Funeral pickets to be met by 'angels'

[cheneyschernobyl]

Source: CNN

Tucson just isn't that kind of town, says Christin Gilmer.

Gilmer is talking about Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, that has made its name picketing the funerals of people who died of AIDS, gay people, soldiers and even Coretta Scott King.

But when the church announced its intention to picket the funeral of a 9-year-old girl -- one of six people who died Saturday during the attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords -- Gilmer and others in the college town put their feet down.

Tucson, said Gilmer -- who said two of the six people killed were friends -- is a "caring, loving, peaceful community."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/11/arizona.funeral.westboro/index.html?hpt=T1

---

Wow. Will the right wing-nuts have no limits to their lunacy? I feel shocked/disgusted/speech-less at the same time.

[cheneyschernobyl]

1. Oops; somehow I posted this thread twice.

Mods, will you please eliminate one of them? My apologies.

[No Elephants]

3. Try changing the thread title to "DUPE."

[cheneyschernobyl]

4. Already tried that; all I get

is the screen to create a thread. LBN has some strict rules that don't apply to other categories. Hopefully a Mod will see this soon and fix/eliminate on of the threads. Thank you for your help...scratching head on how to fix this myself.
:shrug:

[Rhiannon12866]

5. No worries...

:hi:

[pinboy3niner]

6. When something like this happens...

...alerting on your OP will allow you to send a message to the mods requesting deletion of a dupe thread or whatever mod action may be appropriate for the circumstances.

[No Elephants]

10. Good point. I suggest doing both--alerting and changing the thread title. Deleting text, too.

That way, not only will mods notice, but fellow DUers won't waste their time.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Thanks!

That's great advice! We noticed it, but decided to remove the other one because this one had replies... :hi:

[No Elephants]

7. For future reference, you must have hit "Reply" by mistake, instead of "Edit."

If you hit "edit" you should have been able to edit, even in LBN, unless an hour had passed.

If the editing period had expired, you would have seen a screen saying time for editing had expired.

[No Elephants]

8. Self delete; wrong spot.

[Lucinda]

2. I'm glad they are planning something peaceful

Hopefully it will stay that way.

[YvonneCa]

67. LEGISLATION PASSED...

...http://www.azsenatedemocrats.com/2011/01/legislators-release-bipartisan.html

It will be peaceful. :)

[MrMickeysMom]

81. You know, this should tell you how far down the hole AZ had fallen

... that they had to pass legislation to create a 300 foot barrier from these freaks is simply amazing.

I hope the state continues to be taken back by sane people.

[YvonneCa]

91. It is time for people to come together and listen to...

...each other.

[MrMickeysMom]

80. SO AM I!

I posted something yesterday about this. I thought it was a joke from bartcop's website, and basically said, WTF!

Then, I read the awful history about this so called place of worship. These people are fucking nuts.

[No Elephants]

9. Heartless persecution from a faux church; compassion and sacrifice from real angels.

Spread those beautiful wings.

[ShockediSay]

74. "When Fascism Comes To America It Will Be Wrapped In The Flag And Carrying A Cross."

Sinclair Lewis

'bout time somebody countered the Right Wing Crypto-Fascists

[rasputin1952]

11. Humanity rises to the occasion of the inhumane...

Phelps and his band of subhumans, using the death of a 9 year old is even lower than I ever thought he could go.

[LawnKorn]

12. I hope some of these Angels come in the form of big scruffy dudes who were former Marines

Phred Phelps needs to hear "Excuse me, but you WILL take your hat off and you WILL be quite in the presence of God and the Dead."

[sarge43]

14. No. Those entities want an incident.

They want a faux martyrdom. The best thing the angels can do is treat them with silent contempt, even turning their backs to them. The angels have nothing to fear; those entities are bullies and cowards.

[kag]

21. Yup.

And it sounds like that is exactly what they intend to do.

WBC is a group of freaks and idiots. I wonder if there is anybody God doesn't hate, in their twisted little excuses for brains. My hope for their own funerals is not that anyone picket them, but that EVERYONE IGNORE THEM.

[sarge43]

39. I might sing a chorus of "Thank God and Greyhound, you're gone", but no more than that. n/t

[rucognizant]

66. I want to know.............

WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY to travel to all these places to do the dirty / despicable? My friends & I have to juggle & finegle to go the next town to shop for cheaper groceries.(NOT WALMART!) let alone travel 1/2 way across the country...........

[christx30]

68. They get the money to do their thing

by sueing anyone that messes with them. 90% of that "family" are lawyers. In other words, people that hate them enough to assault them pay for their trips to harrass others. Best to ignore them.

[CBHagman]

15. Like the Patriot Guard Riders?

I seem to recall these guys have formed a human barrier when the Phelpses have shown up at funerals.

http://www.patriotguard.org/

[MrModerate]

16. To be fair, Westboro is not really a collection of wingnuts . . .

So much as it is a cult of just plain nuts. Attention hags, professional haters, and scum. Even the right of the right despises Westboro.

I don't think I could participate in one of these "angels" interventions, because I'd probably lose it and try to feed the Westboro pusbags their own signs.

Which wouldn't exactly send the intended message.

[Downwinder]

17. Would Fred Phelps consider that an act of GOD?

[Blacksheep214]

18. The only Angel intervention I believe in

would be a Hells Angels intervention.

Do you think WBC would play games? I bet the police would be at the service and let Baptists fall where they may.

Must be an act of God, eh?

[groundloop]

25. Hells Angels response - WRONG. It needs to be totally peaceful

Anything other than a totally peaceful response would send the exact opposite message to what needs to be said. IMHO even suggesting a violent response is wrong. If I were arranging to protest those hateful people I'd surround them with a sea of humanity and everyone would turn their backs to the idiots.

[MrModerate]

37. Which is pretty much what's been tried at several successful interventions.

Myself, I couldn't do it. I'm generally a turn-the-other-cheek kinda guy, but these filthy perverts drive me nuts.

Which is exactly what they want. I'm sure that Phelps' fondest dream is of going out in a blaze of glory when some nutbag decides *he's* the one to get plugged rather than a 9-year-old girl.

And which I'd be hard pressed to condemn with much sincerity. I'd best not go.

[PSzymeczek]

76. It's a group called Angel Action

They wear angel costumes with 8' - 10' tall wings and silently surround the WBC nuts.

[Jeneral2885]

19. Personally

Pickets and the Angels both have faults, those the latter is more demon than the other. No one can equate yourself to be an Angel. The intention is right though.

Is this really America where the dead can't be left in peace? Thankfully i'm not there.

[PhillySane]

20. 1st Amendment Rights

Need to be used with the same caution as 2nd Amendment rights. These people are out of their minds. What does a little girl's funeral have to do with anything other than being her funeral? It's high profile, and these bastards simply want to use it for their own cause. Shameful. How can they call themselves Christians?

[kag]

22. Hmmm

If you abuse your second amendment rights you are likely to be thrown in jail for a long time. Perhaps the same should be true for abusing your first amendment rights.

[Gore1FL]

71. Already happens

Yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater, inciting a riot, are two examples.

[1American]

26. agreed...

These people are not Christians--they are arrogant, self-righteous sociopaths with delusions of grandeur. Where is Sarah Palin and her cross-hairs.....or would she be among them?

[tavalon]

85. They can call themselves anything they want

Doesn't make it so.

[1American]

23. Funeral "pickets"

Ghouls. Scum. Attention creeps. Typical Fox News viewers.

The only "rights" these low-life should practice are those called DECENCY---something these attention whores never had.

[zen_bohemian]

24. ..and why are these protesters coming to this funeral?

what is the point?

[Downwinder]

28. TV Cameras! n/t

[kag]

31. Apparently...

God hates Catholics.:sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Christina and her family were/are Catholic.

[tavalon]

86. They are attention whores

Simple and disgusting.

[blondeatlast]

27. Tucson is NOT that kind of town. I love it and would like to move there. Small town

in a beautiful area surrounded by spectacular natural features.

Good for the angels--they represent Tucson.

[ChazII]

36. +1000

from a fellow Arizonan. Your remarks are spot on.

