So.........Westboro baptist church protesting funerals

Grimmerick

Do you feel that they have a constitutional right to protest at funerals and other personal events?

If you don't know about them I have added a paragraph from wikipedia describing them.

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is an independent Baptist church known for its extreme stance against homosexuality[2] and its protest activities, which include picketing funerals and desecrating the American flag.[3] The church is widely described as a hate group[4] and is monitored as such by the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center. It is headed by Fred Phelps and consists primarily of members of his large family;[5] in 2011, it had about 40 members.

kapeluza

Ugh, unfortunately it is their constitutional right to protest at military funerals but so morally wrong to do so. I loathe those people and what they do. I wish there was a way to block them from being able to protest at these funerals.

ilookthetype

The absolutely have the right. We also have the right to make their protesting total and utter hell, which many groups do.

Grimmerick

I can't wait for that *kitten* Fred Phelps funeral, I'll be getting a plane ticket to fly to that one and I'll have to check my protest signs.

I love the signs that people hold up around them like " God hates Myspace" , "God hates signs" and "Fred Phelps needs a good ****ing" hahaha

cessnaholly

Just because they can, doesn't mean they should.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

2 things:
1. Freedom of Speech and protest is a right given by the Constitution, so Congress has no right to limit these freedoms. However, it also says in the Constitution that any rights not allotted to Congress are given to the individual states, so it could be regulated on the state level.
2. When the KKK says you're doing something wrong, you're doing something really REALLY wrong. Just saiyan.

california_peach

They have a right, but it is still disgusting. At some funerals biker groups/gangs (not sure they are offical color wearing bikers)provide security against these asshats. I've got my fingers cross for another Altamont type experience.....come on Hell's Angels, don't let me down.

macpatti

They have the right. Just because we have the right to do something, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. This extremist group makes me sick by using God as a defense of their despicable actions.

mommared53

Unfortunately they do have the right. They make me sick though. I belong to an independent Baptist church but we are nothing at all like Westboro. I don't know why they have to call themselves Baptists because no Baptist church I've ever attended have been anything like Westboro.

mvilla2426

Westboro should try to come here. The Lumbee tribe wouldn't stand for their ridiculousness. The Lumbees ran the KKK our of this area when they tried to come here.

Anyway, my above comments aside, as the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran and as someone who is going through her second deployment with Dexter, my ex-boyfriend/roommate/best friend (we're really close even though we broke up), I don't like what they do, but I can't let them anger me. I don't know if I feel that they have a right to protest or not. I suppose they do have the right, but what they are doing is morally wrong. Call it a hunch, but if a bunch of people protested at the funeral of one of their church members, I'm betting anything they'd raise Hell.

Grimmerick

So looking into this subject I found a really smart guy that found a way to really stick it to them. Basically he used the publicity they caused to raise money for all the causes and people they hate, and with every donation he sent them a thank you note for helping raise the money. He was set up right across from them so they could watch the money being raised on their own publicity. Haha now that to me is the best way to beat them.

mvilla2426

So looking into this subject I found a really smart guy that found a way to really stick it to them. Basically he used the publicity they caused to raise money for all the causes and people they hate, and with every donation he sent them a thank you note for helping raise the money. He was set up right across from them so they could watch the money being raised on their own publicity. Haha now that to me is the best way to beat them.

Love it!!

macpatti

So looking into this subject I found a really smart guy that found a way to really stick it to them. Basically he used the publicity they caused to raise money for all the causes and people they hate, and with every donation he sent them a thank you note for helping raise the money. He was set up right across from them so they could watch the money being raised on their own publicity. Haha now that to me is the best way to beat them.

That's awesome!

castadiva

Love it! I think that's a great approach towards actions of hate - find a way to turn it around on the perpetrators to a good effect.

Bahet

It's their Constitutional right. I just wish the police would start beating and pepper spraying them instead and let someone else have their Constitutional rights for a change.

BrettPGH

They provide ONE decent service. They stand as proof that freedom means a lot in this country. So much that we will tolerate people saying things we hate. That's important. It's easy to support speech you agree with. The true test is when people say things we despise.

When Larry Flynt was being prosecuted he made a very important statement, "If free speech can protect a person like me it can protect everyone."

Don't get me wrong. I doubt most of you even hate the Westboro Baptists as much as I do. But they must be allowed the right to speak freely or our rights are meaningless.

Now as far for what should happen at the funeral for Fred Phelps when that ridiculous s.o.b. finally leaves this world... well there shouldn't be a moment of peace for him or his family. The sounds of protests from the military, their families, homosexuals and decent people everywhere should deafen out whatever hateful words he wants said at his service.

TheRoadDog

It's their right to protest.

They were here in Portland 2 years ago, protesting local churches. My daughter and I found out about 2 weeks prior. We exercised our right to protest Westboro Babtist Church. We ordered two shirts to wear. My daughter's read "God Loves *kitten*". Mine Read "God Hates Fred Phelps".

I made my daughter stay on the sidewalk watching. I marched through them, against the grain (so they could enjoy my shirt). Was smoking the most pungent fattest cigar I had.

