Illinois mulls 'Rest in Peace' Act

CARBONDALE, Ill., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn is promoting legislation to limit political protests at funeral services in the state.

Quinn has submitted the "Let Them Rest in Peace" Act to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Southern Illinoisan reported. The legislation would establish a 300-foot buffer zone between protesters and the site of funeral service, to be in effect from 30 minutes before until 30 minutes after a service.

Quinn said he had attended at least three military funerals that had attracted protests from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. Followers of the church's leader, the Rev. Fred Phelps, frequently attend military funerals carrying signs that read "Thank God for 9/11" and "God Hates Fags" -- to push their message that terrorist attacks on the United States and U.S. military deaths in Iraq are God's punishment of the United States for tolerating homosexuality.

Quinn said his proposal would protect the protesters' free speech rights.

"The first amendment is very special in our country, but there has to be a balance," Quinn said. "The expression rights of that hate group cannot drown out the same religious rights of the family to grieve and bury their loved one."