[abqmufc]

48. Tucson IS NOT SMALL

Lived in Tucson for nearly a decade (95 - 03) and rest assured Tucson is not small.

1) Counting outlying "towns" Tucson is over a million. This would include the area around the shooting. Part of it is Tucson jurisdiction, part of it Oro Valley. Yet all one million use Tucson services and work in Tucson metro area, thus it feels like a million.

2) The size of Tucson is about 100 square miles compared to only a couple of blocks 100 years ago. It can take easily 45 minutes to an hour to cross the town on Speedway or Broadway from East to West with no traffic (and that is going 50 mph...the average speed in metro Tucson).

3) The flight path of Davis Monthan Air Force is directly over most of the city. Thus you have all sorts of allied forces aircraft flying over head. DM AFB is ground zero for allied training. Near Tucson are live bombing ranges thus jets from all over the country and world fly over Tucson skies 24/7. It is loud.

4) Never seen so many ghetto birds (police helicopters) flying over a city outside of L.A. than in Tucson. Tucson has been ground zero on the war on drugs since the 1970s along with it being the first major city (with major interstate) North of the AZ/Mexico border. Gang violence is fairly bad but often kept in South Tucson (another city).

5) UofA is a Pac 10 school filled with a lot of midwestern and CA kids who are driving mommy and daddies SUV and living a life that seems to be more like a reality TV show on MTV than real life. (look at video highlights of the riots on 4th AVE after UofA hoops lost to Duke in the final championship game).

6) Tucson police and city council where one of the first to outlaw aggressive pan-handling. While it sounds good on paper it gave cops free range on homeless kids down around the University and 4th Ave. Tucson has always been a haven for homeless and "gutter punks" due to its climate and laid back lifestyle. During the Super Bowl in Phoenix a decade or so ago, Tucson and Phoenix shipped all homeless to S. CA and TX. They didn't want the nation to see our homeless issue.

7) Tucson is full of gated communities and Del Web retirement communities which got exempted from property taxes. I mean the old don't want to pay for public education. Not to mention all the golf courses that are due to gated communities and retirement communities (high water needs in a desert). Most homes require grass in the yard...again its a desert.

8) The influx for people over the past 20 years has literally changed the weather. Micro climates due to concrete and asphalt form Tucson literally drive rains away from the city. The micro climates also trap in the heat. I recall in 2003 the first 100 degree day was early March and the final one of the year was late October. That is not normal by 100 records, but due to influx of people (and creating a micro climate) it is becoming the norm. Once A/c came to Tucson outsider could bear the heat and not have to mess with swamp coolers.

9) This "small" town will run out of water in 25 years. That is a hydrological fact coming from UofA hydrology department. The groundwater used is now 100,000 years old. That is how far we've lowered to groundwater table! The Colorado River is the main source of water, and is channeled in a canal from N. AZ to Tucson.

10) What was once a small little community filled with outlaws like Dillinger and Capone, turned into a retreat for the sick and asthmatic and is now a place where the air is dirty, the water is scarce, and A/C has made it bearable to live in the heat of the Sonoran Desert. It is as if everyone who has moved to Tucson has brought everything they must have including grass, golf course, strip malls, corporate boxes, and egos. Tucson once stood apart from Phoenix and now its literally about to touch despite them being 100 miles to the North. That is how much Tucson and AZ have grown.

11) Next to Boston worse place to drive. I blame this on several factors. One, the old "suicide lanes" on Grant and Broadway. In the morning rush hour the center turning lane becomes a lane going into town. In the evening the lane is an outbound. All other times it is a center turning lane which people over use. Second, people speed in Tucson 50 mph in a 35 zone on Speedway is the norm. The diversity of drivers makes it a challenge (from the 95 year old snowbird doing 10mph, to the college student, to the various styles of driving due to Tucson being a town were many are not native to the town). U turns are legal and the only way to get around town. Green turn signals are after a green light, not before.

12) It's real name is "Too-Stoned, Arizona".

[blondeatlast]

52. Feel better now that you got that off of your chest? Good. Have a bowl of chicken soup,

too, mom says.

