Post #1

Courtland Milloy

Courtland Milloy writes for the Washington Post as an OP-Ed writer. He will receive the Chapter's 2009 Distinguished Service Award. Each year the D.C. Pro Chapter selects for induction into the Hall of Fame up to four outstanding journalists from all media who have worked in Washington for at least 25 years. It honors one person who, through his or her work, has provided distinguished service as a journalist, by working to improve the skills of local journalists, or by working to facilitate news gathering and dissemination in the Washington metropolitan area.

Post #2

Milloy on hate speech

• Milloy shares through expressive language the way he feels about respect versus freedom of speech.  The reason for this is too explain how freedom of speech can sometimes go to far.  At this funeral, the Westboro clan from a church in Kansas came to protest how God looks upon homosexuals.  Milloy is trying to explain that this is where the freedom of speech goes too far.  Yes, the Westboro clan had the right to protest; however, it was so disrespectful toward the man who died and his family that it made it very wrong and immoral.  This family deserved respect on the only day that they were burying their loved one.  As Albert Snyder, the father, exclaimed to the jury,"I had one chance to bury my son, and they took the dignity away from it."  This quote shows how angry and upset Albert Snyder was about the protest.  Milloy expresses his feelings about this case in a very well-written way that shows his stance on the situation!  
• Milloy's stance on this article is a little unbiased.  He feels that everyone is allowed freedom of speech.  However, he feels that sometimes people can be very disrespectful in the way they express their beliefs, especially in this situation.  Milloy expresses that he feels that the way the Westboro clan protested was very disrespectful toward the family of the deceased love one.
• Facts: In the article, Milloy says, "He knows that disrupting military funerals and the funerals of gays will probably make news."  This line was talking about that the Westboro clan knew that this funeral of a service man would be in the news.  This explains that the clan just wanted to become popular and be in the media.  Most likely because of this, the clan will not stop protesting.
• "I had one chance to bury my son, and they took the dignity away from it." This was said by Albert Snyder, the deceased service man's father.  This quote is very persuasive because people begin to feel very sorry for the father and his family because they were so much disrespected, and this was the only time they were going to bury their son!
• Milloy, the author, used very good diction in his writing.  This diction was expressed through expressive and detailed verbs!  In his article, Milloy says, "The church, in Topeka, is led by a publicity-seeking homophobe, Fred J. Phelps."  In this quote, Milloy uses publicity-seeking homophobe to describe Phelps', the leader of the Westboro clan, as a person who wants to be in the news and has an extreme hate for homosexuals.