which Fred Phelps and other members of the Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funeral of Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in Iraq in 2006. The court ruled 8-1 in favor of Phelps, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the opinion. Roberts said that despite the pain the protests can inflict upon families and friends, "On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker." Samuel Alito was the only justice to dissent. "Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case," Alito said.

What makes a nation strong? What makes it weak?

Wallow in the valley, sit atop the mountain