Some people just can’t grasp the principles of free speech

I suspected there would be visceral disagreement with Sunday's column on the clowns of Westboro Baptist who have made a disgusting habit of protesting near the funerals of fallen soldiers with their anti-gay rhetoric and are the subject of a court case that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

But most the comments online and in direct e-mails were understanding of the premise that citizens should challenge and shun and disparage the Westboro Phelps family cult but the government should do nothing to try to curb their hurtful speech because it is their First Amendment right to make fools of themselves.

Then there was Ed.

He sent me seven e-mails calling me names and asking impertinent questions about my own experiences.

"If Westboro's rights are so awfully important," Ed writes, "why are you not in the 'foxhole' with them? You write about one instance where Snyder became aware after the fact. No harm done here. And you forgot that the court of appeals ordered him to pay Westboro some $16K in costs. Westboro has 'attended' only a small percentage of some 4,100 services since 2003 ... no harm here.

"Doubtful you have lost a family member or friend to combat.  If you have/had, I really cannot see you in the 'foxhole' with the Westboro group, screaming that they have rights. You write about it, but to actually ... you've got the picture."

I replied to a couple of the e-mails with two-word answers such as "free speech," but the replies kept getting more shrill.

At one point Ed, after considerable research that apparently did not include actually reading the column, discovered my underlying motivation for the column stance.

"Just a bit more research," Ed writes, "and what a surprise. Harry Reid filed an amicus brief on May 26, 2010, in support of Snyder. No wonder you come out in support of Westboro/Phelps. Renders your piece moot as well as your opinion."

Never mind that I mentioned the amicus brief in the column.

His wife's "research" also found a satirical blog I wrote about the 19th Amendment and, according to Ed, she called me an "a.....e."

His last missive, after I stopped replying, read, "I really hope not, but perhaps you will at some point in time, find yourself in the same position as the families of kids who have fallen in combat. And have to endure the intrusive belligerence of people like those of Westboro Baptist. Your tune will change ... or your wife will assist in changing it for you. Of course this will not happen. You would not allow your kids to be in harms way. That's for other people's kids. Arrogant elitist. You can't define free speech.  
 
"You don't get it Mr. Mitchell. People like you never do, nor will."

I get it. I stand on thought-out principles, not emotional demands for the government to gag the people whose speech I detest. I might be tempted to punch one of them in the nose, but would not call on Congress to fight my verbal battles.

Another Voltaire quote I did not use in this column is from a February 1770 letter to M. le Riche: "Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.''

Debates are not endless. Eventually someone wins.