www.youtube.com From BBC News: The US Supreme Court has ruled an anti-gay church has the right to picket military funerals under the US constitution's free speech protections. The court ruled 8-1 for the Westboro Baptist Church, throwing out an earlier $5m (£3m) judgement awarded to the father of a fallen US Marine. Members carried signs denouncing the US for its tolerance of homosexuality. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote church members' speech cannot be limited "simply because it is upsetting". 'Inflicting great pain' "What Westboro said, in the whole context of how and where it chose to say it, is entitled to 'special protection' under the First Amendment, and that protection cannot be overcome by a jury finding that the picketing was outrageous," Justice Roberts wrote on Wednesday for the court. Church members, led by the Reverend Fred Phelps, have picketed outside numerous military funerals to draw attention to their view that US military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are punishment for the immorality of Americans, including tolerance of homosexuality and abortion. "Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and - as it did here - inflict great pain," Justice Roberts wrote. "On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a nation we have chosen a different course - to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate." Lance Cpl Matthew ...
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