Do you support the "FAG VETS"? ~*WARNING*

[underpants]

Margie Phelps, 49, a member of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, waves signs in front of a group of American flag waving bikers who are acting as human shields to protect the privacy of a family holding a funeral for their son who was killed in Iraq 11 March, in Flushing, Michigan. The church members have caused national outrage by staging anti-gay protests at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. About 300 bikers blocked the handful of demonstrators so that family members didn't have to see the signs or hear their jeers(AFP)

I contacted the local Patriot Guard to let them know how to contact me should they need another body to help or at least oppose this sickness.

www.patriotguard.org

[Deja Q]

1. And they think the fallen soldier is gay, because......?

[xchrom]

4. these people are soo sick -- they want a gay holocaust --

the german version wasn't enough -- and without a gay holocaust, well that just makes every one a fag and all are damned except them of course.

[underpants]

7. I believe their thinking goes something like this

-Actually their main thinking is just to create attention for "Reverend" Phelps. I think when you go to this extreme you have definitely crossed over into the cult realm-

Anyway here is how the speel goes-See because the USA allows gays to exist these soldiers died because GOD wanted to punish them and the USA. Seriously I think that is how the thinking goes.

[LostinVA]

19. That's as logical as you can make something that's this screwed up

[DanCa]

2. You know the bible says something about breaking the jaw bone of an ass.

Here Phelps here Phelps, you sick demented freak. I really think it's time that we start using civil disobedience against these people. And I use the term people loosely.

[Deja Q]

3. Let the official law do that. BTW,

isn't causing a public disturbance and a big distraction to drivers who need to concentrate sufficient grounds for fining these jerks?

[DanCa]

10. True

My temper got the best of me. Thanks for talking me down. I just can't believe that people would sink so low as too picket people over a funeral. It just blew my mind that these idiots have no respect for a) the grieving family, and b) for the respect of a fallen soldier. Of course Sean Hannitty disrupted a hospice so he could get rattings for his tv program. I guess I shouldn't expect common decency from these loons.

[BlackHeart]

5. Generally my thoughts on free speech are:

"I may disagree with what you say but I support your right to say it"

But in this case I can't say that.

[underpants]

8. Welcome to DU

Yeah this definitely pushes the limits doesn't it?

:hi:

[BlackHeart]

11. Thanks for the welcome!

If they want to go to a public park and spew their venom, fine. Heck they can do it at a cemetery if they have the permission. But to do it at a cemtery while a family is grieving the loss of their child is just so far beyond decency.

BTW- I was at a military funeral of a young airman recently (not combat related) if they had done this protest there I don't know if I could have controlled myself.

[underpants]

15. I think that this seriously cuts across all kinds of lines

I couldn't imagine if people like this showed up to any event how anyone I know would find it within themselves not to calmly walk over to them....loosening their tie....and commence to pummeling them and well you get the picture.


My blood is boiling just imagining it.

[mondo joe]

25. Why? What is different about this case?

Seriously. It is offensive. But isn't that the point of free speech?

[BlackHeart]

47. That's an easy one

It's different because the offensive speech is being taken to vulnerable people who can not escape it.

[TX-RAT]

28. Let me just add one more part. Not aimed at you.

Don't be surprised if what you say, gets the shit kicked out of you. If it was my sons funeral, they would definitely be taking a major risk.

[mondo joe]

36. Sure. And you'd also assume risk for being charged with assault.

A similar thought was applied to flag burning - even going so far as laws that would make assault of a flag burner punishable by only a $25 fine so as to encourage the activity.

[TX-RAT]

40. And you'd also assume risk for being charged with assault.

Pretty sure that wouldn't be a problem. I've known most of these mens families for many years. They wouldn't think twice about it.

[Dr.Phool]

6. One of these days

Somebody is just going to stomp the living dog shit out of these people.

I wonder just how much child sexual abuse goes on in that family. Something had to happen to produce such a bunch of twisted, perverted assholes.

[AndyA]

9. They remind me of the Charles Manson "Family"

Just a bunch of sick, perverted freaks who have no respect for other human beings.

They will all have to explain their actions to their maker in due time.

[markam]

12. I have a very simple solution to those idiots

Have some gay guys follow them around and make out continuously in front of them. Also have some people ready to protect. If the phelps go nuts and attack, then you have a perfect right to defend yourself and kick the living s**t out of them.

