Ronnie James Dio (1942 - 2010)
- An American rock vocalist. His credits include some of the best years of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his eponymous rock band, Dio. After 53 years in the field, Dio’s legendary voice was sadly silenced when he succumbed to stomach cancer at the age of 67.

Westboro Baptist Church
- An Independent Baptist organization led by Pastor Fred Phelps and populated mainly by his own family. The WBC is most widely known for its radical Christian views, and for hate speech directed mainly against gays and Jews. The organization gains publicity by staging protest activities at the funerals of dead American soldiers and high profile figures.

Draw Muhammad Day
- An organized protest that occurred on May 20, 2010, encouraging artists to depict Muhammad in their artwork. The event was designed to uphold free speech, and to condemn the belief that people should have to abide by the rules of a religion that they don’t subscribe to. The protest grew out of Comedy Central’s unilateral censorship of a South Park episode that included a depiction of Islam founder Muhammad.

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Dio’s public memorial is tomorrow, and it’s probably common knowledge by now that the Westboro Baptist Church intends to picket it. To put it in their own words:

WBC to picket this public memorial to remind you who worship that old Serpent, Satan, that your time is very short. You know 67 year old, Satan-worshiping (or at least one of their enablers) Ronnie James Dio (of showing his devil horns to the world each time he goes in public) Black Sabbath fame is dead, right? We’ll be there! Just because the chances of any of God’s elect being amongst this group of heavy metal sycophants is slim to none does not mean they should not get some good words. Yes, it is true that Ozzy Osbourne did “accidentally” bite off the head of a bat, but THAT is the least of their sins (little nasties!), they currently do not do that, but they throw raw meat to the audience and encourage violence of EVERY FORM! Here you have the list of admitted sins of this now dead and in hell pervert: 1) He hates his neighbor(s) starting with Ozzy Osbourne 2) He hates God. Pay especial attention to the fact that he changed his original sir name from Padanova to Dio, which means “God” in Italian. 3)Ronnie the simpleton enabled, and encouraged Sorceries: everything he was about including the little finger horn thing (he got this from his mother which is an incantation to ward off the “evil eye”) to the drugs, bloody raw meat and his fellowship with those pentagram necklace wearing freakish band members. Yes, Ronnie James Padanova (NOT DIO) is currently residing in hell. When all those who worship him and his false gods meet him in hell it will be just like this: Isaiah 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: Isaiah 14:11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. Praise God all ye, His people. The Great Day of the Lord draws nigh. AMEN!

The sheer wrongness of the Westboro Baptist Church, its views, and its activities is self-evident. The reactions that it inspires in people, often virulent, are absolutely understandable. Many would gladly see the church sued out of existence or its members attacked with physical violence–again, understandable.

But if the Muhammad controversy is to remind us of anything, it should be that free speech is fragile and worth protecting. I certainly wouldn’t lose any sleep tonight if Fred Phelps were to die this instant, but I might lose a few winks if his basic human rights were abridged. A mourner threatening to do violence against the WBC flunkies is no different from a Muslim threatening to do violence against an artist who depicts Muhammad. If free speech is to be protected, then that includes all speech. Even that which is vile, hateful, and horribly misguided.

Phelps and his band of idiots should be allowed to protest this memorial, free of litigation or physical harassment. For the fans who will have to tolerate this unpleasantness, I guarantee that the tremendous love for Dio and his music outweighs the petty, small hate of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Preamble to the United States Bill of Rights

Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine

THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent starts of its institution.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.

ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.

The flyer for “Draw Muhammad Day,” including the original cartoon that inspired it.

Ronnie James Dio, performing the horn gesture that he popularized. Rock in peace.

Myself, playing “Children of the Sea.” It can be found on Heaven & Hell, Dio’s first album with Black Sabbath.