As you've probably heard, a group called the Westboro Baptist Church (or "assholes," for short) is going to picket Al Gore this Thursday when he speaks at the Manchester Hyatt in San Diego. Their press releases say it's to condemn him for his "adulterous" activities…but of course, this protest was scheduled before it came out that a masseuse was charging the former Veep with what she's charging him with. And it's also worth noting that the allegations have yet to be proven true…and given some of what reporters seem to be learning, may not be. Also, though what Gore is alleged to have done may be a sin in the eyes of the Westboro Baptist Church, I don't recall them protesting any of the sexual follies of elected officials who have opposed Gay Marriage. Apparently, having your mistress on the payroll or patronizing hookers or hitting on men in lavatories is fine with these people so long as you're sufficiently anti-gay in public.
After the Gore picket, they hike over to the Comic-Con…and let's get real here. They're not protesting anything. They're making noise to get on the news and spread their all-purpose hatred in all directions. I have a suspicion they'll achieve that even though they will be small in number. I also suspect that if there's any sort of physical altercation — say, if someone bumps into someone else, which does happen out there — it'll be on the news within moments. This is exactly the kind of story reporters love to cover and some are probably frothing to write that a brawl broke out involving Jedi Knights versus Religious Fanatics or whatever.
But though assholes they be, they have a right to protest. I'm not sure precisely where they have a right to protest. I can't think of anywhere around Comic-Con where they won't be impeding foot traffic and they have no right to do that. Still, people have a right to express the asshole point-of-view and I agree pretty much with this editorial that says as much. Where I think I might part company with the author is this: Nowhere does he underscore that there is no Constitutional right to protest anywhere you want or to force people to listen to you.
In just about every public protest I've ever been around, I see some protester take it too far, blocking pedestrians (or even vehicles) or blaring audio at deafening levels. And when they're told they can't do this…when some poor, badly-paid security person or cop has to go tell them to move along or keep it down…they scream Suppression and Gestapo Tactics and yell that their First Amendment Rights are being violated. In so doing, they do as much damage to real First Amendment Rights as the Westboro Baptists do to real Baptists and followers of Jesus.
I'm going to avoid this whole thing and so should you. Get to the con before Noon on Thursday. Don't leave 'til after 3. If you run into them, do not engage. There's no talking to these people. Just feel proud that you live in America — a nation that allows this kind of dissent…and which will soon legalize the rights of gays to serve in the military and to marry. And you know something? By putting a real ugly face on the opponents of such things, I think the Westboro Baptist Church is helping to make that happen.