The behavior is repeated...over time,” (Bullying). Types of bullying include embarrassing someone in public, taunting, teasing, and name calling. Over a matter of years the Westboro Baptist Church has bullied gays, lesbians, soldiers, the US, and other countries. Through bullying and verbal abuse this group has emotionally distressed and hurt others purposefully in ways that should not be tolerable to the law. Many people think that words can’t harm others. They are right in thinking that they can’t hurt physically, but the marks left mentally lead to even worse outcomes. Humans feel the need to release their thoughts or whatever may be plaguing their minds. Those who can’t find that release become unstable and are more likely to harm either themselves or others. In an article by Daily Mail, Brittany Murphy’s death brought on member of the church to question their morale. The woman later read an article about a famine in Africa and starving children and cried over it. Later she saw a post on Twitter saying, “Thank God for famine in East Africa! God is longsuffering and patient, but he repays the wicked!” (Ollie). Eventually, she couldn’t handle it anymore and left the church. Due to their repeated and targeted acts of unwanted verbal abuse, bullying, and public embarrassment to funeral goers, the church could be charged with criminal harassment. “Criminal …show more content…
Phelps the supreme court discussed whether or not the Westboro Baptist Church had the right to protest at funerals or not. They decided in an 8-1 vote, “that the First Amendment shields those who stage a protest at the funeral of a military service member from liability,” (Snyder). It’s right that these church members should be able to exercise their right in protesting whatever they please. However, these protests can be taken as harassment, violent, and public embarrassment. Soldiers died for their right to use their first amendment right and they don’t have the decency to let their family members mourn in peace. They say it is for a better cause and that they are only looking out for everyone. Why is it that everyone around them is crying and yelling back at them? They do this as it is a part of their religion and they see that funerals are wrong and that God is paying the human race back for tolerance of gays. That is fine as it’s a part of their opinion. It’s not acceptable to throw the deaths of loved ones and those who fight to protect America in the faces of their family and taunt them with praises for their death. Those people are mourning in that very moment, they are depressed, weakened, and emotionally hurt. It is the government’s job to protect people who are hurting; they should feel obligated to help fallen soldiers instead of those who are screaming profanity and insult at anyone who doesn’t agree with their ideas. The honor and