U.K. bars entry to anti-gay American preacher

[foxfeet]

Phelps planned to protest at play about murder of gay U.S. man

LONDON - An anti-gay U.S. Christian preacher and his daughter have been barred from entering Britain as they could spread "extremism and hatred," the British government said Thursday.

The Rev. Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, had been due in Britain to protest at a play about the murder of a gay man.

But British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she had decided to prevent Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper from entering the country.

More at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29279635/

[Idealism]

1. Would be nice for the US to have some cojones like this.

[SacredCow]

2. sheesh....

When is the WBC going to just dry up and blow away? Even the freepers hate him...

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. I really, really wish the UK would give him entry

And then arrest him on charges. :evilgrin:

Phelps knows how to use the US legal system to spread his vitriol. The British legal system has several fundamental differences, and what he has been able to get away with here, he would be convicted and sent to prison for doing there.

And I'm ok with that.

[dipsydoodle]

11. Our laws are quite simple in that respect

Spreading hate is a crime.

1st para reads :

Hate crime

Hatred is a strong term that goes beyond simply causing offence or hostility. Hate crime is any criminal offence committed against a person or property that is motivated by an offender's hatred of someone because of their:

* race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality or national origins
* religion
* gender or gender identity
* sexual orientation
* disability

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/hate-crime/

I guess they won't let them to help remove the cost of subsequent deportation which in their case I'd guess would be inevitable.

[Clintonista2]

13. Canada already did that

...At least according to Phelps

Phelps has also claimed that his congregation, along with him, have been arrested in Canada for hate speech.<73> This prompted the founding of "Godhatescanada.com." He has also strongly opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada and Canada's Supreme Court.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps#Canada

:rofl::rofl:

[Zuiderelle]

4. If only we could ban him from coming back.

[donco6]

7. My thought exactly.

If anyone deserved to be a man without a country, it's that jerk.

[dsc]

5. Free speech should be sacrosanct.

I would hate to think what Jesse Helms would have done with this kind of power.

[foxfeet]

8. Umm... it was in the UK, not here.

And their views on the limits of free speech may differ.

[bluedawg12]

9. They are under no obligation to import our crazies.

[tjwmason]

10. bluedawg12 gets it right.

Free speech is definitely to be protected, and if a bunch of British loons feel the need to protest because a college is putting on a play then I'll support their right to do so (as long as not inciting violence) - but Fred Phelps is not British and has no right to come here.

This isn't anti-free speech.

[dsc]

12. and Helms' ban on HIV carriers wan't anti gay

give me a break. Of course it is anti free speech, if Phelps didn't participate in speech some British public official found offensive, he would be in Britain now.

[bluedawg12]

6. Damn shame.

:sarcasm: