Members of the Westboro Baptist Church once again took to Twitter to react to the new law signed by President Barack Obama on Monday that will restrict one of the group's notorious activities: Picketing funerals of soldiers.
Under the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, protests must be held at least 300 feet from military funerals and are prohibited two hours before or after a service. Violating this new law could bring significant penalties and civil lawsuits. But church members like Rebekah Phelps-Roper vowed to continue protesting:
There's usually some prime real estate at 301 feet :D RT
— Rebekah Phelps-Roper (@WBCVideo) August 7, 2012@abc27news: New law restricts protesters at military funerals abc27.com/story/19209498…
Church member Fred Phelps, Jr., accused Obama of disregarding the First Amendment. The part of the law restricting the church's activities was passed as a legislative response to a 2011 Supreme Court decision that ruled the church's activities were protected by the First Amendment.
1st Amendment meaningless to Obama.
— Fred Phelps Jr (@WBCFredJr) August 6, 2012#beastobamadotcom!kjonline.com/news/Obama-sig…
Margie Phelps retweeted that tweet, along with a political warning for Obama:
He hates military but needs
— MargiePhelps (@MargieJPhelps) August 7, 2012@deptofdefense votes.MT@wbcfredjr: 1st Am meaningless to@barackobama.#beastobamadotcomkjonline.com/news/Obama-sig…
She also tweeted a question, pertaining to Sunday's shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, to Obama and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who sponsored the amendment that restricted the church's activities:
.
— MargiePhelps (@MargieJPhelps) August 6, 2012@senatorsnowe@barakobama quick question: does ur new law cover funeral of#templeshooter who was@usarmy veteran?#YouTrainMurderers#Woe
Westboro spokesman Steven Drain told CNN that the new law was "not going to change our plans at all." In a tweet last week, Fred Phelps, Jr., implied that the church would challenge the new law in court.
Also on HuffPost:




The Huffington Post | By Ethan Klapper Posted: 08/07/2012 3:06 pm Updated: 08/08/2012 12:07 am