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Court allows group to picket soldiers' funerals (Westboro/Phelps)
The Swamp/The Baltimore Sun ^ | December 7, 2007 | James Oliphant

Posted on 12/07/2007 2:34:30 PM PST by Baladas

Edited on 12/10/2007 4:47:48 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

A federal appeals court Thursday sided with a Kansas woman who believes that God

(Excerpt) Read more at weblogs.baltimoresun.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: firstamendment; fredphelps; godhatesfredphelps; insane; phelps; ruling; westboro
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To: stevie_d_64
The sad thing is that the Westboro church has their kids all participating in this deal...

Similar to many widely documented, photographed, and videoed muslim tactics.

61 posted on 12/07/2007 3:57:20 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: kinoxi

“They will eventually be met with enough opposing force”.

Send ‘em to Pasadena, Texas!


62 posted on 12/07/2007 4:03:25 PM PST by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis "Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line")
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

I live in Texas. They’d be lucky if they got away without some baseball bat lovin’. A “good old fashioned butt whoopin’”, end quote.


63 posted on 12/07/2007 4:03:32 PM PST by TheZMan (Texas is no place for pansy-ass liberals. Ya'll move back to California er Mexico er somethin')
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To: Fishtalk
But answer me this....why don’t these people insinuate themselves somewhere where the disgusting behavior of homos is very evident?

They get more attention this way. I wouldn't click on an article about a protest at a gay parade, but this is so appalling that one can't help but look.

64 posted on 12/07/2007 4:04:50 PM PST by SpringheelJack
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To: kinoxi

The sad thing is that the Westboro church has their kids all participating in this deal...

"Similar to many widely documented, photographed, and videoed muslim tactics.

It is also a favored tactic of anti-war peace hypocrites and other leftists.

65 posted on 12/07/2007 4:07:28 PM PST by atomic conspiracy (Rousing the blog-rabble since 9-11-01)
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To: Baladas
Image hosted by Photobucket.com they have the right to be SUED like the last time too...
66 posted on 12/07/2007 4:07:33 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist)
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To: atomic conspiracy

Yeah, guess some of those liberals that left comments need to know this, too, but I just can’t.

As Ann Coulter says “only if you must”.


67 posted on 12/07/2007 4:14:24 PM PST by Baladas
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To: goldstategop
"Free speech has NEVER been absolute."

Exactly. If this isn't a case of "yelling fire in a theater", I don't know what is.

68 posted on 12/07/2007 4:15:50 PM PST by KoRn
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To: Baladas

Yeah, guess some of those liberals that left comments need to know this, too, but I just can’t.

As Ann Coulter says “only if you must”.

I tried but my message (posted 40 minutes ago) hasn't come up yet. Note that someone using the name Shirley Phelps-Roper has posted on that string and it's apparently legit.

69 posted on 12/07/2007 4:21:10 PM PST by atomic conspiracy (Rousing the blog-rabble since 9-11-01)
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To: Halgr; All

Do any of those judges on the Eighth Circuit have an email address.........

I’d like to exercise my “Free Speach”.


70 posted on 12/07/2007 4:27:43 PM PST by Halgr (Once a Marine, always a Marine - Semper Fi)
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To: Baladas

As I heard them say in the hood..(tv land)..someone is going to get capped. I think sooner than later they will protest at the wrong funeral and...that will be the end of it. People are fed up with groups like this as well as the ACLU.


71 posted on 12/07/2007 4:37:03 PM PST by JamesA
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To: goldstategop
Free speech has NEVER been absolute. For the idiots at the 8th Circuit, let's point out that funerals are not a public forum and no one is allowed to disturb the private reflections of mourners. You don't have a right to push in your nose where you are not wanted. End of story.

One SHOULDN'T have the right to do that, but no court is stopping the code pinkos from exercising their first amendment rights at Walter Reed every week, either.

So sad.

