By Ken Schram, political commentary

I’d rather not write this column. I thought about all the other things of interest and concern I could tackle, but I kept coming back to this one: The Westboro Baptist Church.

On Oct. 31, a jury in Baltimore, Md., issued an $11 million judgment against the Westboro Baptist Church. I loathe to even refer to it as a church. It’s more of a family cult.

The verdict was handed down in a lawsuit brought by a grieving father whose son, a United States Marine, was killed in Iraq. On the day Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder was buried, members of the Westboro Baptist Church — three adults and four children — showed up to protest. They stood on the road about 1,000 feet from the Catholic church where funeral services were being conducted, waving the vile signs they carry to other such funerals around the country: “Thank God for dead soldiers.” “God hates fags.”

That’s one of the fundamental beliefs that these people hold — that God is punishing America for its tolerance of homosexuality and because of gays in the military.

Cpl. Snyder’s father was spared seeing the protest as it occurred, but he did see the news coverage.

The Westboro group says it doesn’t care about the sexual preference of the dead Americans whose funerals they protest. They only care to oppose gays in the military.

Cpl. Snyder’s father cared only that Westboro’s actions deepened his depression over the loss of his son. He took them to court. And the jury awarded him $10.9 million because Westboro’s actions were judged to have invaded his privacy while disrupting his son’s funeral.

And that’s one of the reasons why I’d rather not write this column. Because the jury was wrong.

As despicable as the Westboro people are, as twisted and hateful and hurtful as their words may be, they have the right to use them. It’s called free speech, and it’s a constitutionally-protected freedom that people like Marine Cpl. Matthew Snyder have died to protect and preserve.

It was protected in the 1980s and 1990s when Westboro all but danced on the graves of people who had died of AIDS. It was protected in the weeks after 9-11, when Westboro celebrated the terrorist attacks as a warning from God.

Let me be very clear here: I think the 70 some-odd people who belong to the Westboro Baptist Church (almost all are members of the same family) are sick and despicable. I hope there is a special place in hell for people like them.

But free speech is as much their right as it is mine, or yours.

I don’t believe the jury verdict against Westboro will survive an appeal. I agree with First Amendment experts who say the case will be reversed.

And that brings me to the main reason why I’d rather not write this column. Because when that happens, the Westboro Baptist Church will take encouragement from such a reversal.

They will see God’s hand in their heart, instead of at their throat.

Ken Schram is a KOMO-TV and radio commentator whose radio feature with John Carlson, “The Commentators,” airs weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m. on AM 570 KVI. Schram can be reached at kenschram@komo4news.com.