The Advocate poll

Q: Do you think Fred Phelps's antigay protests at military funerals are protected by the First Amendment?

yes         52%
no          43%
unsure       5%

How readers responded to the Advocate.com poll question featured in the July 4 issue of The Advocate

* "The First Amendment gives him the right to spew whatever ugly rhetoric he pleases. As Americans, we must defend his right to do so, if we want our right to free speech to be preserved."

* "There is a time and place to exercise your right to free speech, and this isn't one of them. In my view Phelps is committing a hate crime."

* "If rappers can sing about killing the police and pedophiles can chat freely about the joys of raping children, then Phelps is protected too."

* "He is revolting, but the same thing that protects his right to protest is the same thing that allows us to have our pride parades."

* "I don't think our forefathers thought anyone would be so crazy and hateful to protest the funeral of someone who died defending our great country."

* "It is profoundly dangerous to legislate that which we find offensive."

* "I'm all for free speech, but Fred Phelps's protests cross a line."

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