Explosions At The Boston Marathon

Isn't that a European mentality? It's definitely not Latin American. I ask because when I went to Europe some people were kinda snooty with me and my friends when we said we were from the US.

For the remainder of the trip we just said we were Latinos.

I've been to a variety of Latin American countries. Most Latin American countries don't have an issue with Americans.

I thought his point was about the general "out of sight, out of mind" attitude towards horrific violence happening worldwide and not really a comparison (although the wording of that first sentence makes it seem that way). I could agree with that sentiment and would also include similar terrorist attacks that happen on a regular basis in certain countries.

But yeah, a direct comparison between the two would be silly and wholly unnecessary.

'Sup guys

OHHHHH!!!

Oh, that makes more sense. I do agree that unless it's pushed into our faces, we have a tendency to ignore the suffering of others. :-( Not a very attractive trait, I'm afraid. If that was the point of the post (and not a direct comparison) then I apologize for my response.

Sign petition here guys

I am really starting to think that the ONLY thing keeping these guys from getting killed is the law, and if they keep this up i doubt even the cops would look hard into a death if it were to happen.....

Liela I do think you made a good point but my point is good too cause while it is a tragic which it true is, dont forget that Soldiers go thru this day in and day out and most people seem to forget that. And yes I know we signed up for it and they didnt but that doesnt make it any less tragic then those death at Boston because Soldiers signed up for it as you said but those Soldiers wifes, kids, parents, siblings, friends etc who lost a Soldier didnt sign up for it, now how is that less tragic?
I think its two good points one from a civilian point of view and one from a Soldiers.

While it is tragic for the loved ones of soldiers, they realize the chance of it happening when their loved one signs up for duty. The Athletes and spectators of the Boston Marathon had no part in any political or religious agendas of any sort. Nor did they sign up to be a military tool of whoever was in power who had said agenda. They simply went to enjoy a very long race that tested their physical prowess, and their families/friends joined them to cheer them on and give them strength. I don't feel there is any sort of parallel with military families personally.

Freedom of speech includes freedom of speech you or 99.9% of the population doesn't agree with. The best way to combat against the attention *** of the WBC is to not give them any press, which is what a WH petition is bound to do. The courts have upheld their right to be *** and continually bumping heads with those church members just feeds into their objectives.

When you hear anything about the Westboro Baptist Church, it's best to just roll your eyes and continue on with your life.

The first amendment does give them the right to protest as they see fit, but it should not violate other peoples rights. Hopefully the families have a private funeral which if they do then the WBC is violating their right to do so. One cannot abuse their freedoms to infringe upon other peoples freedoms or rights.

They're not allowed to obstruct or be disruptive. Their picket lines are always set up within city-approved demonstration areas, typically located blocks away from the event. They know the law (they're a family of lawyers) and adhere to it, which makes their continued media coverage so maddening. Their shtick is so predictable now yet it still ends up making headlines.

Yeah, it is maddening. Sorry, i know they are the biggest real life trolls out there and paying them attention is just "Feeding the trolls" but i cannot help it. I have spent the majority of my 7 years in the military out of country working to keep people back home safe and their freedoms secure. But every time i look back at the country with it's WBC or Obama Care or other things, i just get depressed and question wether it is worth it to do this when it is allowing thing like that to happen. Here I am getting ready to return to the states and honestly i feel alienated. I'm about to go back to a country i don't feel i know anymore.

Sometimes i wish i was still that ignorant little 19 year old fresh high school graduate who didnt know a damn thing nor cared.

While the 1st Ammendment protects their right to protest peacefully, there is a clause that limits hateful speech meant to incite hatred or anger - much of which the WBC protesters do. They intentionally use hateful, derogatory words in their protests that incite hatred and violence against others, and even praise it, and themselves, when it happens.

The Supreme Court judge who upheld their right to protest peacefully should have been more aware of the type of protesting they were doing before upholding their right to do so.

