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.
May his life be filled with Lawyers.
When Fred Phelps dies I think I will dress up in drag and protest his funeral with a sign that says, “GOD HATES BIGOTS!” I assume he will be buried in Topeka, Kansas, and that is within easy driving distance of my current domicile.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
By Sara Bonisteel
The controversial anti-homosexual Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., has canceled its plans to stage a protest at the funerals of the five Amish girls executed in their Pennsylvania school, a church official said Wednesday.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, the daughter of church’s pastor, told FOXNews.com the group canceled the protests in exchange for an hour of radio time Thursday on syndicated talk-show host Mike Gallagher’s radio program.
“We’re not going to any of the Amish funerals — that’s the agreement we’re making — that we won’t go to any of them,” Phelps-Roper told FOXNews.com.
On Tuesday, the church posted a flyer touting the demonstrations in response to the attendance of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who has spoken out against the church publicly. Both Amish and non-Amish residents of Lancaster County — where the shooting took place — have vowed to not allow any protesters anywhere near the funeral services; Rendell called the church members “insane.”
Full article: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,217760,00.html
Free speech can be a Bitch! LOL
Steve
Even though these knuckle dragging jerk-offs have a Constitutional right to free speech and expression, so do the families and friends of those killed in PA. These sadistic grand-standers are close to the edge, if not already over it, on in their encroachment onto the rights of mourners to practice their religious beliefs without interference.
It wouldn’t be a bad thing if large numbers of concerned citizens showed up to support the families, and expressed their right to assemble by forming a human decency barrier between the families and these faux christian bung-holy-rollers.
Its absolutely staggering that nobody has killed this f**ker yet!
Him and his filthy family are an utter disgrace and an affront to humanity.
Phelps just has to be a closet gay. He is obsessed with it and me thinks he objects just a little too much. Wish I lived near him, I’d have a crowd showing up at all his rallys with big pink Fred Phelps is Gay signs.
“I really don’t care, in fact I wish him well
‘Cause I’ll be laughing my head off
when he’s burning in hell”
– Wierd Al, Amish Paradise
I like Fark’s comment on them canceling the protest in exchange for a radio interview:
“I thought we didn’t negotiate with terrorists.”
Fred Phelps is a bigot.
I really like the idea of protesting in front of his church. Even using loudspeakers during his service so all inside may hear the messages.
“Christ did not want his people to hate.” “If you hate, you are not a Christian”. “Those that use God’s name in vain will burn in hell”.
Calling Phelps a sick phuck is an insult to the other sick phucks in the world.
#9,
But we defend to the death his actions (and others much worse) because otherwise the government stormtroopers will next be coming for us. Uh-huh.
RBG
Comment by RBG — 10/4/2006 @ 10:33 am
RGB, How on earth can anyone defend this crud’s rants. You are a sick phuck to defend someone who would cause even more pain to those who have lost CHILDREN in a most horrific tragedy.
This whole ‘kill/freespeech’ commentary list reminds me of a trick I pulled years ago on a BBS (pre-Internet).
Someone used a ‘nasty’ word, so my character on the BBS calmly suggested ‘watching your language, so you can be taken more seriously’.
My character then watched as the ‘free speech’ advocates suggested censoring HIS/my comments. I waited a few days (long lag time on BBS postings, for those not familiar with them), then pointed out that they were suggesting the exact thing they were opposing – censoring someone they didn’t agree with.
ONE post followed on the thread.. that he/I was right about people doing exactly what they claimed to be opposed to.
Also, several of Phelps’ family have law degrees.. check out the web site ‘godhatesfags.com’, the church site.
J/P=?
#44 – His family would have to have some lawyers to keep this maniac under control – lol and most americans think of mulims as extreemists, I wonder what they think about this…
He would be arrested in Canada for promoting hatred.
To all those who want to kill Phelps:
“NEVER MAKE A MARTYR OUT OF A MORON.”
That also applies to both Jeb (who names his child that hideous name?) and George Bush.
Never underestimate the power of a symbol over people’s minds. The cross, the flag, whatever. Politicians love to use that power to incite people who don’t know how to think into agitated states that are useful to the politicians. But here’s the thing – dishonoring a child’s death by protesting against, what, faggots? (as if sexual orientation has anything to do with the Amish as a people…) – it’s as bad as burning a flag at some Republican rally. There used to be a concept of “fightin’ words” that would excuse agitated people who assaulted someone for intentionally provocative behavior. People who burn flags or dishonor the burial rites of murdered children ought to expect to be assaulted. And bquady, that doesn’t make the assaulters (or those who wish the offenders would be assaulted) opponents of free speech. It just makes them human in reacting to fightin’ words. It is such a useful concept, fightin’ words, that I wish it were back in our legal system. It might eventually tone down some of the crap we have to listen to from O’Reilly, Rush, Coulter and other wingnut exponents of the New Reich.