Also gay right supporters should follow them and fundraise for AIDS research. They will pull in huge amounts of money.

[Memory Container]

32. Oh, I like that one...

"passive instigation" -Sounds great.

God bless those bikers!

[TacticalPeek]

13. To draw a bigger crowd, they should do this at Camp Lejeune.

:evilgrin:

[underpants]

14. Yeah

*Laughing* that would be some sight I suspect

BIG crowd.

[BushOut06]

22. Fort Bragg would be another good place for them to picket

Or Camp Pendleton, or just about any military installation, for that matter.

[slide to the left]

16. why don't they

picket something useful, like the whitehouse. I think misusing your office and using religion for power is a bigger abomination that being gay (I do not think being gay is an abomination, however).

[nickyt]

17. Speaking of "jaws", mine literally dropped at the sight of this nasty,

vile photo.
I just visited PG's site - look:
Membership:

New Today: 418
New Yesterday: 420
Overall: 17043

Wow, they're growing fast.
I can only send a tiny check towards gas money for them (they're not even asking for donations as far as I can tell)- they're also selling T-shirts, insignia, etc.
I love these people!!!!!

[underpants]

23. One of the links on the google first page

is to a Freeper thread on it.

Talk about bringing the nation together.

[TechBear_Seattle]

18. No one gave a rat's tail when they were harassing dead gay people

Now that they are targeting vets, suddently they are a national disgrace that needs to be "dealt with."

Pardon me for being just a bit bitter.

[underpants]

21. Well around here we were very aware of it

for others I think you are right. Hopefully people see how the hatred spreads and what it is used for...hopefully.

[nickyt]

24. Oh TechBear, I had never heard of this national disgrace until I made

it into DU a few months ago. Before that I was nursing/grieving over a very ill husband 24/7 for years on end. Please forgive us ignoramuses who are just now stepping into the reality of what goes on in this country...

[TechBear_Seattle]

39. Phelps has been very active for more than 10 years

While he was picketing funerals for gay people and other events relating to the gay community, he barely made even local mainstream media. When he and his in-bred klan came to picket St. Mark's (Episcopal) Cathedral here in Seattle a few years back because they hired a partnered gay man as dean, only one of the two local dailies reported on his hatemongering, and that one gave the matter barely an inch. He was at a funeral I had gone to; the only coverage at all was the local gay newspaper.

Now, however, he is mentioned regularly mentioned on CNN, MSNBC and even Faux. Local media -- radio, television, print -- cover his hate crimes regularly. State legislatures are taking steps to make protesting at funerals illegal. Law enforcement is starting to take seriously the emotional torment these bigots inflict. Why? Because he is now targeting people other than us gay men.

Like I said, it is kind of hard not to be pissed off. My upset is not towards any individual, but towards the whole attitude of this not having been an issue worth dealing with when the targets were people like me.

[redwitch]

29. I first learned about Phelps when Matthew Sheperd was murdered.

I thought then as I thought now, these people are horrible and twisted and really sick. Especially when I read that Phelps grandson designed the website to have a daily counter for how many days Matthew Shepherd has been in hell- with a photo of his head rolling across the home page. That was the last I heard of them for a long time. I really have no idea what to do about them. They are an abomination and anyone who pickets anyone's funeral is deeply disturbed. They have always been a national disgrace and I felt outrage then too.

[marmar]

20. What gets me is all of these freaks who claim...

to know exactly what God thinks, whether it be these psychotic cave dwellers, Bush, Pat Robertson or whomever. God could file the biggest libel lawsuit in history!
:think:

[BOSSHOG]

26. YOU MEAN THE FAG VETS

who serve our country in the military on ships and at army bases around the world defending phelps right to hate with impunity? Damn skippy I support em. You mean the fags who died while protecting our constitutional liberties. You betcher hateful lil heart fred.

[TahitiNut]

35. Yep.

:thumbsup:

[DanCa]

27. Yet they wont enlist themselves.

At everyone one of these despicable protest I think that there should be an army recruiter passing out enlistment forms.

[WoodrowFan]

30. check out "Addicted to Hate"

check out this expose on Fred Phelps family cult. This is a very, very sick group of people and I'm sure the abuse in their households is appalling..

