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States move to bar protests at soldiers’ funerals
MSNBC ^
| 02-06-06
| AP
Posted on 02/06/2006 7:31:01 PM PST by jecIIny
States move to bar protests at soldiers funerals Fundamentalists picketing may provoke clash of privacy, free speech rights The Associated Press Updated: 8:48 p.m. ET Feb. 6, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio - States are rushing to limit when and where people may protest at funerals all because of a small fundamentalist Kansas church whose members picket soldiers burials, arguing that Americans are dying for a country that harbors homosexuals.
During the 1990s, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., went around picketing the funerals of AIDS victims with protest signs that read, God Hates Fags. But politicians began paying more attention recently when church members started showing up at the burials of soldiers and Marines killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Kansas
KEYWORDS: baptist; evangelicals; fredphelps; freespeech; godhatesamerica; godhatescanada; godhatesfags; godhatessweden; homosexualagenda; vets; westborobaptist
At least one other article was posted a day or two ago on the efforts of one state. This is a bit broader in its scope. These people make my blood boil. I am seriously shocked that serious violence has not happened as a result of these evil people.
1
posted on
02/06/2006 7:31:02 PM PST
by
jecIIny
To: jecIIny
To: jecIIny
As disgusting as their behavior is, these laws will probably all be struck down eventually.
3
posted on
02/06/2006 7:36:06 PM PST
by
Mr. Blonde
(You know, Happy Time Harry, just being around you kinda makes me want to die.)
To: jecIIny
States are rushing to limit when and where people may protest at funerals all because of a small fundamentalist Kansas church group of sleazeball lawyers whose members picket soldiers burials, arguing that Americans are dying for a country that harbors homosexuals.
There. I fixed it. The Westboro Baptist Church is as fundamentalist Christian as Buddhists, Jains and Sunni Muslims. Their "church" and protests are a front to shake down cities and towns who violate their "right" to protest.
To: Mr. Blonde
That such laws even need to be made is a sad and disgusting commentary on what our society has become. Protesting at funerals, fergoshsakes! What happened to respect for the deceased and for their families?
5
posted on
02/06/2006 7:39:22 PM PST
by
Theresawithanh
(Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.)
To: conservative in nyc
And to further my point, from the article:
Shirley Phelps-Roper, Phelps daughter and an attorney for the church, said states cannot interfere with their message that the soldiers were struck down by God because they were fighting for a country that harbors homosexuals and adulterers.
Lawmakers are trying to introduce something that will make them feel better about the holes were punching in the facade they live under, Phelps-Roper said. If they pass a law that gets in our way, they will be violating the Constitution, and we will sue them for that.
To: conservative in nyc
7
posted on
02/06/2006 7:45:31 PM PST
by
jecIIny
(You faithful, let us pray for the Catechumens! Lord Have Mercy)
To: jecIIny
I wish they wouldn't call these people fundamentalists. When they say they are a baptist church, and call them fundamentalists, they give the wrong impression.
This group is a family cult. They are totally outside traditional Christianity.
8
posted on
02/06/2006 7:46:58 PM PST
by
I still care
(You don't demonstrate tolerance for minorities by apologising for your own heritage- John Howard)
To: jecIIny
Wait until Fred Phelps dies. He will be wishing that he had invested in a set of asbestos underwear.
9
posted on
02/06/2006 7:54:34 PM PST
by
punster
To: jecIIny
Maybe at 600 maybe 700 yards. Just to see if I still have an eye.
What We Are About To Do Here Is What The Good Lord Would Call A Cleansing of the Wicked. I Call It A Good Old Fashioned Texas Ass Kicking.
10
posted on
02/06/2006 7:56:11 PM PST
by
speed_addiction
(And the Lord said, "Who shall I send? Who will stand for us?" Said I, "Here I am...Send me.")
To: jecIIny
I am seriously shocked that serious violence has not happened as a result of these evil people.
Just a matter of time, imo.
To: jecIIny
Thanks for the link. He's not just a bigot and a criminal con artist, but an Algore supporting (at least in the 80s and early 90s) Democrat who has literally coddled up to the likes of Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro. At least Castro was smart enough to rebuff his advances.
Every time an article calls him "right-wing" or a "fundamentalist Christian", we should point this out. Fred Phelps is neither right-wing nor Christian, in any sense of the word. He's an unstable, trouble making, criminal extortionist whose "church's" lawyers threaten to shake down anyone who dare oppose him. According to the link, he so scared off one Wichita police chief that the wimp wouldn't allow his officers to arrest the Westboro loonies even if they committed numerous crimes unless the crimes were violent.
To: jecIIny
The WBC is nothing more than a gathering of slimeballs. However much it makes my blood boil, however, I would protect their right to be a bunch of east ends of westward-traveling equines (so long, of course, as they do not actually do anything illegal, ie, going into a place of worship and interrupting the funeral, etc, in which case they should be charged with the stiffest penalty possible).
I also would protect MY right to call my local Rolling Thunder chapter the millisecond that I heard that the WBC was planning a "protest" (read: desecration).
13
posted on
02/06/2006 8:33:13 PM PST
by
PalestrinaGal0317
(We should invade their countries, kill their leaders, and convert them to Christianity-Ann Coulter)
To: Theresawithanh
Just what I was thinking, some A'ole's ego is immense that he can't allow the deceased to have his last moment and the bereaved to have a funeral in peace. Its just not human.
14
posted on
02/06/2006 8:44:12 PM PST
by
oyez
(Appeasement is insanity.)
To: Paleo Conservative
The mailing address hmmm... Here in Albuquerque we have a free newspaper that has ads that are borderline soft core porn. Maybe I should stuff some of those ads in an envelope and send it to them. (^8
15
posted on
02/06/2006 9:06:39 PM PST
by
chmst
To: jecIIny
Shame it has to come to this. Decency has been tossed out the window a long time ago under the banner of "diversity" and "rights."
16
posted on
02/06/2006 9:37:26 PM PST
by
vpintheak
(Liberal = The antithesis of Freedom and Patriotism)
To: vpintheak; All
Below is a link with a lot about the sordid history of Fred Phelps.
Rev. Fred Phelps
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