#43…Mr. Fusion….me thinks RBG is using the invisable sarcasm button. The clue is the last part…..****uh-huh****
This guy is a nutjob, but I have to say John’s blog is becoming more and more political…and not exactly unbiased.
Me, rather than passing laws against him, I like it that bikers have been following this assmunch and his gang of wackos around and standing between them and the funeral party.
try disruptinga military funeral with a bunch of vet bikers glowering at you. and it doesnt violate free speech, since the 1st Amendment only applies to the gummint.
Too bad some madman does gun down phelps and his gang of scumbags.
Anyway ill keep postive thoughts in mind hopeing for the day I see them all DIE.
Then ill picket there funeral and deficate on there graves.
— ENOUGH! —
Anyone else advocating shooting someone or injuring someone will have their account moderated. It’s one thing to complain about someone, to protest them, etc. It’s is quite something else to advocate violence. I’ve let this go far too far already.
You have been warned.
49. Thank-you Joshua.
Of course millions of people believe what I wrote to be essentially true. The old, I disagree what you say but I’ll defend your right to say it to the death. Well, that’s the rhetoric anyway. Otherwise who determines what speech is “good” speech and how can we ever protect ourselves from those – especially government – who would use such censorship laws to squelch all criticism of their actions? they’ll ask.
The “uh-huh”, as Joshua points out, is me not quite agreeing with that philosophical mumbo-jumbo. I would go on to note that people throughout our society are charged with equally important tasks such as doctors who determine who lives and who dies. Judges ditto. I think it likewise not beyond our capabilities as responsible humans to have a similarly respected person to officially tell Phelps to get lost. If for no other reason than to stop a man who hurts people as much as any gun shot. And we can do it without any risk to our civilization.
Deep breaths, Fusion. Is that better for you?
RBG
“This guy is a nutjob, but I have to say John’s blog is becoming more and more political…and not exactly unbiased.”
Said it before, saying it again. This is not a tech blog. It is an “anything John and the rest of us editors find interesting” blog. And what makes you think we have a reason, need or desire to be unbiased? We are not Fox News. (/sarcasm)
MMM i think it touches off a very bad nerve in people. “Myself included”
While it’s one thing if he want’s to protest gay then he can
have a perade and a lame website.
But attacking and assualting people who are already sad at there funerals something that should even be respected and considered
sacred by all is another. It’s sick and vile. It’s sad there is no law to prevent him from doing this or get charged with assualt or charector defimantion or anything . It’s very frustrating and sickening.
I think it would make alot of people act out of charector “Myself included” I’m in fact surprised nobody has assaulted them at a loved ones funeral.
There causing emotional damage to the people that are attending the funeral. It’s very sad and it will eventualy provoke someone who is already emotionaly destraught.
duely noted, Uncle Dave, duely noted…
#50 — Hey Noam, do you want us to balance our coverage of guys like this and promote him? Or what?
And the blog tends to get a little more political during an election period..everything does.
John, what’s the record for replies to one topic ‘cuz you just packed a lot of angry people into a little room with this one?
#59: No where near. The all time record holder is this one at over 500.
— ENOUGH! —
Anyone else advocating shooting someone or injuring someone will have their account moderated. It’s one thing to complain about someone, to protest them, etc. It’s is quite something else to advocate violence. I’ve let this go far too far already.
You have been warned.
Comment by Uncle Dave — 10/4/2006 @ 6:01 pm
This whole situation has me really thinking about a lot of things. The sad thing is that the Amish truly are a very peaceful community. They separate themselves from the surrounding society because they understand that they cannot be a part of that society and still live as they do. This whole situation is sad and tragic on so many levels. The fact that the violence of that surrounding society spilled over into their community is a sad day for America.
I have to look at even my reaction to Phelps considering picketing at these girls’ funerals. My reaction was, and still is, that he’s a massive asshole. But I have to say that advocating violence towards him, even if it’s only talk and not serious, is ironic considering the beliefs of the victims. Maybe this is a good time to consider how violent and aggressive our society really is and that it’s time to start considering moving on and evolving beyond it. I have to point the finger at myself as much as anyone else. Not that I would advocate injuring Phelps, but my reaction was still very angry, maybe not violent, but still very angry. I am still just pissed off that he would even consider picketing at these funerals, even if in the end he decided not to in exchange for airtime. All I can say is that the families of these girls are better people than me. Maybe, at the very least, something can be learned from all this.