Westboro Baptist Church Protests Kevin Smith Film at Sundance; Great Counter-protest

[Kat45]

A friend of mine from high school sent me this because her high school student son was one of the counter-protesters quoted in the article. I think it's pretty cool of high school kids to do this, and they used a lot of humor in doing it.


"The two tribes massed outside Park City’s Eccles Theater two times on Sunday, facing off with picket signs, chanting slogans and singing songs in a strange display in which hate speech was met with absurdist humor, resulting in a kind of media frenzy that was spirited even by Sundance’s hype-saturated standards.

Between 2 and 3:30 p.m., a group of five Westboro Baptist Church members holding signs with such slogans as “God hates America,” “You’re going to hell” and “God is not mocked” (as well as others that have no place in a family blog) rallied near the street side of the theater while a group of about 100 mostly high school aged kids -- who had organized themselves via Facebook and Twitter -- stood jeering just a few feet opposite them. The boisterous crowd of teenagers carried their own picket signs that spelled out funny, cryptic messages such as “Shut up and dance” and “God hates signs.”

<snip>

“This is just a beautiful preaching opportunity,” Phelps-Roper said. “Kevin Smith can keep mocking and scoffing but we’re just going to climb on his back.”

On the other side of the divide, Kya Palomaki, 17, and Alex Falten, 18, both seniors at Park City High School, exhorted their classmates to sing Katy Perry’s hit “I Kissed a Girl” ever more loudly in an effort to drown out the Westboro protesters’ original composition “God Hates America.” Falten walked back and forth in front of the counter-protesters waving a large American flag."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/01/sundance-2011-red-state-sparks-protests-and-media-frenzy.html

[krispos42]

1. I hope it looks like the San Diego ComicCon a few months ago

Them:




Sane people:

[Kat45]

2. Did Westboro protest ComicCon too?

Where do they get the money to constantly travel all over the country to protest everything? From what I understand, that "church" is just a small group, all in Phelps' family.

[Maine_Nurse]

4. They sue people, communities, etc

They incite things, and sue for any reason they can find. I think it's the daughter (wife?) that is an attorney. Two of the greatest evils combined in one group.

[Brother Buzz]

5. All but two of the inbred clan are lawyers including Fred

Son: Fred Phelps, Jr. (lawyer, employed by Kansas Department of Corrections)
Son: Mark Phelps (business executive, estranged from Phelps family)
Daughter: Katherine Phelps (lawyer, license to practice law suspended, estranged from Phelps family)
Daughter: Margie Phelps (lawyer, employed by Kansas Department of Corrections)
Daughter: Shirley Phelps-Roper (lawyer)
Son: Nathan Phelps ("Nate", gay rights and atheist activist, estranged from Phelps family)
Son: Jonathon B. Phelps (lawyer)
Daughter: Rebekah Phelps-Davis (lawyer)
Daughter: Elizabeth Phelps (lawyer, works at homeless shelter)
Son: Timothy Phelps (lawyer, employed by Shawnee County Department of Corrections)
Daughter: Dorotha Bird (lawyer, estranged from Phelps family)
Daughter: Rachel Phelps (lawyer)
Daughter: Abigail Phelps (lawyer)

[Kat45]

13. I guess I didn't think of any of them as being educated.

Interesting.

[tigereye]

14. how is it that people who work for the state are allowed to

do this kind of politicking/hate speech and still have jobs there? Ironically, even more so, with the Dept of Corrections. Punitive justice, indeed. :(

[Brother Buzz]

16. Revolting isn't it. They would just love to lock horns with the state of Kansas

on a wrongful termination case involving religious beliefs and free speech.

[tigereye]

18. yes, that is probably true- but I thought there were rules

about this sort of thing.

[krispos42]

8. Yeah. I think they get their money from sueing people that punch one of the fuckers

at a protest or something.

:shrug:

scum all around.

[MilesColtrane]

11. My favorites:

"Fuck God"

"All Glory To The Hypno-Toad"

And, the guy in the Bender costume with, "Kill All Humans"

[saras]

3. Do they matter?

I keep reading where the protests outnumber the church 'members'

Could we just boycott any mention of them for a month or so unless they break laws, commit violence, or otherwise generate real news?

And I'd SWEAR (and I have, repeatedly) that they're just Landover Baptists without the sense of humor.

[Kat45]

6. I'd love to see the everyone ignore them, particularly the media.

I had to post this story because I thought it was terrific that a bunch of high school kids counter-protested, and in a humorous way. It was like they didn't take these clowns seriously.

[tigereye]

15. +1 but I love the idea of high schoolers protesting against

them.

[Kat45]

19. Me too.

And I think it's great that my friend's son was one of the kids protesting. I'm sure she's proud of her son. I remember when we were in junior high, she led us students in protesting about a favorite teacher not being given tenure.

[blogslut]

7. Here's some pics from when Smith entered the crowd and borrowed some of the counter signs

[Buddha2B]

9. Where are the other Christians?

I suppose there are some, but I never hear of other Christians denouncing Westboro?

People like to call on moderate Muslims to denounce Extremists.... so okay where are all the Christians countering the demonstrations??

[queerart]

10. Here Is What Some Of Them Are Busy Doing....

They are too wrapped up making videos to denounce Westboro.....



This being one of the fruits of their labor.....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miULdI-qocg&feature=player_embedded




... and there are plenty more videos out there being made by other Christian Terrorists, no doubt.....

[Dorian Gray]

12. Are you joking?

Every human being who has heard of Westboro has denounced them.

[Volaris]

17. OK this is awesome on so many levels...

not the least of which is that Smith's film Red State is loosely inspired by FRED PHELPS and his ilk, that they would show up to protest is indicative of how stupid they really are....

The <God Hates Fat and so does SW Airlines> sign is hilarious....

They were going to go nuts at Sundance for this flick anyway, this is more than K.S. could EVER have hoped for
Good for him.