Westboro Baptist coming to my hometown... Really?

It's been buzzing on Facebook that Westboro Baptist is coming to protest the funeral of a local Marine who just died in Afghanistan. Here's a link: Westboro Baptist Flyer. Normally, I'm a big advocate for tolerance, free speech, etc., but this has me sick to my stomach a little bit.

What do we do about the free speech of hate groups? One look at their website is enough to classify them as a hate group. It's all they talk about.

I respect people's right to their political views and religious views, but this hate speech is pretty brutal. Where do you draw the line?

I've also heard there will be bikers there to keep the protesters separate from the attendees. It just feels a little different coming to the town I was born & raised in, where my parents live, affecting people I've known my whole life. Am I a freedom-hypocrite if want to ban their free speech?

reply to post by TwoTonTommy


tell your freinds and familey to ignore them. they thrive on attention. give them none and they wont come back and if they do, ignore them again, they will eventually get it, and move on.

reply to post by TwoTonTommy


Just let the Patriot Riders do their job.

If the Patriot Riders are there, it's because someone connected to the funeral asked them to come. They don't just show up. And all they do is block the Westboro nuts from view. They might turn their engines on if Westboro gets loud to keep them from being disruptive. They also escort the funeral procession.

They are completely respectful. We see them a lot in this area.

As bad as it sucks, if you want your free speech you do have to accept other's right to it as well. I find Westboro so far beyond disgusting that there are no words for it and I think the world would be a better place if Phelps and his kind just disappeared off the face of the planet. I find it sick that they take pleasure in wallowing in and magnifying people's pain.

BUT - They do have the right to say whatever they wish. When we start trying to shut them up because it is "HATE" speech and we want the law to control their ability to spew their ignorant rhetoric.... next year the thing you believe in may be deemed "HATE" speech by someone else. And with the way folks like to be "offended" these days, it could very well happen easier than many of us thought.

We can't just have free speech when it "feels good" to us. We must demand it for everyone.... even these sons of...

But I do understand why you feel like you do. It is a double edged sword and you hate to see that kind of hate "touching" those you know and love.

Keep strong. They want reactions, if they don't get them... you win.

reply to post by TwoTonTommy


Hate speech is not free speech.

Even speech for which we have little stomach or tolerance simply because it is free is different from speech that is intentionally, consciously directed to constantly inflict emotional pain, hurt, and degrade.

These SOBs hide behind free speech, but what they do usually doesn't constitute free speech, IMO, regardless of what the SCOTUS says.

I have the right to call you a sinner and an Ahole, but do i have the right to harass and stalk you in public while saying it? NO.

Id say print a huge sheet of the most obscene things (cocks and anal sodomy) and throw it up (facing them) between WBC and whatever they re protesting. See how long they wanna look at that.

ETA:

I want to add and clarify: I respect the fundamental right to speech that is not popular. That is the POINT in the right of freedom of speech, to protect unpopular speech, for that is the speech likely to be first suppressed. But WBC has the right. As I guess they should, as disgusting as it is.

reply to post by TwoTonTommy


No, not at all, you have the right to want to ban their free speech, for they are the scum that they pretend to abhor. It's up to others to protect their free speech rights, and protect them as much as all the wars that America has fought have been contested to protect the rights of the countrymen, including free speech. But do not fear, for the bikers will be there to protect everyone's rights to either use speech and/or fisticuffs to assure the upholding of liberty itself or to provide first aide to the injured, whichever comes first.

reply to post by Liquesence


We're talking about a funeral. Do you have the right to turn someone else's funeral into a parade like that?

If you want to do all that ... fine. Just take it to the Westboro HQ and do it there rather than further intrude on some other family's grief by creating a nasty political fight.

ketsuko
reply to post by Liquesence

 

We're talking about a funeral. Do you have the right to turn someone else's funeral into a parade like that?

If you want to do all that ... fine. Just take it to the Westboro HQ and do it there rather than further intrude on some other family's grief by creating a nasty political fight.

You obviously didn't read or comprehend anything in my original reply.

I never said that. In fact, I said quite the opposite.

reply to post by TwoTonTommy


They have the right to be asshats. But as Kesuko said, hopefully the Patriot Guard will be there and they will do what they do. If you have a chance, please pass on my thanks to the Patriot Guard riders for their support. And remember, WBC are trolls of the worst kind. DO NOT FEED THEM.

