As if the families don’t have enough grief and the outside world to deal with. This guy and his followers makes Limbaugh, O’ Reilly and the guy who eats lightbulbs seem normal.
Bible-Spouting Group Plans to Picket Amish Funerals
A Kansas-based group that says “God hates fags” plans to picket the funerals of the Amish girls killed by a disturbed man in Lancaster County, Pa.
The Westboro Baptist Church — described as a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League — has made a name for itself by picketing the funerals of U.S. troops killed in Iraq. The troops are dying as punishment for America’s tolerance of homosexuality, the group says.
The Westboro group says the Amish school girls were “killed by a madman in punishment for Gov. Ed Rendell’s blasphemous sins against Westboro Baptist Church.
A number of states have passed laws to keep groups like Westboro away from grieving families at funerals, but last month, a federal judge ruled that a Kentucky law barring protests within 300 feet of military funerals and memorial services is too broad and may not be enforced.
[edited: violation of guidelines — see comment 52 on this post]
It seems to me that the debate over free speech issues is a distraction when it comes to this particular cult. Their rhetoric goes well beyond the protections of the First Amendment, and even beyond what is generally referred to as “hate” speech.
In our nation, free speech is not unlimited. You cannot, for instance, shout “FIRE!” in a crowded theatre without consequences. Not only is the theatre shut down, but panic is highly likely, resulting in injuries and deaths. Likewise, you are not allowed to advocate violence against anyone, particularly when it incites others to carry through what they take as an order. You most certainly are not permitted, by law, to advocate, incite, or otherwise threaten violence against heads of state (any country) or US government officials from the federal down to the local level.
Along that same train of thought, the expression of free speech is never truly free, regardless of where you live. Every word we say carries with it its own set of consequences, good or bad. If you slander or libel someone, you can lose everything you own. Pass on military secrets to an enemy, you could be executed. Repeatedly threaten your neighbors, and you could end up in prison.
The Westboro Baptist Church does in fact advocate violent action, particularly against homosexuals, Jews, people of color, and Catholics. They have used terrorist tactics to intimidate witnesses, terrorize families and communities (particularly in and around Topeka, KS), and have been found guilty at various times of physical violence. Phelps and his ilk (all related by blood or marriage) also advocate the violent overthrow of any government, including the United States, that does not adhere to their hyper-Calvinistic brand of professed faith. And let us not forget that they use children as shields, placing them in danger of being accidentally harmed.
To my way of thinking, the Westboro Baptist Church is no different from other religious extremist groups around the world, particularly the Taliban. As such, they are terrorists, and as far as I am concerned an imminate threat to anyone they come into direct or indirect contact with.
The IRS is currently investigating a California Church for opposing war and preaching peace, but not one federal agency is looking at WBC and the Phelps Clan and their clearly illegal conduct. Women are roughed up and even arrested simply for wearing a T-shirt that the current political regime disapproves of. And yet, this group is allowed not only unrestricted access to deeply emotional and sensitive events, but we have to pay for their protection as well?
As a Jewish woman of mixed race who happens to also be lesbian, I know what would happen to me if Phelps and the WBC had their way. As a military veteran with significant training, I think they would be in for quite the rude awakening if they even approached me. They are treasonous terrorist scum and should be harshly dealt with as such.
Phelps gives Christians a bad name??? EXUUUUSE me, Christians give Christians a bad name. He’s not the half of it. He’s just public.
Those members of the Westboro Baptist Church already have shovels in hell with thier names engraved on them.
These guys sound really bad. Yet our society supports their actions by allowing them to carry on.
Question: Which would cause you more hurt: Phelps at your daughter’s funeral or psychological torture as practiced by Americans against terrorists?
RBG
see post 92–My comment was a bit nasty..I guess the moderator didn’t care for it and censored it..So much for free speech.
Oh yeah–Uncle Dave, that was post 53, not 52..At least get that right phuck-head!!
Oh, you think he wasn’t thinking of 52 with you in mind?*
RBG
*The previous statement was a lame attempt at humor and has no bearing on reality as it is universally understood that all life is precious and each individual of our human family has a unique and precious contribution to make. There were no penguins harmed in the making of that statement.
Gimme an AK,Armor Piercing rounds And a Get outta Jail Free Card.
and ill show him hell.
I say someone Kidnaps him and Puts him in Iraq.
maybe he will Earn some phucking Respect when he needs to be Saved by our “Damned” Soldiers.
I’d love to see him Picket in my area.
VQJFhv Cool, bro!
Someone said the more people know him, the more opposition he would face. What I think is that we should all ignore him – after all he’s said himself he wants people to hate him, then he knows he got his message across. With all the jokes I’ve made and disgust I’ve had with him, somewhere deep down I hope nothing happens when he dies. He just gets old and fades into nothingness where nobody speaks his name again and his hate is non-existent. That’s the ultimate punishment for a fame monger like this and by having a church of about 70 people, he’s close to gone already. I just hope the children who have attended there don’t end up so lost and get away as soon as they can.