A bill that’s designed to prevent disruptions at military funerals received U.S. Senate approval Wednesday night. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Olympia Snowe and inspired by a Frankfort teenager, next moves to the House of Representatives for passage.
The Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans, or SERVE, Act sets up restrictions for protests at funerals. The act would require 120 minutes of quiet time before and after military funerals, up from 60 minutes. It also would expand the buffer zone around military funerals to 300 feet from 150 feet, and increase from 300 to 500 feet the buffer zone around funeral access routes.
The legislation also proposes to increase civil penalties for violators.
Snowe introduced the legislation in April 2011, a month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that protesters have the right to protest at military funerals. That court case, Snyder vs. Phelps, involved a military family and the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, which has used military funerals as a platform to promote its claim that God is angry for the country’s tolerance of homosexuality.
Snowe credits Zach Parker of Frankfort with inspiring her to introduce the SERVE Act. Parker took on a months-long quest last year as a Searsport District High School senior to raise awareness about a need to protect military funerals from offensive protests. He developed proposed legislation as part of his efforts, which began as a class project.
“Protests that encroach upon the funerals and burials of our fallen soldiers are repugnant and inappropriate — and they undermine the respect military families and loved ones undeniably deserve,” Snowe said in a statement released by her office. “I urge the House of Representatives to consider and swiftly pass this bill to protect the solemn moments of military funerals from outside disruption.”
Good deal….
Freedom of Speech is one thing. Protesting at someone’s funeral, especially someone who has given their life in service to the rest of us, is absolutely disgusting and reprehensible. I sincerely hope this passes quickly and there are no idiotic lawsuits from the ignorant fools who feel they have the right to commit such acts.
Protesting a funeral is just plain ignorant, add on that it is someone that gave their life for others and it is completely asinine.
I can’t imagine ever doing this kind of thing, but, as much as I despise the Westboro Baptist Church’s tactic’s, I support their First Amendment right to do it.
But I still think it’s disgusting, and as a member of PGR, am glad to actively work to counter their actions.
First amendment right or not. Our military must have the right to a solemn and dignified burial. These men and women guarded and defended our country and gave their life doing just that.
A military funeral should be insured solemnity by a contingent of guards with fixed bayonetts.
So we honor them defending our rights by limiting those rights? We honor them by exercising our rights and using them to the best that we can. To take full advantage of them.
We honor them and their sacrifice by keeping trash away from solemn and very sad services.
That is the very least we can do as they are lowered into their final resting place. When you’ve lost a child on active duty, come back and we’ll discuss it further.
but you are dishonoring what they are fighting for by taking it away. All those rights you so willingly and bravely died for, oh they are all going away. Sorry. What the hell did they die for? Surely not our rights because we are cheering there erosion. The very least we could do it exercise our rights and stand up for them just the way these soldiers did.
Your statement is just one more example of how our rights and freedoms have been perverted in the interest of utter nonsense. Common sense no longer dictates behavior and anything goes.
“SERVE”…….very much like the acronym and what it stands for…..very nice work Zach Parker and look forward to more of your class projects…..Zach for Governor anyone??
Nice Job Zach Parker….it’s too bad an actual senator who gets paid $174,000 a year couldn’t have figured this out……..Oy.
Hope this was carefully crafted. Military funerals usually include a playing of Taps and the firing of firearms. It would be a shame if there is an issue about it.
What may be more effective would be people demonstrating against (Guarding) any such reprehensible actions.
I think playing the Taps and firing of the firearms is a different category all together in comparison to protesting.
It should be but the article said silence not protesting.
I can’t see how this will not a violation of free speech. If it is on private property then I understand. But if the protesters are on public land they have every right to be there. People yell about all the freedoms that we are losing then cheer for this? I understand that it is horrible, but they do have the same exact rights as us. The soldiers dies defending our rights so we respect them by limiting those rights? Does not make sense.
I disagree. The legislation doesn’t limit the speech at all, it only expands a buffer zone for the family. If someone cares to protest so fervently, then they can do it 2 hours before or after the funeral and be 300 feet away. Simple.
But this is limiting when they can protest and limiting their free speech. If its public property they have every right to be there and do what they please. Next if you want to right about the War in Iraq you can only to it a year before or after the war but not during? If you want to publish photos of a military scandle you can only do it a year after the scandle? We were found on our right to protest and our right to free speech. This does limit it, it limits when they can protest. A protest doesn’t make sense if it is out of context. If people want to protest Christmas but can only do it in July that doesn’t make sense. I truely feel horrible about people protesting funerals, but I do not want to see our rights being washed away.
Good for Sen Snowe in furthering the project that Jach Parker started. The Westboro Church is a really hate oriented congregation that has no place at anyone’s’ funeral, let alone a veteran’s funeral.
To me, this despicable behavior is just like flag burning…no matter how legal it is, I wish they wouldn’t do it.
O.K. I don’t get it,, There is a law that says that you have a right to interrupt a funeral by protesting!! I am against all wars but not against the boys who make the decision to fight in the wars to keep us free.. And differently against protesting at a funeral where family members are suffering the loss of a loved one!! The people of this world are getting sicker by the minute!! As for the U.S. Supreme Court, “WHAT GOOD ARE THEY” if they can O.K. such a stupid ruling????
What an amazing young man to see the importance of thinking of veterans for all they’ve done for this country and seeing what needed to be done. I will be praying that this passes in the House of Representatives. The fact that any protesting could go on during any funeral is nauseating but for people who have served and gave their lives for our freedom is nothing short of disgusting. To see a church using these events for their own sick purposes is actually pathetic and sad. This is not the America I love.
Hello Everyone!!! This is Zach Parker and I am pleased to be reading that the SERVE ACT that I I helped inspire Senator with has now passed the US Senate and has moved on to the United States House. This means a lot to our Veterans and current military families and puts a now
“common sense moral” into law. If any of you would like to contact me please do so via email, and I would be more than happy to answer your questions and comments zparker1993@gmail.com