Patterico's Pontifications

12/9/2010

Westboro Assholes to Protest Edwards Funeral

Filed under: General — Aaron Worthing @ 8:12 am



[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here.]

Pardon my French, but they are really trying our patience as a nation.

On a similar note, about a week ago, a disabled veteran was caught “stalking” the Westboro idiots, with possible intent to murder.

Obviously, violence is not the answer.  I myself have advocated giving them a taste of their own medicine, by waiting until one of them dies, and protesting their funeral.  See how they like it.

You are not Christians, you idiots.  You will burn in hell for what you have done.

Update: Gawker disapproves.  Of course Gawker is the same site that ran a contest to come up with a banner to fly on an airplane over Rush Limbaugh’s wedding.  So protests at a person’s wedding?  Okay!  Protest at a person’s funeral?  Bad.  Glad they cleared that up.

Oh, and the winning submission? “Congrats on your 4th marraige.  XO Gawker.”  Yeah, classy.

I am glad to see you guys saying the right thing now, but how about a little introspection and maybe an apology?

Update (II): And this strikes me as a strange start to a story:

As if Elizabeth Edwards did not have enough difficulties to face while alive, she is now being dogged even in death, this time by a small, right-wing Kansas church that says it will picket her funeral at a Methodist church in Raleigh on Saturday afternoon.

Now this can be a matter of theological difference, but no, I don’t think anything is likely to be troubling Ms. Edwards right now.  I think she is beyond any Earthly concern.  I have said at many funerals, the purpose of this funeral is not really for the dead.  They aren’t even there to see it.  The purpose of a funeral is to serve the emotional needs of the living.  And it is the living I was primarily concerned for when I read this story.  Yes, even for Jon Edwards, although even more so the members of the family that didn’t choose to live in the limelight.

Which is kind of a nitpicky critique, based on a certain religious perspective, but there you go.

[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]

78 Responses to “Westboro Assholes to Protest Edwards Funeral”

  1. You will burn in hell for what you have done.

    I hope not, Aaron. But understand and share your anger, and one way or another they will come to see how evil it is what they’re doing: purposely inflicting pain on a lot of people in pursuit of their attention hounding goals.

    IMO it won’t do much good to protest at one of their funerals because if they are sincere in their wrong beliefs they will simply see that as mocking persecution by the secular infidels and close ranks even more. If they aren’t sincere, they’ll be even more determined to continue to inflict pain on others, because “others must think it’s OK; they did it to us!”

    no one you know (325a59)

  2. Why is violence “obviously” not the answer? A sufficiency of it would eliminate the problem entirely.

    OK, it may not be a good answer, but I get tired of the pretense that “violence never solved anything”. Tell that to the death-camp survivors who were rescued through protracted anti-Nazi violence.

    C. S. P. Schofield (e4bd33)

  3. My heart goes out to Ryan Newell. I don’t think a legless man can pull of some kind of assassination, and these Westboro nuts aren’t worth that kind of reaction. I am not surprised, though. When he lost his legs, I imagine some people died. It’s hard to accept the desecration attempts by the Phelps crew.

    Impersonating the police is a pretty serious crime, and I suspect Ryan needs some help and I hope he is allowed to have a brighter future.

    Can there be any doubt that Phelps’s crew is insincere? They aren’t protesting Edwards’s wife for any particular problem with her, but rather because she’s so sympathetic. She was an honorable heterosexual wife who didn’t support the war, and Phelps’s crew could easily target their funerals more accurately if they weren’t just trying to be as horrible as possible.

    As I’ve said before, I’m sure they set out to inspire people to interfere. We should amend our laws to make interfering with a funeral protest a less serious offense.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  4. Tell that to the death-camp survivors who were rescued through protracted anti-Nazi violence.

    Comment by C. S. P. Schofield

    Violence is the answer sometimes, but not when some lawyers are trying to find people to sue by saying the most offensive things they can imagine.

    Though I wonder if it’s only a matter of time before a few veterans work together, instead of crippled one going lone wolf. It says a lot that this hasn’t happened yet.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  5. CSP

    well, first, don’t mistake me for being a pacifist. i just believe that mere speech should never be met with violence, be it done privately or at the hands of the state.

    But yes, violence does solve alot of problems. and yeah, if a few of these idiots were murdered, it might “solve” this problem, too. But using private violence to suppress protests you don’t like is a cure that is worse than the disease.

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  6. Maybe John could get a few SEIU thugs

    Neo (7830e6)

  7. How do they have the money to keep travelling to pull these stunts?

    And don’t they have anything better to do?

    aphrael (9802d6)

  8. You are not Christians, you idiots. You will burn in hell for what you have done.

    No True Scotsman Christian would do this, eh?

    carlitos (261dcd)

  9. carlitos

    well, there is a difference between “no true scottsman” and “no true christian”…

    Christianity is a set of beliefs. if you do not hold enough of them then yes, you stop being christian.

    By comparison, scottishness is an ethnicity, not a belief system, so you can believe and do whatever you want and you are still a christian.

    But naturally feel free to draw a different conclusion. but just as i expect decent muslims to say that the terrorists are not true muslims, i say the same with this jerks.

    i would add that in a country of around 80-90% christians, no one else protests funerals like this but these idiots. you can at least say that they are well outside of the mainstream.

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  10. How do they have the money to keep travelling to pull these stunts?

    And don’t they have anything better to do?

    Comment by aphrael

    The Phelps family has a large number of civil rights lawyers in it. That combined with “The Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Award Act of 1976” and an unethical NAACP lawyer (Fred Phelps) figuring out that if he can goad people into thwarting his free speech he can get fees.

    Nathan Phelps, Fred’s estranged son, says that Fred has filed hundreds of such suits and then settled out of public view.

    It’s hard to know how much he’s won over the years, but he did win $200,000 from the city of Topeka. His church is tax exempt, too.

    Stanford University advised its students not to infringe on him, and their paper covered much of his legal career that seems to be built entirely around the fact that he can get legal fees if his speech is so awful it goads someone to try to shut him up.

    They conclude that he probably isn’t making enough to fund his operation, but I disagree. We don’t know how much his settlements are or how often they come, and as Aphrael notes, they are funding this somehow.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  11. The Westboro behavior is despicable, of course, but a wealthy and influential man like Edwards is better equipped to handle it than most, so the bulk of my sympathy is reserved for the ordinary family of a fallen soldier who has to deal with the Westboro lunacy.

    JVW (9bed62)

  12. “Set of beliefs” is subjective. Phelps interprets them his way, and is a big jerk*. You interpret them your way, Phalangists in Lebanon interpret them a different way. You don’t have a monopoly on ‘true Christian’ status. There are liberal and conservative Christians, so obviously they don’t all agree.

    Phelps reads the same book you do, he just pays more attention to the bits in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I am happy that 99% of Christians condemn these jerks*, but you can’t deny that Phelps’ idiots* are Christianss.

    *vocabulary chosen so as not to trigger the profanity filter

    carlitos (261dcd)

  13. you can’t deny that Phelps’ idiots* are Christianss.

    It’s not for me to say what his true beliefs are, but I don’t think he is motivated by the bible. He certainly isn’t following the commandment of Jesus Christ just because there is something in the old testament.

    I don’t see much Jesus Christ ever said that even slightly resembles anything Fred says.

    So ‘Christian’ is a misnomer because it means follower of Christ, rather than follower of the books. Maybe some sort of ‘bibleist’?

    In fact, I can deny Phelps is a Christian if I think he is lying about his actual views.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  14. carlitos

    well, imho, if you don’t follow the golden rule, you are not a christian, but obviously you can reasonably disagree.

    and i laughed at your footnote. 🙂

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  15. Fair points. I’m busy today, so shall skip the meta points involved. I can never get a good answer when I ask which of the 20,000 or so denominations are “true.” Probably Lutheran, Missouri synod or somthing. 🙂

    carlitos (261dcd)

  16. carlitos, you’re right that it’s silly for one group of Christians to call another group of Christians untrue.

    I think these guys are a valid example of untrue Christians, though. They are either insincere, or spend their entire time noting God hates people and being unforgiving.

    It’s like a group of Muslims saying Muhammad wasn’t a prophet, or a group of Scientologists saying Star Trek isn’t real.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  17. AW – Why do you fail to note that Phelps is a Democrat, was a fundraiser for algore, etc …?

    JD (6e25b4)

  18. JD

    um, because i forgot.

    Dustin

    > Star Trek isn’t real

    Wait… it isn’t?

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  19. There’s been some very effective — and legal — and non-confrontational anti-Westboro tactics that have been developed recently. Like showing up en masse to the place where they have their permit… before they even arrive.

    Kman (d30fc3)

  20. Aaron: I’ve written a lot on Elizabeth Edwards this week, but the Westboro people, while I support their right to protest, are just plain awful.

    Americaneocon (301403)

  21. The Patriot Guards do a decent job shielding the familes from some of these protests. I have buddies that ride in these.

    carlitos (261dcd)

  22. There is the Law and there are the Rules. The Law may say otherwise, but the Rules say that it is unwise to stand as an Orange candidate in Dublin. The Law may say otherwise, but the Rules say that if you go into a bar full of Hells Angels and shout “Harley Riders are all pussies!” you ARE going to die.

    I don’t know for sure where Phelps and Company stand with the Law, but they are clearly in violation of the Rules. May it catch up with them soon, with minimal repercussions against the truly innocent.

    C. S. P. Schofield (e4bd33)

  23. I am surprised someone hasn’t killed a few of those Phelps assholes yet while protesting at a funeral. Does anyone think there is a jury in America that would convict?

    cubanbob (409ac2)

  24. he just pays more attention to the bits in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

    He obviously missed some other bits. For instance,Exodus 22 verses 20 to 23 which might not be literally applicable to the Edwards family, but certainly must apply to more than a few of those military funerals.

    And then there’s the other bit, the one Jesus gave a shout out to–let’s see, “Love thy neighbor” wasn’t it?

    kishnevi (fb9343)

  25. The morons that are calling WBC “right-wing extremists” don’t realize that its founder, Fred Phelps, is a DEMOCRAT!! He supported Al Gore in the 1988 primaries, and a Gore fundraiser was held at his son’s home. He ran for governor of Kansas as a Democrat in 1990, 1994, and 1998, and received 31% of the vote in Kansas’s 1992 Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senate.

    Chuck (84d3dd)

  26. I kind of wonder about this church’s IRS status. Seems like they may have crossed the line on politicking.

    Kevin M (298030)

  27. Phelps’ “church’s” protests have nothing to do with any issues. This is Phelps’ cult’s money making scheme, they go out to cause offense with the purpose of being shutdown or attacked. Then they sue.

    SPQR (159590)

  28. When do “fighting words” count as a form of violence?

    Do you get to defend yourself from that?

    EdWood (c2268a)

  29. Gawker disapproves. Of course Gawker is the same site that ran a contest to come up with a banner to fly on an airplane over Rush Limbaugh’s wedding. So protests at a person’s wedding? Okay! Protest at a person’s funeral? Bad. Glad they cleared that up.

    Well of course they don’t agree with this…

    Edwards was a democrat, so it’s different.

    The Departed (d027b8)

  30. The morons that are calling WBC “right-wing extremists” don’t realize that its founder, Fred Phelps, is a DEMOCRAT!!

    Just more evidence that he is off-the-charts crazy.

    The truth is that Phelps cannot be pigeon-holed accurately as either a right-winger or a left-winger. His past affiliations certainly point to the left (although there ARE conservative Democrats); his views on homosexuality is decidedly to the right (although there ARE Republicans who are not anti-gay).

    It’s a rather stupid, even infantile, game to try to besmirch Democrats or Republicans by linking Phelps to either “side”. The truth, and indeed the world, is much more complicated.

    So let’s grow up and all admit he can’t be comfortably squeezed into pat definitions of “right-wing” or “left-wing”.

    He’s bat-wing. Case closed.

    Kman (d30fc3)

  31. Kman, its not about ideology at all.

    SPQR (159590)

  32. Let’s see how many times kmart has used such a forgiving classification when going on one of his widdle rants about conservatives. He is a Dem. Period. And it is a vile lie to claim that his views on homosexuality are decidedly to the right. You beclown yourself, yet again.

    JD (306f5d)

  33. Of course, the number is zero, JD.

    Just as kman has left zero comments on the linked politics daily site calling Westboro ‘right wing’.

    Truth is, they are extremely liberal on free speech and at least superficially conservative on social morality, and it’s a lot more honest to just call them democrats. JD’s right to call kman’s comment a vile lie. We don’t have to limit our analysis to that, though, since Phelps’s arguments are almost entirely tired leftist anti-war and extreme democrat trial law.

    These democrats are rarely called what they are by the press, though. Just ‘right wing’. I guess it’ll take Aaron calling them that for Kman to take notice.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  34. “Right wing church”? No. I wouldn’t call it left wing either, unless the reporter is going to insist on the “right wing” CANARD, even and despite the well known fact that the Phelps family are Democrats. In which case, it’s a left wing church displying typical left wing values. And shame, shame, shame on every left-winger everywhere who cruelly ratifies this vicious conduct by failing to personally and loudly denounce it.

    AMartel (88c646)

  35. He is about as right-wing as Jeremiah Wright, Dustin. It was obvious he was a Democrat, since the MFM refused to identify which party he is in.

    JD (85b089)

  36. It is pretty hilarious that Westboro is considered ‘right wing’ solely on their gay bashing.

    I agree with JD that Rev Wright’s a great comparison. He’s exactly the same as Phelps. Exactly the same. Hates Jews, blames 9/11 on us, hates America, thinks the CIA invented AIDS, et al.

    This is Obama’s religion, too. The democrat party has endorsed this viewpoint, then, by having Obama as their nominee after the issue was well discussed.

    And Obama’s no fan of gay marriage and has yet to do away with DADT.

    But all of this is ‘right wing’. Why? I don’t know. Fred Phelps would never support Sarah Palin and she would never attend his church. Obama probably would, if it suited his career, as proven by his actual membership in Rev Wrights over 20 years.

    Can you imagine if Sarah Palin brought her kids into such a place as Rev Wright’s church, year after year? She would be radioactive to the GOP.

    But these ugly truths only matter to the press if they help the narrative that the right is intolerant.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  37. He’s exactly the same as Phelps. Exactly the same

    That’s really overstating it. I would argue that nobody is exactly the same as Phelps, because nobody else is engaging in the obnoxious behavior of protesting at large numbers of funerals.

    Phelps is sui generis. Thankfully.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  38. As for the Gawker thing: well, it’s certainly classless to harass someone at their wedding.

    That said – I think it’s less obnoxious than picketing a funeral. It’s obnoxious, to be sure, and outside the realm of decent behavior … but it seems to me that it’s less hurtful, because a wedding is generally speaking a day of joy, and interfereing with someone’s joy, while obnoxious, isn’t quite on the same level as interfering with their mourning.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  39. or a group of Scientologists saying Star Trek isn’t real

    Wait, what? Okay, that does it, it’s time for… does anyone know the Klingon word for “jihad” (I think it’s the same as “church social”)?

    As far as Phelps goes… I wonder if they’re going to have anyone watching the van this time. It would be really awful if their tires got slashed again and nobody in Raleigh would help them… a real shame. (no, I’m not really advocating for this to happen, but sometimes a little harmless wishing of ill on those who deserve it is gratifying)

    malclave (1db6c5)

  40. because nobody else is engaging in the obnoxious behavior of protesting at large numbers of funerals.

    OK, I concede that. Rev Wright is broadcasting his incredibly hate, anger, and paranoia, but he isn’t desecrating sacred customs like Phelps is.

    I stand corrected, though I still say they are peas in a pod and appeal to the same sort of jackasses.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  41. Wright is not at all equivalen to Phelps. Wright has an obnoxious ideology, and one can debate how much he believes it vs. is being controversial for attention, but he is not looking to incite people to kick his ass so he can sue them.

    SPQR (8762be)

  42. Yeah, that’s a major distinction, SPQR.

    Wright is just communicated his horrible ideas to people who want to hear it (for the most part).

    If he gave a sermon at ground zero I guess I’d have a better comparison.

    Still, that’s a difference in their actions, not their POV. If one assumed Phelps means what he says (rather than just making up inciteful rhetoric) they really are pretty similar.

    Saying 9/11 is our chickens coming home to roost, or saying God wanted soldiers to die in combat because he hates America, really is coming from the same place.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  43. Mr Worthing wrote:

    Obviously, violence is not the answer.

    You know, there are some people who just really, really need to get their asses kicked. Sometimes, that simply is the only answer.

    The Dana who grew up in the South (3e4784)

  44. Dustin’s last paragraph is more what I was getting at.

    JD (109425)

  45. Aph @ 41

    I can agree with that. its like the difference between murder and raping a person, peeing on them and then setting them on fire until they burn to death. both are bad, both are vile, but let’s face it, if most of us were given a choice, we would choose to be the victim of the first crime instead.

    But i get a feeling that with gawker the real difference is whether the person is an R or a D.

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  46. I would suggest peppering the funeral party with snipers. Paintball snipers. Preferably armed with yellow paint balls. When the Phelps folks show up just start shooting them with yellow paint balls. They’re non-lethal but hurt like Hell.

    Ralph Gizzip (1b172c)

  47. I don’t agree with Oprah on most things, but I have to give her credit for walking out of Wright’s services when he started ranting about hating on America, blaming the Jooos, etc. But Obama stayed on, and on, and…

    Dmac (498ece)

  48. He was absent that day, Dmac

    JD (eb5afc)

  49. If I were the governor of North Carolina, I would promise a plenary pardon for anyone committing a crime against Westboro Church members, including torturous murder during violent sexual assault.

    nk (db4a41)

  50. I don’t believe that the people from Westboro are for real.

    I think somebody is paying them off to behave like the circus act they are, drawing negative attention to keep certain issues in the media spotlight.

    They are just too burlesque to be genuine.

    hoponpop (3c6393)

  51. Where do they get off calling Fred Phelps “right wing”? He ran for office as Democrat.

    From Wikipedia

    Democratic Party

    Phelps has run in various Kansas Democratic Party primaries five times, but has never won. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998, receiving about 15 percent of the vote in 1998.[24] In the 1992 Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senate, Phelps received 31 percent of the vote.[25] Phelps ran for mayor of Topeka in 1993[26][unreliable source?] and 1997.[27]
    Support for Al Gore

    Phelps supported Al Gore in the 1988 Democratic Party primary election.

    tyree (41711c)

  52. Phelp’s jackassery brings to mind a couple of sayings….

    First — “Eff around, eff around, sooner or later you won’t BE around!”

    …and the second, which is a brief translation of the first, put a little more directly…sort of a Gordian knotcutter of the problem, if you will. This one is a direct quote from a good friend, who has the prerequisite skills: “I have a backhoe, and fifteen hundred acres. They ain’t EVER gonna find that body.”

    Maybe Phelps can get a psychic to channel Jimmy Hoffa, and explain to him how this is probably going to play out.

    I’m not saying…I’m jus’ sayin’…

    Watcherdownsouth (a0d9b9)

  53. lets tone down the death threats and violent rape fantasies

    these people are not worth crawling into their gutter

    EricPWJohnson (5907f7)

  54. Saying 9/11 is our chickens coming home to roost, or saying God wanted soldiers to die in combat because he hates America, really is coming from the same place.

    No it’s not. There’s an incredibly vast difference between the two. Wright’s claim was that 9/11 was a natural consequence of US foreign policy, a policy which he thought was bad policy. Wright made no attempt to involve God or divine justice in the situation. He didn’t say God caused 9/11 to happen as punishment for our sins. Come to think of it, Jerry Falwell was the one who said 9/11 was divine punishment: and Wright’s position was not very different from, say, Ron Paul. Wright just used a much more memorable phrase, and when he said ‘G-d d– America” he was cussing at this nation, not saying G-d has d–ed this country.[Hope that makes it through the filter.]

    Phelps’ claim is purely theological, on the other hand: it’s a bald statement that God is responsible, and wants to punish us.

    kishnevi (b40a74)

  55. Jerry Falwell was the one who said 9/11 was divine punishment

    Well he’s an asshole too.

    Wright’s position was not very different from, say, Ron Paul.

    I am not a fan of Ron Paul, but this is far less fair than my comparison.

    Rev Wright sitting behind a pulpit saying that 9/11 was God’s will.

    I do not care to delve into it, Kishnevi, but here’s a sample.

    No, no, no, not God Bless America. God damn America — that’s in the Bible — for killing innocent people.

    I don’t really see the incredibly vast different between the two.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  56. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg questioned, must the First Amendment tolerate exploiting bereaved families?

    A man like Phelps who walks in hate as he exploits bereaved families clearly does not know the mercy, grace, and sacrificial love of God. Thankfully he will be judged accordingly.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  57. Well he improvised on this fellow’s comments, a revolting character in his own right;

    http://www.mahalo.com/edward-peck

    narciso (6075d0)

  58. these people are not worth crawling into their gutter

    Comment by EricPWJohnson — 12/9/2010 @ 4:57 pm

    My thought was more like impaling them, through their natural orifices, on a spike, and roasting them over a slow fire. YMMV.

    Why do we tolerate animals like these? When we strip-search children and blow up American citizens because we don’t like what they say (Awlaki).

    nk (db4a41)

  59. The much better looking Dana wrote:

    As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg questioned, must the First Amendment tolerate exploiting bereaved families?

    Yes, actually, not only when it comes to freedom of speech, but the freedom of assembly in this case.

    And that’s why the law is inadequate to take care of this problem; there really isn’t anything that the law should be able to do to prohibit the right to speak or assemble or protest or simply be assholes.

    Which is why, in a common-sense society, you have deserved butt-kickings, the expressions of outrage and disgust by the people who understand that the law can’t do everything.

    Once these . . . people . . . learn that their “protests” will lead to nothing but them eating dirt while absolutely no one else sees it, they’ll quit.

    The common sense Dana (bd7e62)

  60. Difference between Wright and Phelps, of course.

    In fact, I suspect I could quote either of them interchangeably and it would be impossible for anyone to tell who said which comment unless they actually remembered it. Their thought processes are one and the same.

    One thing about Rev Wright that really reminds me of Phelps is his tendency towards the stuff hopanpop complained Phelps shows… and unrealistic degree of trolling.

    For example, he cannot help but call Clarence Thomas ‘Uncle Clarence’, ‘Condokeezer Rice’ or condemn how horrible this country is to blacks (Rev Wright is black and extremely wealthy, and famously has many multimillionaire blacks in his congregation). that’s not to say Rev Wright is actually trolling, or that Fred Phelps is… it’s just that their comments are so hateful and angry and unfair that they come across as transparent baiting in many cases.

    One thing is clear: Rev Wright is all about hatred. In particular, racial hatred. To enjoy his services is to enjoy racializing everything. It’s informative that Obama raised his children on this poison, and he deserves to be called a fan. Hell, Obama wrote a check for $20,000, which put Wright’s sermons on the internet.

    Was it fair for me to say Wright and Phelps are the same? Not at all, since Phelps desecrated funerals, and Wright’s toxic message is confined to people who want to hear it. that’s a fundamental difference worth and I’m glad I was corrected.

    But what a shame our president didn’t take advantage of the fact that few heard Rev Wright’s crap who didn’t go out of their way to hear it. For 20 years Obama was basking in Fred Phelps type ‘God Damn America’.

    Kishnevi is right that Rev Wright says a lot of stuff like this:

    If they don’t find them some weapons of mass destruction, they gonna do just like the LAPD, and plant the some weapons of mass

    and

    [T]he Jewish vote, the A-I-P-A-C vote, that’s controlling him, that would not let him send representation to the Darfur Review Conference, that’s talking this craziness on this trip, cause they’re Zionists, they would not let him talk to someone who calls a spade what it is.

    That’s not religious.

    But many have written on Rev Wright’s theology, and it’s the same ‘those people are wicked and damned’ crap anyone would expect.

    I’m not sure this distinction even matters that much. Saying 9/11 was our just desserts (rather than just an unfortunate disaster we could have avoided) is horrible. Innocent people were murdered. I don’t really care if the person saying it thinks Jesus agrees or if he’s an atheist.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  61. Why do we tolerate animals like these? When we strip-search children and blow up American citizens because we don’t like what they say (Awlaki).

    Comment by nk

    We’re at war with all members of Al Qaida.

    But you’re right that this shows that freedom of speech is not absolute. And I think there is a tort for IIED, and it should be possible to let a jury decide if Phelps has inflicted emotional distress, and just how severely he should pay for that.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  62. The common sense Dana,

    When I hear of yet another grieving family being brutally exploited by Westboro, the question just seems so fitting – in spite of the Court. We seem impotent to effectively push back and thus the question begs itself again – because it’s as if there is no other place to go for relief.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  63. I say we contact the ex-military bikers clubs in NC, and ask them to show up like they do at military funerals. I’ve never subscribed to the view so often expressed by liberals that “violence never solved anything.” BS. Violence solved the slavery problem. Sometimes, however, a more “nuanced” form of violence is effective. Something like a phalanx of bikers to block the funeral guests view of the Westboro turds. Of the Westies want violence, let ’em bring it on. I hate the word nuanced, lol but it fits here.

    DV (4e0dda)

  64. I’m not an atheist or a Christian. I think that Jerimiah Wright is every bit as much an asshole as the Westboro scum-bunch. The Westie assholes are just less subtle now that they’ve been exposed for the assholes they are.

    DV (4e0dda)

  65. You know of course, that Phelps was, back in the day, a rabid, looney leftist, a real Marxist, very into community organizing. I’ll lay odds that he’s one of those liberation theology whack jobs.

    jenny (090eb0)

  66. Sorry for the rambling, but the original reason to compare Rev Wright to Phelps was that people like to pretend Phelps is a right winger because he is so intolerant and religious. This is false on many levels, and invites proof that Barack Obama is a lot closer to Fred Phelps than Sarah Palin or Mitch Daniels or John Mccain (I know, Hagee).

    Unfair to Obama? Hell no. I said closer, not in the same place. I don’t know of any main stream Republicans who would donate tens of thousands of dollars to get a ‘God Damn America’ message out there.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  67. I didn’t love Ms. Edward’s or her husband, but there is common courtesy.

    Last night the MythBuster’s went to the White House to meet President Obama. Jaime did not wear a tie, and he had his hat on indoors. That is showing disrespect to the office of the President.

    Bork2Life (d76709)

  68. Phelps scam is to pull these stunts and then sue the who react.

    Tort reform would stop so much of this abuse, but the lawyers in Washington get too much money from the suers.

    tyree (41711c)

  69. nk should go to the funeral and wait for these a-holes to block his path on the sidewalk. Then . . . woo-doggie!!!

    Icy Texan (fb9f05)

  70. John Edwards may finally have the chance to use his skills as a trial lawyer to do some good.

    Icy Texan (fb9f05)

  71. nk should go to the funeral and wait for these a-holes to block his path on the sidewalk. Then . . . woo-doggie!!!

    Comment by Icy Texan — 12/10/2010 @ 1:34 am

    I don’t go looking for trouble.

    (But I can handle it when it happens.)

    nk (db4a41)

  72. Bork2Life wrote:

    I didn’t love Ms. Edward’s or her husband, but there is common courtesy.

    It seems that courtesy might not be quite as common as you think. 🙁

    The disappointed Dana (3e4784)

  73. Fred Phelps ran for office as Democrat. He is part of the hate filled, intolerant left. The media keeps trying to push him over to my side because he stinks so bad, but they have to keep him.

    From Wikipedia

    Democratic Party

    Phelps has run in various Kansas Democratic Party primaries five times, but has never won. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998, receiving about 15 percent of the vote in 1998.[24] In the 1992 Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senate, Phelps received 31 percent of the vote.[25] Phelps ran for mayor of Topeka in 1993[26][unreliable source?] and 1997.[27]
    Support for Al Gore

    Phelps supported Al Gore in the 1988 Democratic Party primary election.

    This is a re-post of one of my comments above, we know from studying Alinsky that the left tries change the public’s perception of what the right believes. We are not going to stand for that kind of juvenile silliness anymore. The media had to start reporting the truth and make sure that everyone knows that Fred is a Democrat.

    tyree (41711c)

  74. You say violence is not the answer… I disagree. These people are subhumans, therefore, we should not look upon them as if they are equals. I think of it this way; In order to remove a tumor, you must cut flesh and shed blood. the WBC is a tumor within our society, thus we must make a clean incision and remove them from our “body.”

    Akk (2057f3)

  75. Maybe we could them to show up at a Mosque or two. That might put an end to them, and their deaths, or severe beatings would be politically correct.

    kansas (7b4374)

  76. I wouldn’t want to kill these people BUT I’d like to get a few of my boys together with paintball guns and have a little target practice with these bastards, they of course being the targets. Why do you call them right-wingers? We right-wingers support the military and we respect even our enemy’s funerals…these people are crazies pure and simple, but they do need to be taught a lesson.

    Patricio Bridges (677aff)


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