Our legal system cannot conciliate everybody.

The court’s endorsement of the “Let Them Rest in Peace Act” has brought mourners and protestors at a standstill.

The members of Westboro Baptist Church believe that God has killed American soldiers to punish them for their homosexuality. As a result, anguished and vitriolic church members are protesting at the funerals of American soldiers, an act that has angered friends and relatives of the deceased.

On Friday, a federal judge upheld major constituents of a state law called “Let Them Rest in Peace Act.” The law prohibits people from protesting within 300 feet of a cemetery, funeral home, church, or synagogue. It also prohibits people from protesting one hour before or after a burial service.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Ohio Chapter, and a member of Church in Topeka are fighting for a federal restraining order. They contend that the Act is an attack on the protestors’ freedom of speech.

The “Let Them Rest in Peace Act" was enacted last year after members of a Kansas-based church went to Ohio to protest at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They also carried signs that said, "Thank God for 9/11" and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers."

In defense of their actions, ACLU attorney Carrie Davis asserted that church members sincerely believe that protesting soldiers’ funerals is an effective way to convey the message of the Westboro Baptist Church.

On the other hand, U.S. District Court Judge Donald Nugent in Cleveland stated that the law has been formulated to allow mourners to pay their respects to the deceased without any disruption. Additionally, Nugent noted that the law does not usurp protestors’ freedom of speech.

The incidents’ ramifications are not only confined to northeast Ohio. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 27 states have passed laws that will also curb picketing at funerals.

Let us hope this law is enough to resolve this cultural and religious conflict.