Supreme Court strikes down abortion clinic buffer zone law

[moonshaz]

In a unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court struck down a Massachusetts law Thursday that set a 35-foot buffer zone around abortion clinics, saying it violates the First Amendment. Massachusetts had argued that the buffer zone, which anti-abortion protesters said violated their free speech rights, keeps patients and clinic staff safer.“The buffer

Comments

[clevermanka]

The ACLU's waffly stance on buffer zones is what kept me from renewing my membership this year. I sent my membership money to Planned Parenthood instead. I might eventually relent and re-join, but I was so livid at the time that I couldn't bring myself to send them even a dime.

That fixed buffer zone did not impinge on anyone's First Amendment rights. If that was the case, we wouldn't need clinic escorts.

[sarahsaturn]

How are buffer zones unconstitutional if "free speech zones" aren't?

How can buffer zones be unconstitutional while Walker has thousands of protestors arrested at the Wisconsin state capitol, which is public property? I realize those cases never ended up going to the Supreme Court, but it's pretty obvious how they likely would have ruled on them, and even if they did rule against Walker, it never would have been unanimous.

[nickel_curry]

How come "freedom of speech" trumps personal safety and basic human decency? I don't understand.

[anguisel]

So can clinics go another legal route? Like no loitering, no trespassing, etc or are they fucked on that front too?

[amyura]

In urban areas, the clinic entrances often open directly onto a public sidewalk-- that's the case in Boston. You can't prohibit people from trespassing on the street or sidewalk in front of your building.

[anguisel]

So they can't even call in and say that the protestor's are impeding foot traffic or the like? Fucking A that's messed up. I hate to say it but I guess it's countdown to a bombing happening in the near future with how crazy some of the anti's are.

[soleiltropiques]

That is some serious fuckery.