<DIV>I think this is a good law. Freedom of speech does not give the right of the protesters to prevent or obstruct a family from preforming their religious and spiritual beliefs, the funeral. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>500 feet is still visible to those that are interested in hearing the protest that want to, but far enough away for a funeral service not to be prevented. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan<BR><BR><B><I>Sunil Ramalingam <sunilramalingam@hotmail.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Matt,<BR><BR>I think they have the right to protest, and I think this bill may infringe <BR>on their First Amendment rights. I think they have the same right to this <BR>speech as the Aryan Nation does to march through C d'A. I think they can <BR>burn a flag while they protest if that's what they want to do. I don't <BR>think it wins any converts to their cause, but they
can do it.<BR><BR>Because it doesn't BAN speech but moves it a distance away from the event <BR>being protested, maybe the courts will rule it's not an infringement on the <BR>First Amendment. The right to speech isn't being taken away, the argument <BR>would go, they're being made to speak elsewhere. I don't know how this will <BR>play out.<BR><BR>Gregoire's not doing this by herself; this is a bill that passed through the <BR>Washington legislature, and was sponsored by a Republican. It passed 89-5 <BR>in the WA House, with five Democrats voting against it; two Rs and 2 Ds <BR>didn't vote on it. One vote against it in the WA Senate, don't know which <BR>party that opponent belonged to.<BR><BR>It adds 200 feet to the 300 foot buffer in a federal bill signed by Bush.<BR><BR>"On May 26, 2006, President George Bush signed the "Respect for Americans <BR>Fallen Heroes Act." The law, as amended, prohibits protests within 300 feet <BR>of a national cemetery entrance on the day
of a funeral. The bill passed the <BR>U.S. Senate unanimously, and the vote in the House of Representatives was <BR>408-3. Violators can be fined up to $100,000." I got that from this <BR>editorial:<BR><BR>http://www.theolympian.com/109/story/62220.html<BR><BR>Sunil<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>>From: "Matt Decker" <MATTD2107@HOTMAIL.COM><BR>>To: sunilramalingam@hotmail.com, vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] House bill 1168<BR>>Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:45:56 -0800<BR>><BR>>Sunil and all,<BR>><BR>>What gets me, is how nobody on the viss has said "this" is taking away from <BR>>our rights. I wonder if the same would be said, IF the same bill was passed <BR>>because of a group calling death to all white boys, instead of homosexuals. <BR>>Or if these idiotic shitheads were saying that these soldiers died because <BR>>of Bush and his cronies.<BR>><BR>>What also gets me, is these soldiers and Marines are dying for everyones
<BR>>rights, but yet Gregoire ironically is taking away rights at the warriors <BR>>funeral.<BR>><BR>>Also, how we can burn the flag, the most symbolic icon of america, but we <BR>>can't allow idiots like this to speak.<BR>><BR>>I can't stand these people either, but what about the rights that everyone <BR>>here on the vizz talks about? That only stands if you all agree? Hell I <BR>>myslef would be the guy to punch this assholes lights out, along with <BR>>anyone burning the flag. But, where are the ideas and rights that you all <BR>>talk about.<BR>><BR>>Playing devils advocate,<BR>>Matt<BR>><BR>><BR><BR><BR>=======================================================<BR>List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>http://www.fsr.net <BR>mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>=======================================================<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p> 
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