Court: First amendment protects “hate group” label
Posted September 20, 2019 10:14 am.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A federal judge says a liberal advocacy group has a First Amendment right to call a Christian ministry a hate group for its opposition to homosexuality.
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson threw out a lawsuit filed by the Florida-based Coral Ridge Ministries Media Inc. against the Southern Poverty Law Center of Montgomery, Alabama.
The ministry sued the law centre, Amazon and others in 2017 because it wasn’t included in a program that lets Amazon customers donate to non-profit groups.
The suit says the refusal was because the law centre had labeled the ministry a hate group for its stance against homosexual behaviour.
The judge ruled Thursday that the liberal watchdog group has a free-speech right to make the claim. His ruling didn’t address whether the ministry is a hate organization.
The Associated Press
