[Updated at 9:15 p.m. ET] Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed emergency legislation Tuesday night setting limitations on protests at funerals. The bill is aimed at the Westboro Baptist Church, which plans to picket the funerals of those who died in Saturday's shootings.
[Posted at 5:50 p.m. ET] The Arizona Legislature unanimously has passed a bill meant to stop church from protesting at funerals of Tucson shooting victims.
The vote was 29-0 in the state Senate and 58-0 in the state House. A spokesman for Gov. Jan Brewer earlier told CNN that she was prepared to sign the bill.
Read more about the legislation
The BEST part of the AZ Legislature is that for the first time in a long time, BOTH PARTIES did the right thing.
The city will make sure that the protesters are kept at a distance. They can place certain limits on where they try to gather. The citizens of Tuscon could also distract them by holding counter-protests right in front of their faces. They call themselves a church so they won't have to pay taxes.
It's too bad that no one can stop protests at funerals of service personnel killed in wars – how do we think their families feel?
If I had the money, I would GLADLY spend it on opening an adult video store, an AIDS awareness clinic, a gay bar, a gentleman's club and any other establishment that these idots dislike within sight of their so-called Church. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to return some anguish to these sick cultists.
hum, a GAY PRIDE PARADE IN WESTBORO.........................EVERY MONTH FOR A YEAR.......................................WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT COME ON GUYS AND DOLLS .............YA GOTTA DO IT MAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The gay and lesbian parade is a great idea. It should find a way to start at the church and end up at their "pastor's" house!
"Anarchy", not "crosshairs", oh brilliant, I wonder which moron put that up.
ATTENTION ALL STATE LEGISLATORS, ENACT THE EXACT SAME LAW TO BAN PROTESTING AT ALL FUNERALS. AND DO IT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. BOTH PARTIES HAVE STATED WHAT WE WANT AND WE WANT IT NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL 50 STATES, ............................yes that includes alaska.
I wonder what kind of hell God has planned for these "church" dwellers? Are they already demons from hell? Why have we tolerated them for so long? We watch them protest the funerals of the very people we hold as our heros and we do nothing about it? What has become of us that we allow it to happen if it is legal or not? The law does not tell us what is in our hearts! WE should have stopped them the first time they did it.
First, their stance on illegal aliens...and now this. I am moving to Arizona!!!
It's about G*ddamn time the AZ legislature did something constructive.
i'm in the wrong racket...
ok everyone, i'm starting a new church called paper cup on the corner
i need from you a thousand dollars each and i'll keep it all to myself
you'll get a false feeling of belonging
and i'll be stinking rich laughing with you (not at you-too callous) as i deposit my hardly earned money into a swiss bank account...
WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY KENNETH?
(message spock? sure is.)
I don't see anything wrong with a law that makes a funeral a "sacred" type of event. These people say whatever they want anytime but I think families should not be forced to hear from them when they are burrying a loved one. This isn't simply making yourself heard. This "church" is victimizing people when they're vulnerable.
The people in this chuch are sickening. It's obvious that they purposely look for funerals which their presence would be most offensive and then try and fabricate a reason to be there.
It will be interesting to see what happens when one of the members of that family dies and they try to have a funeral.
I totally agree. There is a time and place for everything.
Stalking – a crime of engaging in a course of conduct directed at a person that serves no legitimate purpose and seriously alarms, annoys, or intimidates that person.
I think you are correct. Look for a book called "Daddy's Hands" One of the kids got away and moved to Canada and wrote a book about all the abuse. This group used to do all kinds of things going into the parking lot of a church they didn't like in Dallas. They count on angry responses, that is how they make money to keep their hate going. They sue you.
Where's the ACLU? Hypocrites.
So it's been a couple of hours since the state passed this in emergency sessions and the ACLU is already supposed to have a prepared statement protesting the bill?
Now, now. Ray B is just a little grumpy. Let him be...
The ACLU has defended the WBC in the past. Google much?
Who cares,we have a natural born kenyan for president and fascism 24/7 on the television.This country is a wasteland.
Hey Gary...Are you really that stupid?
wow
While I in no way agree with the planned protest, is anyone else afraid of a government that can legislate away our right to protest?
The "big bad" government isn't prohibiting the protests, they're restricting it. The protests can take place x-amount of feet from the funeral, and can't be within an hour timeframe. This is completely reasonable, to pay respect for those killed in this tragedy.
Have you ever heard of the church thats protesting the funerals? Or did you know that the funeral that they've choosen to initially protest was that of a 9 year old victim of this tragedy?
Wow, The Arizona government does something not completely freaking stupid for once.
I know, huh.
Yeah....but even though these restrictions are desperately needed, it would seem that Gov. Brewer cares more about the dead than she does about the living.....need a transplant anyone?