72 posted on 12/07/2007 4:37:32 PM PST by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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To: atomic conspiracy

They won’t want to know that Phelps is a Democrat.


73 posted on 12/07/2007 4:39:02 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
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To: Retired Greyhound

two PGR missions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AupyzbQMLAs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHzSiV5MBq4


74 posted on 12/07/2007 4:42:23 PM PST by CHICAGOFARMER ( “If you're not ready to die for it, put the word ''freedom'' out of your vocabulary.” – Malcolm X)
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To: Lurker

Yeah dat would be awwwwwful !


75 posted on 12/07/2007 4:54:39 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: Squantos; Excuse_My_Bellicosity; Eaker; Travis McGee; Lurker; Larry Lucido

Proverbs 18:6 “A fool’s mouth begs for a beating”... and it seems to be that The Phelps’ are begging loudly. I hope they get what they’re “asking for”. :-)


76 posted on 12/07/2007 5:38:04 PM PST by hiredhand (My kitty disappeared. NOT the rifle!)
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To: All

By the way, in #21, I wasn’t trying to make comparisons of the Boyscouts and the Phelps people on the basis of being for/against homosexuality. I was trying to point out that the govt. is oh-so-concerned about the First Amendment rights of the Phelps nutjobs, but the decent institution of the Boy Scouts don’t get the same consideration. Oh no, their stance against homosexuality means (to the govt.) that it’s OK to subject them to harassment at every turn.

Same lib double standard, equal rights for me but not for thee. In the govt. view, libs get to say and do what they want but the Boy Scouts deserve (and get) nothing but stonewalling and outright punishment at every turn.

Think I’m wrong? Try to schedule a Boy Scout leader for a free speaking engagement on nearly any college campus in the United States. Nutjob “president” of Iran is AOK, Boy Scout leader will generate protest phone calls and letters to the school from liberals living 2000 miles away.


77 posted on 12/07/2007 5:49:35 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Oh, the huge manatee!!!)
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To: basil; goldstategop
Constitutionally, I believe you do have that right.

I offer that you may believe amiss. Strictly put, the rights guaranteed under the Constitution do not exist in a moral vacuum, but flow from the very Fount of Morality, such that no right Constitutionally guaranteed may be held inviolate except it be exercised morally.

The Constitutional protection of "free speech" guards only the right to express one's ideas; it guarantees nothing in regard to where those ideas might be allowed to be expressed, nor does it guarantee the unlimited choice of vocabulary available; "living document" renderings of The Courts notwithstanding. The expectation is, at every point, that the speaker's choice of time, venue, and vocabulary will be decided upon in a moral fashion.

It has generally been accepted that all public venues are appropriate to the exercise of this right, and this is consistent with the protection afforded. But the exact constitution of a "public venue" may be altered dependent upon the use made thereof. Insofar as a private event may be held upon a public venue, that venue is not, at that time construed as "public" in the same sense as at times when no such private matter is being conducted.

Many public libraries have meeting rooms which may be reserved by individuals for events of a private nature. Certainly, the First Amendment does not afford anyone the right to burst in upon such a meeting and give air to their mind as freely as they might on any street corner. At such an intrusion a man would stand in a position of luck should he escape with no more than the expressed indignation of the rightful attendees, his moral indiscretion having been thus turned back upon him.

In the same way, the mere absence of an edifice in no way diminishes the private use of outdoor facilities at all other times deemed publicly accessible. So, then, a military funeral held upon the grounds of a national cemetery renders that locale "private" for the duration of said proceedings, and sets a virtual bound -- beyond the limit of hearing, in this case -- against public intrusion that is to be construed as every bit inviolate as the aforementioned library meeting room.

So, then, any who may wish to express their own ideas concerning the deceased, and the cause in which he gave his utmost, are bound to exercise their right to do so in moral harmony with recognition of the privacy of the ceremony, to locate themselves out of earshot of the proceedings, to speak their piece civilly, and to come and go in an orderly manner.

