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In March, 2006, Matthew Snyder, A Corporal in the U.S Marines was killed on the line of duty in Iraq. Matthew's body was shipped to his hometown in Maryland where his funeral would be held. A couple days before the funeral, Matthew's father, Al Snyder posted the information of the funeral in the local news because he knew his hometown might have wanted to be supportive.
The Westboro Baptist Church was found in 1967 by Fred Phelps and many of his children and grandchildren. Over the years the Westboro Baptist Church has been proven to a homophobic, anti-Semitic group that protest around the country at institutions and against people who they believe agree with homophobia. The Westboro Baptist Church, which resides in Topeka, Kansas, found out about the funeral through the news and went to Maryland to picket.
On March 2, 2011, The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.
With an 8-1, the court stated that the church's
actions were protected under the first amendment
for many reasons.
Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church argued that their opinions and picketing was under the First Amendment in the Constitution. They argued that they were directly targeting Snyder, himself but America's morals in general.
On the day of the funeral, the Westboro Baptist Church was picketing across from the funeral, holding up signs that say, "Thank God for dead troops," and "Troop Fags," among many other disturbing comments. On his way to his son's funeral, Al Snyder could not see what the picket signs were saying but, when he arrived home after barring his son, he watches on the news and sees the comments that were on the picket signs.
Al Snyder decided to go to court and accuse Phelps and his church of defamation, invasion of privacy and intention to inflict emotional distress. The Maryland District Court ruled in favor of Snyder and awarded him $5,000,000. Phelps later contested to this ruling and stated that it was is First Amendment right.