In an 8 to 1 decision, the Court upheld a lower court's ruling that struck down an award of $5 million to a slain soldier's father, Albert Snyder. Snyder had sued and the of , Kansas for picketing the funeral of his son, 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who was killed in Iraq in 2006. Snyder said the protest caused him emotional pain and turned his son's funeral into a "circus." Pastor  The protest was well publicized, a was called, and the funeral procession was diverted away from the protesters, who carried signs such as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Hates Fags" and "America Is Doomed." The funeral itself was not disturbed and it was carried out on public land, following local laws. Snyder learned of the content of the slogans only later on television. Snyder's son was not a  . The church pickets military soldiers' funerals because they believe that the United States is too tolerant of homosexuality and that the death of U.S. soldiers is divine retribution. They have picketed more than 600 funerals.
In an 8 to 1 decision, the Court upheld a lower court's ruling that struck down an award of $5 million to a slain soldier's father, Albert Snyder. Snyder had sued Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church of , Kansas for picketing the funeral of his son, 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who was killed in Iraq in 2006. Snyder said the protest caused him emotional pain and turned his son's funeral into a "circus." Pastor Fred Phelps The protest was well publicized, a was called, and the funeral procession was diverted away from the protesters, who carried signs such as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Hates Fags" and "America Is Doomed." The funeral itself was not disturbed and it was carried out on public land, following local laws. Snyder learned of the content of the slogans only later on television. Snyder's son was not a homosexual . The church pickets military soldiers' funerals because they believe that the United States is too tolerant of homosexuality and that the death of U.S. soldiers is divine retribution. They have picketed more than 600 funerals.
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and the
Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church
A
Fred Phelps
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homosexual