国立墓地でのデモ禁止法案が通過 米議会

国立墓地でのデモ禁止法案が通過　米議会
2006.05.25
Web posted at: 20:15 JST
- AP

ワシントン（ＡＰ）　米連邦議会は２４日、国立墓地で米兵を埋葬する際に騒音を立てることなどを禁じる法案を承認し、ブッシュ大統領に送った。米国ではキリスト教の一派が、兵士たちの死は同性愛への寛容に対する神の怒りの現れだとし、葬儀の際にデモ活動を繰り広げることが問題となっていた。

「米国の戦没英雄に対する尊敬法」と名付けられたこの法案では、葬儀の前後１時間に、国立墓地入口から約９０メートル以内と、墓地に通じる道路から約４５メートル以内でデモをすることを禁止する。違反すれば、最高１０万ドル（約１１２０万円）の罰金と１年の刑が課せられる。

上院のフリスト共和党院内総務は、「悲しいことだが、必要な対策だ」と述べた。

一方、今回の法案をめぐって問題視された、カンザス州のキリスト教グループの聖職者フレッド・フェルプス氏は、法案の通過を受け、「言論の自由に対するはなはだしい侵害だ」と抗議した。


Congress passes funeral protest ban
Bill targets group that taunts mourners at military rites
Thursday, May 25, 2006; Posted: 4:07 a.m. EDT (08:07 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Demonstrators would be barred from disrupting military funerals at national cemeteries under legislation approved by Congress and sent to the White House.

The measure, passed by voice vote in the House Wednesday hours after the Senate passed an amended version, specifically targets a Kansas church group that has staged protests at military funerals around the country, claiming that the deaths were a sign of God's anger at U.S. tolerance of homosexuals.

The act "will protect the sanctity of all 122 of our national cemeteries as shrines to their gallant dead," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, said prior to the Senate vote.

"It's a sad but necessary measure to protect what should be recognized by all reasonable people as a solemn, private and deeply sacred occasion," he said.

Under the Senate bill, approved without objection by the House with no recorded vote, the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" would bar protests within 300 feet of the entrance of a cemetery and within 150 feet of a road into the cemetery from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after a funeral. Those violating the act would face up to a $100,000 fine and up to a year in prison.

The sponsor of the House bill, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, said he took up the issue after attending a military funeral in his home state, where mourners were greeted by "chants and taunting and some of the most vile things I have ever heard."

"Families deserve the time to bury their American heroes with dignity and in peace," Rogers said Wednesday before the House vote.

The demonstrators are led by the Rev. Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kansas, who has previously organized protests against those who died of AIDS and gay murder victim Matthew Shepard.

In an interview when the House bill passed, Phelps said Congress was "blatantly violating the First Amendment" rights to free speech in passing the bill. He said that if the bill becomes law he will continue to demonstrate but would abide by the restrictions.

Sen. Pat Roberts, a Republican from Kansas, said the loved ones of those who die have already sacrificed for the nation and "we must allow them the right to mourn without being thrust into a political circus."

In response to the demonstrations, the Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle group including many veterans, has begun appearing at military funerals to pay respects to the fallen service member and protect the family from disruptions.

More than a dozen states are considering similar laws to restrict protests at nonfederal cemeteries. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against a new Kentucky law, saying it goes too far in limiting freedom of speech and expression.