[TK421]

73. Numbers 5 and 7 sound an awful lot like Florida to me! at least when I was there n/t

[minnesota_liberal]

29. Hell's Angels!

Anyone who pickets the funeral of that 9-year-old girl should be beaten to a bloody pulp! Instead of dopey angel wings to block the view of idiots, I'd like to see the Hell's Angels - or just concerned citizens - show up to keep them away.

[SmileyRose]

30. Westboro nutz aren't actually RW.

They have their own special brand of insanity that has absolutely nothing to do with Republicans or conservatives in general.

[kag]

32. True.

Much as I would like to pin the WBC on the right wing, I've never heard ANYONE--right, left, or center--defend their "special brand of insanity."

I guess it's confusing because while the WBC famously pickets the funerals of homosexuals (along with others, but I think they got famous picketing Matthew Shepard's funeral), the right wing also generally has no use for GLBT's. And while I've never seen a republican hold up a sign that says "God hates fags" as the WBC does, they certainly go out of their way in congress to make the lives of the GLBT community more difficult.

[realisticphish]

38. I think we can call them RW

Stormfront has nothing to do with Republicans either, but that doesn't mean they aren't right-wing

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. Actually, Fred is a registered Democrat

[Faith No More]

33. I think Joe Pesci should pay them a visit.................

[hayu_lol]

34. Lots of empty space out there in AZ...

perhaps a guided tour of an empty mineshaft.

[littlewolf]

35. There have been cases where people took every parking place

anywhere near the funeral area ... and formed a chain of people preventing these scum from getting near ...
no violence ... just arms linked and preventing anyone getting near ....

irt: yes if you abuse the 2nd amendment you go to jail ...
if you abuse the 1st amendment you get tv time .... the best thing
is to ignore them .... no press at all .... no mention of them ...
because who gets to decide what abuse of the 1st amendment is ..??

just my 2 cents ....

[JJW]

40. Ordinance

I thought most places have an ordinance requiring a permit to assemble a protest. And it usually takes some time to approve them.

[tootrueleft]

41. Theres a special place in hell for Phelps and his cronies

[iandhr]

42. how can anyone have such a cold hart?

[RKP5637]

43. WBC comes straight from the depths of hell and wears a cloak of religion so as

to do their evil deeds while trying to feign some hint of respectability and purpose to the ignorant.

[Telly Savalas]

78. The "religion" isn't a cloak. There's no hint of respectability.

They firmly believe that when the horrible tragedy of a child dying happens, it is wrong for the parents to grieve in peace. Most Neo-Nazis are more compassionate than that.

And you know what's fucked up? These fucking animals are raising children themselves.

[beyurslf]

44. I don't think we can even call WBC "right wingers."

They pretty much hate everyone.

[LiberalEsto]

47. Have they ever picketed a right wingers funeral?

I wonder if they would.

[tammywammy]

53. Didn't they picket Fallwell's funeral? n/t

[beyurslf]

72. I believe they did. They have also picketed many, many military funerals

They picket anywhere there might be a camera. They hate everyone so an R after their name means nothing.

[BlueJazz]

45. If it were up to me, this is what would be waiting for them..

[Still Blue in PDX]

58. If there is an afterlife something like that probably IS waiting for them. nt

[WorseBeforeBetter]

46. "Westboro picketers outnumbered at Elizabeth Edwards funeral"

The good folks of North Carolina handled the Phelpsians beautifully; sounds like the good folks of Tucson will be doing so, as well.



http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/1211/Westboro-picketers-outnumbered-at-Elizabeth-Edwards-funeral

[NCarolinawoman]

49. Yes, the Phelps people retreated with tails between their legs when people of "love and hope"

stood vigil. A perfect example of good being triumphant over evil.

[proud2BlibKansan]

50. Well if it's any consolation, the weather here in Kansas is really bad

Maybe they won't be able to get away. :shrug:

Not that we don't want them to leave. LOL

[guitar man]

54. I'd like to see them greeted by Angels

As far as I know AZ is Red and White so it could happen, chapters of the 81 roll with the Patriot Guard Riders in a lot of places out west. :evilgrin:

[awoke_in_2003]

83. One thing every member...

from every group in the CoC would agree on- Phelps and his bunch are assholes.

