WBC fined $10.9 billion

A soldier's father didn't take kindly to the "protests" of the Phelpses at his sons' funeral. He took the Westboro Baptist Church to court. Naturally the WBC argued that they are protected by the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution. The jury at the Baltimore courthouse thought otherwise and fined them with $10.9 billion. Since this is an amount the WBC will never be able to pay, it has more to do with sending a clear message than getting financial compensation for the mental anguish that they have caused. The WBC didn't get the message. They will appeal to a higher court and don't intend to give up. Luckily, the families of the fallen soldiers get some help from the Patriot Guard Riders, a loose collective of bikers which has taken it on itself to "shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors." In my opinion, the only sensible thing to do is to lock these maniacs up in a nature (or religious fanatics') reserve and charge visitors to go and look at them. Maybe throw some peanuts. Or to put it in other words: "Funeral Protesters may indeed have the right to free speech. They may indeed have the ability to say what they want, when they want and where they want. They may also be the most vile and despicable people on the face of the Earth...and some people have just had enough of it."