New York – A bill forged by Assemblyman Michael Cusick that would make it a crime to disrupt a funeral, burial or memorial service was signed into law yesterday by Gov. David Paterson. The bill was pegged to protests at military burials.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Cusick (D-Mid-Island) said the need for the legislation was brought to his attention by U.S. Army Capt. Adam Scher, a Staten Island resident serving in Iraq.
“Hate-filled protests have disrupted over 100 services for fallen soldiers across the country,” said Cusick, pointing out that at least 30 states have put forth similar legislation.
The law here would make such protests a Class A misdemeanor, and permit the state attorney general or local district attorney to obtain injunctive relief against the demonstrators.
“Funerals and memorial services are hallowed events, entitled to privacy, respect and freedom from disturbance,” added Cusick. “This legislation encompasses all funeral services, including military services, affording all families the right to peacefully mourn the loss of a loved one.”
Why do we need a bill to make it crime to disrupt a funeral? Don’t we have enough sense to know this? I think that the lawmakers are worried that if a big criminal dies and there is a protest at his funeral then with all the noise, M’Ken Oif Vecken A Toiten, then the funeral will have to stop and society will have a “Born Again” criminal. This also poses many ethical and legal problems. Does this criminal go back to jail, or does his death give him a kaporah? Does he have to stay married to the same person that he was married to before or does his death also give him a kaporah for that too. You see, the lawmakers may appear very foolish, juvenile and idiotic at times but to a savy bounch of people such as the readers on this website the lawmakers are true chachomim worth of our perpetual votes to keep them in office “ad meah v’esrim” at which time a protest at their funeral, no matter how loud and boisterous will not have any effect. In short a protest “vet helfin ve a toiten bankes”. Shoin.
Would this include all the idiots chatting on their cellphones?
to ShaSchtill: please read before you comment. The bill wqs aimed primarily at people whoi are against the war in Iraq who make a point of conducting loud, disruptive protestts at military funerals. Whatever your opinion of thw war, we can all agree that a funeral of a family member is not an appropriate place to protest
Does this law apply also to Kiryas Joel cemetery?
wat will b their punishment? chayav missa – rest in peace.
This is a anti semetic bill targeting chasidic rabbis funeral the kids won’t be able to tell there hooligans to start fighting. Rabosei wake up they mean only us where is Parker when you need him?
and also targeting litvishe roshei yeshivos, they shouldn’t be able to throw leben and fire bombs at the rosh yeshiva’s casket…
Poster #1 ….common sense should prevail but many times doesn’t….listen to the idiots that honk their horns when a funeral procession goes bye and makes them wait at a traffic light or cuts into the line of cars. Remember some day we will all be the guest of honor in that hearse. SHOW COMMON RESPECT I always have and will.
To poster # 4 no matter how anyone feels about any military death you are correct this is also intended to keep those idiots away from a family in mourning.
Depending on the details, this law may very well be unconstitutional. If it only applies inside the premises where the funeral is held, then it’s OK, but the Phelps people still have the right to protest on public property. If the law bans protests anywhere where they can be seen by the mourners, then it’s unconstitutional. Phelps y”sh is a scam artist – he makes money by provoking people into assaulting him and his followers, and then suing them. But the constitution protects his right to do so, and onlookers just have to control themselves.
i am going to carry a corpse with me at all times so that nobody can protest me without getting arrested