They are hate mongers, with no Christian values. Christianity is all about turning the other cheek and showing forgiveness, whilst these people are so full of hate and vitriol.

I would feel uncomfortable with them turning up at a funeral service I was attending, but they love the attention. To ignore is the best option, no matter how difficult it is, just ignore.

reply to post by Liquesence


Yes, I did. You said you'd throw up a sheet of things for them to look at while they protest ... at someone else's funeral in this case.

Why would you do that at a funeral? The WBC twits are being disgusting enough without you piling on with more.

Save it for their HQ.

All I can think about is if that were my son or daughter being brought home in a body bag and I, as a parent, had to bury my child all I would want is peace. Nothing more, nothing less. The people of Westboro perhaps need to get a life, stop disrupting funerals of other's loved ones. They may have their motive, but they need to find a different forum, venue, anything else to voice their opinion...but that is just Uninvited...and if they tried that with my family, well, it wouldn't be good.

reply to post by ketsuko


I'm sure funeral attendees would rather see a white sheet erected (printed in ONE side, the side FACING WBC) as a shield against and BLOCKING WBC than the hateful signs that WBC would throw up that they'd have to see.

Pay attention.

reply to post by Liquesence


Stop condescending and pretending I have an inability to comprehend what I read.

I comprehend what you wrote just fine. This isn't about what the funeral goers can or can't see. This is about you further provoking the protesters. You want to give them the giant middle finger and counter-protest them, and I'm telling you that a funeral, one you have no part of, is NOT the place for it.

A decent and respectful person would save their counter protest for somewhere else where they are NOT intruding on the private pain of other people.

WBC doesn't have that kind of decency, and if you want people to respect you and your cause, you would be wise to adopt it, otherwise, you are no better than WBC yourself.

reply to post by Liquesence

Hate speech is not free speech.

Who decides? The government??? I am sure most of us can see that, their approach has done more to take away freedom of speech than to promote it!!! Does "Free Speech Zones" ring a bell?

The problem is our current "political correct" society! Instead of preaching "rainbows and unicorns" to our children, do what my parents did in teaching me in the 60's and 70's!!!

"STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES, BUT NAMES CAN NEVER HURT ME!"...............

Freedom comes at a price that very few in this day and age are willing to pay! As much as I despise groups like this so called church, ignoring them rather than promoting them is the way of the wise man......those whom scream at those they disagree with, do more to promote the agenda of their enemy than squash their voice!

Hate crimes is the biggest bag of BS ever invented by the PC brigade. Everything you disagree with can be put into this category and you end up in prison for disagreeing with certain religious and political ideologies.

No hate crimes should not exist and freedom of speech should be the pillar of society.

queenofsheba
All I can think about is if that were my son or daughter being brought home in a body bag and I, as a parent, had to bury my child all I would want is peace. Nothing more, nothing less. The people of Westboro perhaps need to get a life, stop disrupting funerals of other's loved ones. They may have their motive, but they need to find a different forum, venue, anything else to voice their opinion...but that is just Uninvited...and if they tried that with my family, well, it wouldn't be good.

The folks I've been hearing from have been talking about this poor, young marine for a week now, pulling together as a community, talking about it a lot, donating to the causes, etc. Then all of the sudden, it's like a stinkbomb going off. In a day when we have things like "Free Speech Zones" in NYC, these guys have gotten a pass.

If they were Nazis would it be different? What about KKK? Does the fact that they're a church give them cover?

I fully expect my people to behave appropriately when Thursday comes. WBC may not even show up, who knows. I wish these bigots would just leave grieving people alone. What an awful time to make a protest. Evil is the word that comes to mind.

It'll be a good exercise in patience and understanding when they come to town.

reply to post by TwoTonTommy


If you could, please let us know if they actually show up.

I know they don't show up everywhere they claim they are going and I wonder if it is even possible for them to get to most of the events they supposedly target. They announced they were going to the royal wedding, Nelson Mandela's funeral and the Newtown funerals and I don't think they showed up at any of them.

All they have to do now is just post that they are going somewhere and they get plenty of attention and publicity.

Everyone that has the flue should join them. Maybe even run a ad in the paper asking them to. Cough all over them.

Let the bikers do their thing. It's been pretty successful so far in keeping them away from funerals.