Hunter Moore
Hunter Moore ponders if the First Amendment should be updated after her experiences with the Westboro Baptist Church and their favorable Supreme Court ruling.
Coming from a school with a communications program, I appreciate the importance of Freedom of Speech, but I was shocked when I heard the Supreme Court ruled that the Westboro Baptist Church has the right to picket the funerals of soldiers. I wonder if maybe the First Amendment isn’t due for a few updates.
I think the members of Westboro Baptist Church have a twisted view of the world. They are famous for their protests against gay rights and disrupting military funerals. Last year, they came to my school to protest our diverse population and accomplished Junior ROTC program. They were holding signs with horrible comments and even yelling cruel insults.
Shortly before they arrived, I got together with some equally angered friends to plan a counter-protest. I keep hoping that one day these so-called church members will realize that everyone should be able to love what they want.
I understand the necessity of the First Amendment. Without it, I would not be guaranteed the right to speak my own feelings. However, speech can be as harmful as any physical attack, and it is my opinion that something must be done to stop people or groups such as Westboro Baptist Church from spreading hateful messages that prevent our country from attaining the equality it stands for.
