Clash of rights

Westboro Baptist Church member Jacob Phelps holding signs as people engage him in front of the Supreme Court in Washington today.
The court heard arguments in the dispute between Albert Snyder and members of the Westboro Baptist Church.
The case pits Snyder’s right to grieve privately over the loss of his Marine son who was killed in Iraq against the church members’ right to say what they want, no matter how offensive.
For many, the idea of protesting at any funeral – let alone one for a member of the military – is abhorrent, yet members of the Westboro Church proudly boast of having held more than 44 000 pickets at funerals and other events. They also strongly defend their First Amendment right to protest. (AP)