict, filed suit for defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of 
emotional distress. 
      Millions cheered as the news broke the airways, but I, for one, cried for the 
sanctity of free speech which is too often desecrated for the sake of political correctness. I 
want to make it clear that I do not support the radical fundamentalist beliefs of the 
Westboro Baptist Church, nor do I condone their vicious protest actions in Westminster 
and across the nation. However, I must stand up for a radical’s rights to free speech and 
peaceful assembly. 
      It is a sad day in America when the voice of the minority is severely stifled simply 
to satisfy the bruised egos of the majority. The purpose of free speech is the promotion 
and protection of the free marketplace of ideas. In this grand utopian vision of 
democracy, each individual should be allowed to present their unique views and ideas 
without fear of oppression or censorship. Within this system, ideas of merit and potential 
are celebrated, rising with accreditation of the majority to become accepted into the 
modern American mindset. All parties are satisfied in the free marketplace of ideas as the 
minority can freely express their radical beliefs without fear of censorship or oppression, 
and the majority maintains power only as long as their ideals are widely supported. 
      The beauty of this arrangement breaks down immediately with the introduction of 
fascist rulings such as in the Snyder v. Westboro case. No longer can the minority speak 
freely for fear of offending others. To the call for “decency” and “politeness” in the arena 
of free speech, I obstinately thumb my nose. No rights of an American citizen should be 
infringed upon simply because of the bad echo their words might leave in the ears of 
others. No matter how vicious the protest posters and brimstone preaching of the 
Westboro Baptist Church may be, they must be allowed the right to free expression as 
guaranteed to all Americans under the first amendment to the United States Constitution. 
      My fear in hearing the cries of “righteous” victory in the Snyder case fall to a 
simple fact – the day that rights and freedoms in America are decided upon political 
correctness and emotional vulnerability is the day America begins its slow demise into a 
crumpled ghost of a democracy. This ruling only proves that this day is all too close at 
hand, and when it arrives I can promise you only one thing – the renunciation of my 
American citizenship.