I just passed C-Span2 on my TV and saw it says that we can watch the proceedings. I'm curious as to how the trial will go. While I hate the Westboro Church for all they stand for, the case is about free speech and could limit the American people's ability to protest anything if they lose. It truly is a hard case to consider as if they lose we all lose, but they will legally be forced to stfu finally, and if they win we maintain our rights but have to continue their garbage. 

I think... I want them to lose. Just so we keep our civil liberty to protest freely.

You know they won, right? 8-1, Alito dissenting. Many things aside, this court seems quite unified on matters of free speech, even for these jerks.

thank god! I figured the case was already done and it was a retaping, but I haven't heard anything from it.

Freedom of speech only begins when you come into contact with a person of an utterly different opinion that you completely disagree with, but still allow them to voice it regardless of how abhorrent it is to you. Its very easy to say you believe in freedom of speech when you only have discourse with people that agree with you.

Very glad these horrible people won.

This is a win for the american people. If freedom of speech protects these wack jobs then it protects everyone.

The American free speech system protects all ideological/opinionated expression that doesn't post a physical threat including the bikers that follow these guys around and rev their engines when they begin their chants.

It should have been a no brainer, I want to know which judge voted against free speech though and on what grounds.

Alito dissented on the grounds that the Snyder family aren't public figures and have a right to bury their own in peace.

I agree with the court's decision, and when the next Westboro fuckwad dies, I hope as many people as possible will exercise their First Amendment rights to turn the funeral into a total circus.

No.  We can't treat these people like that.  Even if they refuse to show others such curteousy, we should be respectful of them.  Fighting them with their own tactics will only make them dig in deeper.  Showing them kindness, no matter how undeserved, may make some of them start to rethink their stance.

The best thing we can do, for families of fallen soldiers, for the misguided people of the Westboro church, and for our own sanity, is to simply ignore these people.  They thrive on the attention, on the hatred.  It makes them feel powerful, righteous. Now that this matter is settled, let them do their thing.  If we stop making such a big deal of it, they'll fade away in time.

", the case is about free speech and could limit the American people's ability to protest anything if they lose."

This is more about Hate speech than free speech, there is a big difference ..

Bull. That only works in cutsy movies. Live and let die I say!!!

And ignoring them is pretty hard, especially when they choose to harass emotionally vulnerable people, who'll have a hard time ignoring the ignorant mob saying terrible things about their recently decesed loved one.