<p>What more can I say? When will the insanity end?</p>
<p>These are the same people who celebrate the deaths of our troops.</p>
<p>For the sake of families and friends who have suffered so much already I hope the local and State police in Georgia keep these people far far away.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html[/url]”>http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html</a></p>
<p>These people came to the funerals of the NIU students, as well. Some of the towns put up makeshift barriers of municipal vehicles. I can’t imagine anything more painful and insulting for an already grieving family.</p>
<p>I just went to the website and could not believe my eyes.</p>
<p>OMG…and where do these “people” think they will end up on their Judgment Day?</p>
<p>This is soooo pathetic. </p>
<p>May those 2 young ladies rest in peace.</p>
<p>My guess if the word gets out, there will be more than enough people in the community to block the access to these hateful, brainwashed sheep.</p>
<p>What do they hope to accomplish ? Disgusting .</p>
<p>OMG I do not know when I have read such garbage!!</p>
<p>I thought I knew, in general, what this group’s agenda was. Not even close. Everyone should read this, as it is truly unimaginable.</p>
<p>Have these people even read the Bible they claim to follow??? Here are Jesus’ own words:</p>
<p>Matthew 7:
1 DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.
2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.</p>
<p>John 8:
7 He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
8 Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger.
9 They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.
10 When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?
11 She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.</p>
<p>Oh, yes, the Phelps cult/family. They are truly messed up people but hard to fight because half of them are lawyers. They long for a good legal knock-down drag-out which is why some on the left <em>and</em> the right try to come up with new ways to defeat them. Quite a few veterans groups, including those with motorcycles, will show up at a Phelps protest to stand in front of the picketers so the grieving family can’t see them. One guy showed up and blasted rock ‘n’ roll to drown them out…though that wasn’t at a funeral. Another technique that high schools have found useful is to do a pledge drive…for every minute the Phelpses are present, collect money for some cause they can’t stand…there are so many to choose from.</p>
<p>This supposed “church” is really but one nutty women (who is a law school grad, I might add) and her family of too many children she gave birth to. This group really belongs on the website entitled “godmakesmistakes”, if there is such a website.</p>
<p>Razorsharp…I don’t think you’re thinking of the Westboro Baptist Church (aka Fred Phelps) group. This one is definitely headed by a man, all his children and their spouses, and all their children. They have a very O.T. attitude toward the world which is why the verses pertaining to Jesus don’t really apply. When an organization quotes the 10 Commandments more than the Beatitudes, I really wonder how ‘Christian’ they are.</p>
<p>You know who God hates?</p>
<p>These types of people.</p>
<p>XD I’m only kidding…but seriously, I really wonder what God these people follow. Because it’s definitely not the God of Christianity.</p>
<p>Nor is it the God of the “Old Testament” which states as a commandment: “Console the bereaved.” It’s not one of the l0 commandments, but it’s one of the 613 commandments in Hebrew Scripture. </p>
<p>As well, their actions are cruel and unkind; feelings that are universal among compassionate human beings. </p>
<p>When does free speech impose upon common human decency?! That’s the line I’m searching for here.</p>
<p>I wish the press would simply not film them, since they seem to just go wherever cameras are expected. Couldn’t that be a corporate policy of a news station to not film them? </p>
<p>They are not news unless the news says they are news.</p>
<p>Freedom of Speech is a wonderful thing?!? Where is our country heading–? So sorry to read of this. My prayers are with the grieving families.</p>
<p>The fact that these people exist and are able to spew their vile message publically is EXACTLY what this country stands for and what makes our Constitution the envy of the world. Don’t get me wrong, I think what “Reverend” Phelps and his family is doing is disgusting, but when you start down that slippery slope of deciding who gets to speak or what subjects can be said in public, we’re getting away from one of the basic principles of the freedoms we enjoy. </p>
<p>I remember seeing a made-for-TV movie in High School, starring Danny Kaye (of all people), that discussed the events in Illinois when the Nazi Party held a rally in a pre-dominantly Jewish neighboorhood. Danny Kaye, if my memory serves me, played a Holocaust survivor, and the movie was about how he had to deal with this vile group of people.</p>
<p>What does the Phelp’s church crave the most? Attention. Granted, they’re methods are very “in-your-face” and hard too ignore. But ignoring these idiots is the best strategy. They will find out soon enough shortly after they depart this world what God really thinks of their message and methods. </p>
<p>Picket lines, human barriers, playing loud music to drown them out; all great ideas. But my worry is that we’re just playing into their game…</p>
<p>But freedoms need to have limits. If I proclaim my right to believe in a religion whose God instructs me to kill everyone I see, hypothetically, then I don’t have the right to freedom of religion in the US. Same thing with freedom of speech. You’re not supposed to yell FIRE in the back of a crowded theater.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That’s an incredible idea. I figure Planned Parenthood would be a good one… or a gay rights’ organization.</p>
<p>Or maybe if some rich person could be found to donate money for every minute the Phelps protested, and somebody could set up a running ticker on a big board, simultaneously blocking them from view, and telling them just how much money they’re contributing to the movements they hate. ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Dangerous ground to step on. Who decides which speech is “off-limits” and not protected by the First Amendment? Of course the answer is the Supreme Court (and based on the Phelp’s Church just losing an $11M law-suit brought against them by the father of a fallen soldier who’s son’s funeral they were at, and the Phelp’s Church’s promise to appeal, the SC will ultimately make a decision on this). </p>
<p>Yelling “fire” in a theater is an all-too-easy analogy. Doing so can actually put people in danger by causing a rush to the exit. Who are the Phelp’s putting in danger? Are their messages vile and hurtful? Absolutely. But are they doing something that can cause potential PHYSICAL harm. Well, the court will have to be the one to decide if the emotional trauma they cause fits this criteria.</p>
<p>I can’t believe I’m saying this, because I actually really want to take their vile signs and shove them down their throats so they can’t spew their vile filth anymore, but just let them go on and ignore them. It’s what they least want, and it’s a perfect example of what this country stands for (and what the soldiers who gave thier lives in Iraq, the very ones they’re protesting against, signed up and pledged their service for: to support and protect the Constitution.)</p>
<p>ambr3-
I’m with Bullet all the way on this one.
These people are not shouting “Fire” at the back of a theater. They are saying disgusting and hateful things. But I recall a time, back in the 70’s, when I was saying things that Nixon’s white house would have loved to have been able to stifle (and I imagine they thought my Political Free Speech was "disgusting and un-American).</p>
<p>It is easy to grant freedoms to people who say things with which we agree. The test comes when we are confronted with people who wish to say things that we find detestable.</p>
<p>(cross posted with Bullet-above.)</p>
<p>But… rejoicing in death?</p>
<p>The Supreme Court will not take the case, because it has no basis to uphold the previous decisions–I believe it would be forced to rule for the Phelps if it got that far, as terrible as that sounds. The Phelps have not *physically *attacked the people at the funerals or threatened them with *imminent *harm. They have only protested in a socially, morally, ethically repugnant fashion (repugnant for most of us, anyway). They are fully within their rights as citizens of the US. A civil suit, yes, for disturbing the peace or mental distress, but no basis for legal fault based on anything else. </p>
<p>The SC knows better than to take cases like this. There is no right decision–ruling against the Phelps would potentially stifle future protests or other demonstrations, while ruling for the Phelps would be terrible publicity and would only allow the Phelps to continue.</p>
<p>Yep, I’m with Bullet on this one. Reading the links made me physically nauseous, but the best thing to do is to ignore these idiots. (I love the pledge drive idea!). Looks like they’re going to be pretty darned busy when the pope’s visiting.</p>