Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/10pdf/09-751.pdf
Page Number: 29

Cite as:  562 U. S. ____ (2011) 

7 

ALITO, J., dissenting 

and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” reiterated the message 
that  God  had  caused  Matthew’s  death  in  retribution  for 
his  sins.  App.  to  Brief  for  Appellants  in  No.  08–1026 
(CA4),  pp.  3787,  3788  (hereinafter  App.).  Others,  stating 
“You’re  Going  to  Hell”  and  “Not  Blessed  Just  Cursed,” 
conveyed  the  message  that  Matthew  was  “in  Hell—sine 
die.”  Id., at 3783. 

Even if those who attended the funeral were not alerted 
in  advance  about  respondents’  intentions,  the  meaning  of 
these  signs  would  not  have  been  missed.    Since  respon-
dents  chose  to  stage  their  protest  at  Matthew  Snyder’s 
funeral  and  not  at  any  of  the  other  countless  available 
venues,  a  reasonable  person  would  have  assumed  that 
there  was  a  connection  between  the  messages  on  the 
placards  and  the  deceased.    Moreover,  since  a  church 
funeral is an event that naturally brings to mind thoughts 
about  the  afterlife,  some  of  respondents’  signs—e.g.,  “God 
Hates You,” “Not Blessed Just Cursed,” and “You’re Going 
to  Hell”—would  have  likely  been  interpreted  as  referring
to God’s judgment of the deceased. 

Other signs would most naturally have been understood 
as  suggesting—falsely—that  Matthew  was  gay.    Homo-
sexuality was the theme of many of the signs.  There were 
signs reading “God Hates Fags,” “Semper Fi  Fags,” “Fags
Doom  Nations,”  and  “Fag  Troops.”    Id.,  at  3781–3787. 
Another placard depicted two men engaging in anal inter-
course.  A  reasonable  bystander  seeing  those  signs  would 
have  likely  concluded  that  they  were  meant  to  suggest 
that the deceased was a homosexual. 

After the funeral, the Westboro picketers reaffirmed the
meaning  of  their  protest.    They  posted  an  online  account
entitled  “The  Burden  of  Marine  Lance  Cpl.  Matthew  A.
Snyder.  The Visit of Westboro Baptist Church to Help the 
Inhabitants of Maryland Connect the Dots!”  Id., at 3788.15 

—————— 

15 The Court refuses to consider the epic because it was not discussed