Seperate from that political mumbo jumbo, i've met many canadian soldiers, and even veterans who have felt the same way Xaxial does, even if in the grand scheme of things, these soldiers who often go to war to fight on behalf of those who can not, make life better for us here at home, return to a place they feel more devastating than the battlefield.

I'll just leave it at that ~.~

Just try not to focus on outliers. We're all still mostly decent people!

The ***?

Free speech is free speech, whether the person speaking is ignorant, or you're so ignorant that you think it should be silenced.

If I don't agree with your speech, the govt should kill you on sight.

Sounds like some Iran type ***.

We went through the whole WBC discussion in another thread that I can't find, but essentially the Court justices (there's 9 in the US system) found that their message isn't inherently violent or meant to incite violence by itself. Just because that's the popular sentiment towards it doesn't make their message a violent one. Like I said, they're lawyers and their words and actions are carefully calculated in order to remain legal while still being total ***.

God Bless America. Things are fairly different in Canada in this regard, to a certain degree, which is why i brought it up, since i assumed they would be similar.

But then again, the price of freedom comes not only with the cost of blood, but at the cost of people *legally* using that freedom with the sole intent to be ***.

Andddddd here's where you lost me... Da fuq?

Meh I think defamation laws need to be extended for WBC types, or possibly privacy laws. Defamation laws vary by state already might as well adjust them accordingly.

He's insisting AHCA is as bad as the WBC. Misinformed voter as usual,Military too!
I wouldnt be concerned about government healthcare when we have people that want to blow us up...inside and outside of the country.

it might be *** up, but my largest secondary concern about this attack is that those runners who received treatment/went into surgery at least had some form of insurance.

I was hinting that i do not care of the new health care reform, commonly refered to as Obama Care, because of the way businesses reacted to it. It was a great idea, i fully agree with the need for easily affordable health care for all, i just do not aggree with the execution. Forcing all these companies and state governments to pay for health care is in turn forcing them to cut hours so they don't have to pay. I been seeing it on the news how even Virginia has cut hours for their employees so they do not fall under the terms for Obama Care.

Again, i like the idea of health care for all, i just do not care for the new health care system that this administration pushed out.


This is just my personal view. Not saying if you disagree with me i am going to go hunt you down and shoot you. I just really do not like the WBC. I don't serve overseas for months, years at a time, just to come back to base to see these guys thanking god that some of my friends who died where dead because of their extremest views. It would be as if you found people outside your house after your sister was killed thanking god that she was dead, you would want to hurt them too.

This is why they have enough money to travel around the country making a fulltime job of being asshats. Every outraged bystander who crosses that line--invariably losing the resultant lawsuit--does nothing more than ensure that they'll be around for the next high profile disaster.

"Don't feed the trolls" is a huge understatement.

You are 100% right, i was just re-iterating why i feel that way. Not saying i would slug them, as much as i would want too, but when they where protesting outside the gate our orders were very clear; Do not approach them, talk to them, or acknowledge them.

Still, it's only a matter of time before they do something, somewhere, and a person there just doesnt have the restraint most of us have.

I know the feel. :/ Been to one of the funerals they picketed... it's painfully hard to just stand there and do nothing. On the bright side, their "church" is losing its grip on a growing number of younger members; their presence and notoriety will eventually die out as the old ones run out of time. A shame that--just like a whole score of other thorns in the side of our society--all we can do to bring about progress is wait for the obstructions to slowly wither and die.

To put this thread back on track, Aparently there has been a Chinese National killed in the bombing as well. Wonder how China will play a role in this situation now.

The same as any nation? Supply consular support to their nationals in America?

Or are people going to start fear mongering a chinese invasion/action against america

No, just curious if they will insist on being a big part of the investigation and if they will want to try the suspects, when found and arrested, in a Chinese court after the American Justice system is done with them

I'm not familiar with international law, but that scenario sounds highly unlikely.