The Phelps Cult may certainly give voice to their opinions, for that right is guaranteed to them, but they are to be at all times bound to exercise that right in a circumspectly moral fashion. At the point they swerve from the moral way, they meet the terminus of their day's exercise. One might object that, were they thus morally constrained, they would be barred from even beginning, as the very mode of their communication is reprobate. To that I could not, presently disagree, and shall, therefore, cast them upon the wisdom of our good Mothers: "If you cannot say anything nice, don't say anything at all", at which any truly wise Phelps would know to keep his peace.

78 posted on 12/07/2007 6:07:38 PM PST by HKMk23 (HOW TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING: 1001 WAYS TO FEEL SELF-RIGHTEOUS DESPITE YOUR UTTER IMPOTENCE)
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To: atomic conspiracy
Inconvenient truth, anyone?

Supposedly Phelps and friends fiends supported Al Gore because way back then he (Gore) opposed a "gay bill of rights" and at one time made the statement that homosexuality was not something that "society should affirm" and that was enough for Fred to “love” Al and think he was one of the flock back then.

Yes it is true that members of his “church” helped with the 1988 campaign and the Junior Phelps was a Gore delegate at the 1988 DNC Convention and the Phelps’ got invites to the Clinton Inaugural Balls. Phelps Sr. also ran as a Dem in several elections but I wouldn’t read too much into that. It’s Kansas after all and back in the day, all good Southerners were Democrats. Senator Byrd is a life long Democrat but that didn’t stop him from being a White Knight at one time.

But heck I spent a few lousy hours one Saturday helping out at a GOP voter registration booth a at city fair for GWB’s first term election and I didn’t even give any money to the campaign (‘cause I was young and poor) and even I got an invitation to the Inaugural Ball - it may not have been THE Inaugural Ball but it was an “Official” Inaugural Ball.

But Fred and “Family” and Gore aren’t on so chummy terms anymore. Phelps opposed the ’97 Clinton/Gore ticket because of their support for gay rights and he and his clan, instead of dressing up in their finest and dancing the night away, all showed up to demonstrate at the 1997 inaugural ball calling Gore a "famous fag pimp". And in 1998, they demonstrated at the funeral of Al Gore Sr. screaming vulgarities at Gore and telling him, "your dad's in Hell."

Face it most politicians are whores when it comes to contributions and support; you donate time and or money for the election and you get on a mailing list and of course your are hit up for much or more of the same when it comes time for re-election.

It would seem that the Phelps Hate Cult would have no problem supporting a Republican if that person came out and supported their cause 100%.

Anti-Gay Church: Thompson Agreed With Us

Don’t dismiss him as just another liberal or Democrat; Fred Phelps isn’t a really a Democrat or a Republican of any political persuasion and he certainly is not religious IMHO. He’s a one note trumpet; Hate Gays as vocally and in exactly the same way we do, or you we will Hate you too. He is the leader of what truly can be defined as a cult and I suspect one day, a dangerously violent one.

“Two of his sons, Mark and Nate, insist that the church is actually a carefully planned cult that allows Phelps to see himself as a demigod, wielding absolute control over the lives of his family and congregants, essentially turning them into slaves that he can use for the sole purpose of gratifying his every whim and acting as the structure for his delusion that he is the only righteous man on Earth. The children's claim is partially backed up by B.H. McAllister, the Baptist minister who ordained Phelps. McAllister said in a 1993 interview that Phelps developed a delusion wherein he was one of the few people on Earth worthy of God's grace and that everyone else in the world was going to Hell, and that salvation or damnation could be directly obtained by either aligning with or opposing Phelps.
79 posted on 12/07/2007 6:07:43 PM PST by Caramelgal (Rely on the spirit and meaning of the teachings, not on the words or superficial interpretations)
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To: StarCMC

PGR Ping


80 posted on 12/07/2007 6:10:09 PM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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