[nckjm]

55. I would like to see some action from congress on this

I would like to see congress (or even better state governments) pass a law banning protests at funerals within X number of miles of the site. I just don't see how we can continue to allow violence, incivility, and psychological abuse to continue under the guise of the first amendment.

[CraftyGal]

63. Please read this from the Washinton Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/11/AR2011011103587.html">Lawmakers to head off picketing at Tucson funerals

Short but sweet article.

CraftyGal

[liberation]

56. Westboro Baptist Church = real life trolls?

Seems to me that way.

What's their major malfunction?

[tavalon]

87. It's all about them

That would be their major malfunction. That, and they lack anything even remotely resembling humanity.

[patrice]

57. Tucson shows that it is an honorable community that will not trade on tragedy, unlike some

we can think of.

[Shining Jack]

59. I knew it.

When I read the tittle I was sure that it was about Phelps and his vultures. No decency whatsoever as long as they get publicity which means $. :puke:

[alp227]

60. Wow...from now on let's say "WBC is gonna picket every high profile funeral"

:puke:

[Jeneral2885]

61. How do they know

Where the funeral will take place? Was it announced publicly

[PSzymeczek]

77. Yes,

on the local news channels and their websites.

[MNBrewer]

62. Funny how wherever WBC protests, it's never "that kind of town"

Regardless of the legal status of homosexuals in the area, or how they're treated by the local society. When WBC was only protesting at high profile gay funerals, nobody outside of the gay community paid much attention, but when they started protesting at military and other funerals, THEN everyone decided they were terrible.

My belief is that it is because people are offended at having the mirror of homophobia held up where they can see their own reflection. The little kernel of "I don't support gay marriage because God's in the mix" or other similar beliefs gets magnified and focused, and it's not pretty.

[tavalon]

88. I've always thought them evil

As long as they've been crawling around. I think you are wrong that there were no counterprotests when they were targeting homosexuals.

[Vidar]

64. Bravo! Probably more effective than the flame throwers I'd favor using.

[Zax2me]

65. If there is a hell, these Westboro people have reserved seats

Front row, eternal, closest to flames.

[catrose]

69. Is there any way to help?

If you can't go to Tucson tomorrow, that is. I'd like to stand on the side of the angels, however metaphorically.

[faz]

70. What kind of M****** F****** are these?

Hell is their destination.

[sam sarrha]

84. the kind that know they crossed the line of any decency. an use their kids as human shields against

buckets of rancid piss and shit..

[Raster]

75. This is the Arizona I know and love.

[raging moderate]

79. God is Love!

Please, Everybody! There is a hymn that maybe everybody could sing to counter this horrible pseudo-church. It is so easy to sing!

Praise Him, Praise Him, all you little children.
God is Love! God is Love!
Love Him, Love Him, all you little children.
God is Love! God is Love!

All the times I've been in a crowd singing this, everybody joins in and their voices all swell together, so that I think it would drown out all the hateful noises! The tune is about what you might imagine, all major key medium pitch notes. Has anybody here heard it?

And it is from the Bible. So the light may even penetrate some of the dark hearts in that little bunch of whited sepulchers.

[Swagman]

82. I am speechless. Completely. When I read about Westboro

picketing a funeral I didn't take in that it was this beautiful girl's.

I just cannot comprehend anymore where this hate is being bred from.

[buckrogers1965]

89. I believe in freedom of speech.

And I believe in the right to peacefully assemble.

What I don't believe in is that you have the right to assemble and speak at a funeral where you are not a friend or relative.

They can speak anywhere else in the whole world. They are free to protest the empty cemetery after the family leaves.

There are limits to free speech and being a douche at a funeral is going to get someone killed. The same as yelling "Fire" in a crowded movie theater can kill someone.

[cheneyschernobyl]

90. Just saw on another thread that they

won't protest the funeral...in exchange for some radio air-time to spew their garbage. Sheesh...using a 9 year old girl's death as a bargaining chip to spread their filth.
:puke:

Props to RamboLiberal for getting this information out!

:patriot: