Westboro Southern Baptist Church is coming to my town.

[mephistopheles]

Obama is coming to town and so are the Phelps and all their insane church goers.

It's got the town in an uproar because of recent events.

Anyway, the church is coming to picket Obama's memorial speech because (as usual) god killed a lot of people because of the gays.

But the church was here like 4 or 5 years ago too.

Has anyone else had to deal with these guys?

There has been a lot of petitioning around town and stuff about a lot of the business around here refusing them service and just trying to make them leave asap.

 

[BarelyMoreThan6]

I think the very best that can be done with these people is yes, try to deny them services so they don't stick around or have no logistic support and secondly, ignore them so they don't get the attention they're trying to capitalize on.

What a mis-guided organization.

I hope that you and your family made it through the storms in good shape. My thoughts have been with the people of your area since the storms have hit.

Love your photos,

Best of luck dealing with Fred Phelps, he gives a bad name to Christians everywhere.

Glenn

 

[Bbucko]

Though the may not God on their side, they most definitely do as far as the Constitution does. I applaud any local business refusing them service (which, BTW, is always at the discretion of the service provider), and though I abhor WBC as inherently evil, they are within their rights to be there.

One more time: this is not an endorsement of Phelps nor his hideous tactics (which, IMO, is a form of emotional terrorism); just a plain an simple acknowledgement of their right to protest as they see fit, no matter how warped be their sensibilities.

The fact that they shelter their hate under the roof of a tax-free "church" burns my balls as much as anything else. They are nothing but a hate group and really should be acknowledged as such. But I might as well continue to dream, as they are as safe as can be, what with the current interpretation of the 1st Amendment.

 

[Calboner]

If anyone is interested in seeing the human face, such as it is, of this organization, you can watch the documentary that Louis Theroux made about it here. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that it came as a bit of a surprise to me to see and hear these people talking like normal human beings; but you don't have to go very far with them to hear the most inhuman ideas come pouring out of their mouths. They have children, too, which is really disturbing to see. One girl turned against the whole insane business: her parents immediately disowned her and will admit to no regret whatever about having lost their daughter.

 

[phillyhangin]

It's a shame - but hardly surprising - that these people are trying to exploit yet another tragedy for the sake of advancing their views. As others have already said, the best thing to do is to ignore them; they're in this for the attention, and if they don't get any attention, their efforts will be wasted. (I'd even go so far as to say that the local news sources shouldn't even cover their visit - no interviews, no reactions, nothing; the news should treat them as if they didn't exist.)

On a more personal note, I hope that you and yours are safe, and that your town can get back on its feet quickly after everything that's happened.

 

[houtx48]

One would not think old Fred Phelps would live forever, after he is gone the whole will fall apart.

 

[Countryguy63]

Read what Lisa Lampanelli did....

Lisa Lampanelli meets Westboro on their own turf

And here's what another member of a group that I belong to did....

"She's using a similar ploy we used a few years back..Phreaky Phred Phelps and his inbred minions had a license to march...so we...a cohesive unit of HRC/Gay Rights etc. groups got a license also. They were on one side of the street, we were on the other....we fed them cookies and milk and the newshounds loved it...they liked the cookies...but hated having it filmed...then the kicker was....we raised money for the very outfits they were protesting...as long as they marched and screeched and sang...we raised money for a myriad of causes...we kept updates on poster board...and marched along...we raised close to $7,000 in less than an hour...then they gave up and left...It's the only way to combat the vicious hate-mongering they spew....."

Find a way to use it for a good cause :smile:

 

[Rikter8]

Just get rid of the bastards.

They don't deserve the right of the first ammendment. They are a registered "Hate Group" - that alone should exclude them from any constitutional rights, just as anyone else who has committed a crime.

We don't tolerate ignorance in the workplace, nor in major schools and universities - so this should be no different. If theyre registered as a hate group, round them up, tow their bus, their vehicles, and lock them up until they can be transported and kicked out of town forever.

 

[Phoenix1714]

Now what would be great would be to either get counter protestors there, and/or a gay pride parade near where they intend to picket.

Not only would this be fun to watch, it also completely works within the boundaries of the First Amendment.

 

[D_Rosalind Mussell]

Aside from what's been mentioned, many have made anti-protest signs and walked among them.

The 30 Best Anti-Westboro Baptist Church Protest Signs: Pics, Videos, Links, News

If they came to my neck of the woods I'd be all over it.

 

[simbablk]

I really, Really, REALLY dislike these....people! I mean REALLY! This organization is, in my opinion, worse than any one hate group in America.

I really can't even type I'm so mad right now. ARGH.

But as a poster previously said, they do have the right to free speech and the right to protest - and yes, the businesses also "..reserve the right to refuse service to anyone". So I think those businesses should protest by doing JUST that.

Simba

 

[Mensch1351]

Just for the record...........Westboro is NOT a Southern Baptist church -- they are "Independent" Baptists and I believe at one time were a part of the "Primitive" Baptist group........FYI -- there are like 38 different Baptist Denominations in the US!!

 

[arkfarmbear]

Do they actually have a church building? Regular Sunday services? I keep waiting for some "nut" to use his Uzi to mow down the whole gang in one incident. Perhaps it would make "martyrs" out of them but I'll bet it would most likely reduce the number of folks eager to fill their shoes.

 

[B_Nick8]

"Kill the pigs. Spill their blood."

You can hardly go wrong when you quote--or paraphrase--from great literature.

 

[chicagosam]

Do they actually have a church building? Regular Sunday services?

Info on WBC: Westboro Baptist Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is their website: http://www.godhatesfags.com/

Disgusting.

 

[FuzzyKen]

Actually, under existing rulings you may already have the best thing that could ever happen for WBC. Remember that the rules under which the Secret Service sworn to protect the President were modified during the Bush administration. Because of questions of the safety of the President they are going to be the most watched group of protesters in history and many of them stand a very good chance of going to jail right then and there.

I do however agree that the best thing to get rid of them is to use them as a fund raiser for every group they preach against and that is a long list. If they themselves become the fund raiser they won't want to come out and play any more! That has been done multiple times and with great success.

 

[Pierced1953]

Info on WBC: Westboro Baptist Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is their website: Westboro Baptist Church Home Page

Disgusting.

First I give my best to the recovery of all the victoms of the storm and would like to know what was the out come of WBC.

I certainly agree with the others about WBC, a worthless and completely disgusting group, not a church as it calls themselves.

But I do wonder why the baptist church hasn't put more pressure or used their power to have them shut down. Maybe due to that they agree with many ideas of WBC. With a BC ''baptist church'' every mile in the south, you never see a black person set their feet in a ''white'' baptist church, except for the big cities and then very few.

I had one neighbor tell me he was talking to a pastor of a BC and asked why there was no blacks down here. He told him we don't have '' Nigers'' down here. I also know for a fact that gays keep very much to themselves and are hated by the southern people, as are northerns, westerns, even people from Fl, hispanics, asians and just about everyone who wasn't born here. Though because many retirees coming to the south the catholic church has grown but also looked down on. My ex-wife was even called a wetback by a six year old at a store, been called a yankee myself in a church, but not a baptist church. They even make the laws using their power in Tn., one is that a business that can't sell beer within so many feet of a church. So I really have to wonder why the BC hides it's true nature behind their so called christianity and why there are so many different BC's and what's there true connection to WBC.

Anyone who can clear this up, would love to hear it.

 

[D_Liv_R_Phoole]

They need to be shut down, plain and simple.

 

[drumstyck]

the morning radio show i listen to had a big discussion about what happened when the "Church" went to a town outside of Nashville, i think it was.


The group needed to stay in a hotel, going from Topeka to Nashville...and Phelps apparently registered under his real name.
They arrived at night, and by some astounding coincidence, the morning after, the parking lot was full of cars blocking in any car with a Kansas license plate. What were the odds of that?
And even more amazing, when Phelps called towing services to have the cars moved, all of the trucks in town were out on emergency calls and no one was sure just how long it would take for them to finish up. Believe it or not, it wasn't until after the funeral (and planned protest) that the trucks finished up their emergencies.

 

[cruztbone]

yes , Chicago sam , they are disgusting. As an American, I feel they are a national disgrace. let us send our friends in Joplin our best wishes and a request for a website where we can send them a donation of money. they should also know they are welcome in CA, DESPITE our state budget woes. we welcomed them during the dust bowl of the the 1930's, and we welcome them now.