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/michael_haggerty/expose3.htm

[derby378]

31. How to handle these WBC cultists

Stand among them while they're in mid-protest and shout "WHITE POWER!" a few times. Watch 'em scatter.

Fred Phelps is also an anti-Semite. This usually doesn't get brought up, but he's apparently cast his lot with Christian Identity.

[mondo joe]

33. We gays have been handling them for a long time. Best response so far is

to use thei activities as a fundraiser -- raise pledges to support a good cause based on how many hours/days/whatever they are in action.

[derby378]

41. Hey, I like that, too

If you can't beat 'em, make money off of 'em. Then ridicule 'em in public. :toast:

[TX-RAT]

34. Luckily for us and them, they've never shown up for the 4 funerals here

Not sure the family and loved ones of these soldiers would be so concerned about Phelps's freedom of speech. Most likely he'd be taking a trip to the ER.

[KansDem]

37. I'd like a copy of that sign on the right...

Except I'd change the wording to: "Bush" and "America"

[gratuitous]

38. Possible solution

I've run into Phelps' followers from time to time. They're totally dedicated to their cause, blindly loyal to one and only one interpretation of any event, and absolutely impervious to logic, reason, pleading, appeal to simple humanity or decency, or any other tool you might use in coming back into community with another person.

But they hate to be isolated. They hate being alone. They draw their strength and support from one another. In Kansas City, at the 2000 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren, several of us crossed the street and paired off with the protestors, two or three of us to every one of them. We offered them drinks (it's pretty hot in the middle of July in KC) and engaged them face to face, isolating them from one another. It was like a pride of lions carving up a zebra herd. I don't think we did very well, but they wound up leaving very quickly, and they didn't come back, as they had earlier that year with large gatherings of the Baptists and the Presbyterians. It probably wasn't one of their more successful outings.

[underpants]

42. Church of the Brethren

Are they all in this sort of "thinking"?

I passed one this weekend and I didn't know what their make-up or philosophy was or is.

Are allt he Churches of the Bretheren in the Phelps mold?

[gratuitous]

48. No, the Phelpsians were picketing the Church of the Brethren

Church of the Brethren Annual Conference was the target of the Phelps demonstrators, rather to the amusement of the progressives in the denomination, and much to the consternation of the conservatives.

The Church of the Brethren is a teeny tiny denomination (about 125,000 adherents) out of the Anabaptist tradition that produced the Mennonites and the Quakers, and with them comprise the three historic “peace” churches – advocates and practitioners of non-violent resistance. We were one of the founders of the Christian Peacemaker Teams, which the late Tom Fox was a member of.

Church of the Brethren congregations cover a wide range of thought, roughly mirroring their location on the continent: More progressive congregations are found further west (toward the left coast) and more conservative congregations are found in the east. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, and many fine progressive congregations are found in Illinois, Michigan and Virginia, though they are in a distinct minority.

[Lars39]

43. I've wondered if the RW has paid them to protest the soldiers' funerals.

When it's mentioned in the newspapers, the Phelps aren't labeled as "christian" or as a church.
The focus has been put on "demonstrators", which further demonizes the ant-war, anti-bush crowd.
Now there is legislation being passed because of Phelps' bunch that further erodes our freedom of speech,
which of course makes the RW happy as can be.

[chicofaraby]

44. Westboro is a con game

The way thesse scam artists work is they provoke someone into assaulting them and then they file suit.

They are scam artists. Like most preachers.

[underpants]

45. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[chicofaraby]

46. Thanks!

As for Westboro, I think the solution of having a gay couple follow them around and make out is the best one so far....

[BlackHeart]

49. And now the ACLU is in the mix

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060314/OPINION01/603140326/1014
"That's a no-brainer, of course. The American Civil Liberties Union would.

The ACLU will argue against Thompson's bill, claiming it would violate the Constitution's guarantee of freedom of speech.

The ACLU does many worthwhile things; this is not one of them. We believe the framers of the Constitution would have been horrified by the argument that, in approving the First Amendment, they had guaranteed the right to disrupt funerals, disturb mourners and destroy the dignity of the most solemn of observances.

This argument by the ACLU is as absurd as its claim that, when former Gov. Mike Foster asked people to pray for rain during a severe drought a few years ago, he violated the Constitution's guarantee of freedom of religion and tried to turn Louisiana into an Iran-like theocracy."