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KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2011 / NEWS / 3/1
NATIONAL
Campus reacts to Phelps
BY ALEX GARRISON agarrison@kansan.com
Speech is powerful, and protected, even when it offends.
Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling in favor of the right of Topeka's highly controversial Westboro Baptist Church to protest at military funerals has spurred a national debate that's many students and faculty on campus have continued. Many of them have seen these protests first-hand and are wrestling with conflicting notions of the right to free speech and the ideal of common decency.
"As a citizen, I think what they do is viile, horrible, mean, petty and disgusting," said Chris Crandall, professor of psychology. "But the law protects what they do, and that's what makes America great."
The 8-to-1 majority decision of the court affirmed this idea.
"Speech is powerful," Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote for the decision, passed down Wednesday after four years of proceedings in the Snyder v. Phelps case. "It can stir
people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and — as it did here — inflict great pain."
But Kansas attorney general Derek Schmidt, a KU alumnus and Fall 1990 editor of The University Daily Kansan, disagreed with the ruling.
"Today's decision is a disappointment for Kansans who have endured for so long the embarrassment brought upon our state by the shameful conduct of the Westboro Baptist Church," Schmidt said in a media release Wednesday.
According to the release, his office intends to "defend vigorously the constitutionality of the Kansas Funeral Privacy Act if and when it is challenged."
Mark Johnson, adjunct professor in journalism and a First Amendment lawyer, understood the concerns of "vindication" for Phelps and his followers, but said the law is clear.
"Some worry that this will confirm that it's worthwhile and should be continued." Johnson said of the WBC's funeral protesting. "But even
The Supreme Court's decision just highlights the differences between law and ethics, Johnson said.
"You can sympathize with Snyder, but he does not have a case," he said. "The court leaves the morality of the protests up to you and me to decide."
unsavory speech is protected."
The "God hates fags" and similar protests evoke such strong reactions because of basic human nature, Carnell said. And it's a great thing the law goes against what people naturally feel.
In other words, First Amendment laws exist to protect people from others' natural reactions to ideas they don't like, creating a forum for all ideas.
("The law) stops people from enforcing community values and social norms; it allows dissent, even if it's disgusting," he said. "It creates a good, democratic society."
Even if you don't like the speech, he says, the need to protect it is powerful, too.
Edited by Corey Thibodeaux
MARCH 3,2006 Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder killed in Iraq
Snyder v. Phelps
MARCH 10,2006
MARCH 10,2006 Westboro Baptist Church protests at Matthew Snyder's funeral in Maryland.
JUNE 5,2006
TWEETING WITH THE KANSAN
Albert Snyder, Matthew's father, files a lawsuit against Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church, Rebekah Phelps-Davis and Shirley Phelps-Roper, for defamation, intrusion upon seclusion, publicity given to private life, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy; the suit seeks punitive damages for each count.
@TheKansan_News
OCT.31,2007
@TheKansan_News
"Students - what do you think of today's Supreme Court ruling in favor of Westboro Baptist?"
A Maryland court rules in favor of Snyder and awards him $8 million, which is later reduced to $5 million
@dwinndragirs
"If people just ignored/didn't acknowledge WBC, they would go away. They are glorified trolls"
SEPT.24,2009
@dvlsndrgdlr
"it's a toughie, but freedom of speech should never be infringed upon, even if what they have to say is stupid."
The Fourth U.S. Circuit court of appeals overturns the original verdict, ruling in favor of Phelps
@AlexBoyer90
"Hate to see anything go Phelps'way, but all citizens have a right to protext, even loons like the WBC."
"Coming from Topeka I hate the Phelps as much as anyone & even though it sucks, the right decision was made."
The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to take the case
MARCH 8,2010
@MelanieRR
@Roozle10
@ars627
"It's victory for free speech. A defeat for common decency."
Trump
OCT.6,2010 Oral arguments begin
GREEK LIFE
IFC, the governing body for fraternities, was placed on a two-year probation Feb. 15, following a hazing incident that occurred after a leadership turnover cer-
jshorman@kansan.com
IFC president resigns after report of hazing
emony in November. Some members of the council engaged in paddling after the ceremony, according to a report released by the Office of Student Success.
BY JONATHAN SHORMAN
The report completed by Lori Reesor, associate vice provost for student success, was distributed to students at a Feb. 3 forum for the break community to discuss the IEC
MARCH 2,2011
Supreme Court rules in favor of Phelps and Westboro
Interfraternity Council President Jay Trump resigned Tuesday, two weeks after the IFC was placed on probation.
@ars627
"Three former exec members (Jake Droge, Jay Trump, and John Pecis) also have new positions with IFC. John was re-elected to his same position; Jay was elected president; Jake was elected to IFC J-Board. They are the only three former members who participated in the 'paddling event' and currently serve as leaders within IFC" the report said.
greek community to discuss the hazing issue. The report said Trump, John Pecis and Jake Drodge had engaged in paddling along with other members of the council.
Source: Legal filings,— York Daily Record
Pecis and Droge have also resigned from the council.
Trump said in a statement that he does not believe in hazing and that he has never paddled or hazed anyone.
"A campaign has been waged against me in the media and in emails and I have been labeled as a hazer, even though I am not," Trump said.
At the forum, multiple members of the IFC executive council said they were willing to have other members vote on whether they should retain their positions. At an IFC meeting Feb. 15, a measure to remove Trump as president failed by one vote.
As part of the probation, members will meet with Nick Kehrwald, student conduct officer. Some members will attend an anti-hazing seminar in Colorado and an anti-hazing consultant will be hired. In addition, staff advisors will be present for all future turnover ceremonies.
Aaron Dollinger, a member of the University's antihazing task force, said the IFC presidential position will remain vacant until December. The responsibilities of president will be distributed among the rest of the council.
Calls to the IFC office, Vice President Ben Pyle and the Office of Student Success were not returned.
Edited by Jacque Weber
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