When we had Mathew Shephard's funeral in Casper, WY, Rev. whatshisname from down south somewhere came up with his cadre of followers to yell at us, outside the church. We were called 'fag-lovers' told we'd burn in hell, as would Mathew, etc. etc., ad nauseum. The police handled it very well as they cordoned them off to one area, while the many, many mourners refused to respond to them. Nature helped out. It had been clear blue sky when people started to line up; as the ugly, hate-filled chants started up, clouds rolled in, very quickly, the sky darkened and a silent blanket of soft snow began to fall, dampening not only the ground, but their horrible words as well. Most of the mourners regarded it as a fitting and, perhaps, Godlike response.

I do believe in the right to free speech, but I also support enhanced penalties for hate-crimes. It starts with the words and leads, too often, to violence. It doesn't sound as though there was any real need to let them march through that neighbourhood; too bad they couldn't have contained them in a nearby park or something.

kat