Which is the better course of action, Lawrence might ask himself. Should we censor the Westboro Baptist Church and forbid them their right to free speech, or should we allow them to express their wacky, and perhaps injurious views, and fight back with words of compassion, caring, and support. Just because we would like to make a knee-jerk, reactionary law and censor them does not make it the right thing or the better thing to do. Also, it doesn't get rid of the racist feelings of the Church members, and it's likely that they would not keep quiet, regardless of the law. An instructive example is Germany, where it is illegal to make Anti-Semitic comments. Just this month, fashion designer John Galliano was caught on tape making Nazi references and anti-Semitic comments. He has now been charged with a crime. The woman he was talking to at the bar was...
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