Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/10pdf/09-751.pdf
Page Number: 28.0

6 

SNYDER v. PHELPS 

ALITO, J., dissenting 

was  able  to  obtain  free  air  time  on  the  radio  in  exchange 
for  canceling  its  protest.13    Similarly,  in  2006,  the  church 
got air time on a talk radio show in exchange for canceling 
its  threatened  protest  at  the  funeral  of  five  Amish  girls 
killed by a crazed gunman.14 

In  this  case,  respondents  implemented  the  Westboro 
Baptist  Church’s  publicity-seeking  strategy.  Their  press 
release stated that they  were going “to picket the funeral 
of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder” because “God Almighty 
killed Lance Cpl. Snyder.  He died in shame, not honor— 
for  a  fag  nation  cursed  by  God  . . . .    Now  in  Hell—sine 
die.”  Supp.  App.  in  No.  08–1026  (CA4),  p. 158a.    This 
announcement  guaranteed  that  Matthew’s  funeral  would 
be transformed into a raucous media event and began the 
wounding process.  It is well known that anticipation may 
heighten the effect of a painful event. 

On  the  day  of  the  funeral,  respondents,  true  to  their 
word, displayed placards that conveyed the message prom-
ised in their press release.  Signs stating “God Hates You” 

—————— 

Funerals, USA Today, Jan. 10, 2011, http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ 
ondeadline/post/2011/01/anti-gay-church-group-plans-to-picket-tucston-
funerals/1;  Mohanani,  Group  to  Picket  9-Year-Old  Tucson  Victim’s 
Funeral, Palm Beach Post, Jan. 11, 2011, http://www.palmbeachpost.com/ 
news/nation/group-to-picket-9-year-old-tucson-victims-1177921.html;  Mehta 
& Santa Cruz, Tucson Rallies to Protect Girl’s Family from Protesters,
Los  Angeles  Times,  Jan.  11,  2011,  http://articles.latimes.com/ 
2011/jan/11/nation/la-na-funeral-protest-20110112;  Medrano,  Funeral 
Protest:  Arizona  Rallies  to  Foil  Westboro  Baptist  Church,  Christian 
Science  Monitor,  Jan.  11,  2011,  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/ 
0111/Funeral-protest-Arizona-rallies-to-foil-Westboro-Baptist-Church. 

13 See  Santa  Cruz  &  Mehta,  Westboro  Church  Agrees  Not  to  Take 
Protest  to  Shooting  Victims’  Funerals,  Los  Angeles  Times,  Jan. 
13,  2011,  http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/13/nation/la-na-funeral-
protest-20110113; 
http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/20110112_AZ-
Shooter-Mike-Gallagher-Radio-Exchange.pdf. 

14 See  Steinberg,  Air  Time  Instead  of  Funeral  Protest,  N. Y.  Times, 

Oct. 6, 2006, p. A14.