I am ambivalent about the church itself. I think Fred Phelps and the elders are pieces of *kitten*. However, from what I witnessed at the protest, I believe the youth of the Westboro Baptist Church are brainwashed. I actually felt a little sorry for them.

_SusieQ_

I suppose they do have the RIGHT. My problem/concern is that their rights tend to cause so much pain/turmoil/problems. Their rights tend to wreak havoc everywhere they go, inciting riots and anti-protesting protests. When their very appearance causes the need for increased security via police officers, a strain on public funds, shouldn't that be taken into consideration as well?

This is a touchy point for me today. WBC is slated to make an appearance in Oklahoma, protesting the funerals of the OSU basketball coaches that died Thursday night in a plane crash. Because apparently we here in OK love *kitten*, so God killed our coaches in retaliation for that sin.

I think I need to go vomit now just typing that.

LuckyLeprechaun

They provide ONE decent service. They stand as proof that freedom means a lot in this country. So much that we will tolerate people saying things we hate. That's important. It's easy to support speech you agree with. The true test is when people say things we despise.

When Larry Flynt was being prosecuted he made a very important statement, "If free speech can protect a person like me it can protect everyone."

Don't get me wrong. I doubt most of you even hate the Westboro Baptists as much as I do. But they must be allowed the right to speak freely or our rights are meaningless.

Quit saying everything I think so perfectly....you're beating me to the punch!

I can't stand their message. It's offensive, to put it as mildly as possible.
But they must be allowed or nobody's free.

LuckyLeprechaun

that being said, I DO approve of measures which attempt to make things harder for them to be total *kitten*.

Such as cities who create a bubble around funerals by refusing to grant any license to assemble to any group within 1000 yards of any funeral procession. Using the law to deflate them: I like.

I do wish our media would put them out of business by simply refusing to shoot any more footage. Ignore them to death.

_SusieQ_

Not completely on topic, but a follow up to my previous post. WBC was scheduled to appear in Stillwater to protest at the funerals of the coaches killed in Thursday nights plane crash. The students were already planning on surrounding them in a sea of orange, blocking the funeral goers from the protestors. A local radio station offered Westboro 15 minutes of free air time if they stayed away completely. They have agreed.

LuckyLeprechaun

A local radio station offered Westboro 15 minutes of free air time if they stayed away completely. They have agreed.

this is exactly what they were after. Of course they agreed. Yuk.

suzycreamcheese

i agree with the right to protest but i dont agree with the right to public incitements of hatred or violence like that

sexforjaffacakes

Freedom of speech is important, but hate speech should not be allowed. They're not even allowed in Scotland, because although we have freedom of speech, we draw the line at hate speech. They'd be breaking the law here! They're very racist and homophobic as well though, I was about to say surely that breaks the law, but then again you have the kkk over there don't you?

Grimmerick

Freedom of speech is important, but hate speech should not be allowed. They're not even allowed in Scotland, because although we have freedom of speech, we draw the line at hate speech. They'd be breaking the law here! They're very racist and homophobic as well though, I was about to say surely that breaks the law, but then again you have the kkk over there don't you?

we do have kkk over here and I believe most of them don't even agree with WBC about protesting at peoples funerals. Go figure.
kkk is still around but they are really in the background now. In the state I am in I never ever hear about them. You might here them doing something once in a while but they are really losing strength as we grow into a more accepting society.

sexforjaffacakes

Freedom of speech is important, but hate speech should not be allowed. They're not even allowed in Scotland, because although we have freedom of speech, we draw the line at hate speech. They'd be breaking the law here! They're very racist and homophobic as well though, I was about to say surely that breaks the law, but then again you have the kkk over there don't you?

we do have kkk over here and I believe most of them don't even agree with WBC about protesting at peoples funerals. Go figure.
kkk is still around but they are really in the background now. In the state I am in I never ever hear about them. You might here them doing something once in a while but they are really losing strength as we grow into a more accepting society.

I just meant that here they wouldn't even legally be allowed, racism and homophobia etc is illegal here!

Grimmerick

as it should be, I wish it was illegal here too. Ignorance should be illegal as well haha........................ah in a perfect world.

MisterDubs303

Seems like if candidates cannot campaign within a certain distance of polling places, there should be a reasonable bubble of protection around mourners. Otherwise, they probably just need to arrange their services in private settings or reserved public settings. It is just too bad that these protests are so tasteless and disrespectful, regardless of how passionate their beliefs.

Elizabeth_C34

So looking into this subject I found a really smart guy that found a way to really stick it to them. Basically he used the publicity they caused to raise money for all the causes and people they hate, and with every donation he sent them a thank you note for helping raise the money. He was set up right across from them so they could watch the money being raised on their own publicity. Haha now that to me is the best way to beat them.

The Hell's Angels also showed up at one of their funeral protests and revved their engines so loud that the chanting couldn't be heard by the folks at the funeral service. Good stuff.

Espressocycle

If the news stopped paying attention to them they would eventually go away.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

as it should be, I wish it was illegal here too. Ignorance should be illegal as well haha........................ah in a perfect world.

but Ignorance is Strength! and 2+2=5