I Guess I Shouldn't be Surprised...

[flybye023]

Okay, I am a Mormon. As some of you may know, the president of our church, Gordon B. Hinckley died this week. I just found out that the Westboro Group is going to be picketing his funeral. Really ticks me off

[AFPheonix]

They're picketing Heath Ledger, too.

I can't wait until they piss off the wrong person like a mob boss or some such and disappear.
Preferably for a swim with cement shoes on.

[rahmota]

First off my condolences.

Umm. Anyhow just how tight is Phelp's headband? What exactly are they saying is the reason to be picketing Hinckley's funeral? I mean this just shows that Phelps has gone off the deep end, imploded his brain and is just kinda flailing aroud waiting for the sharks to come get him.

This makes my head hurt trying to figure these people out anymore. I mean it was bad enough when they just targeted servicemen and women's funerals now they are branchign out into just anyone they don't like or agree with? oh why cant they drink the cool aid.

[AFPheonix]

They're picketing Heath because he starred in Brokeback Mountain....how dare someone play a fictional character that gets in in the pooper, I guess.

As for Hinckley, who knows? I know there's a lot of evangelicals who don't think too highly of Mormonism or Catholicism. Mormonism especially because of the whole Book of Mormon thing.

[rahmota]

I had heard about Heath Ledger and it at least made some wierd twisted sense by Heath having played a homosexual and Phelps being so homophobic and all.

But McKinley is just another subject altogether. I guess I can see the hate about it and all. Just didnt quite seem like the usual Phelps MO. Oh well who can predict insanity.

[Seshat]

They have to know that they're right. Anyone who thinks differently from them is a threat, because that person thinks they're not right.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Put bluntly, Phelps & Co. are attention whores. They do it partly because they're such worm-riddled hatemongers with festering black stumps for hearts - and partly because they know their hateful tactics garner them a helluva lot of press time.

In fact, they will purposely make a point of trying to be as offensive as possible in order to get somebody to throw that first punch, because what they'll then do is turn around and sue the hell out of that person in order to add more money to their coffers. (This is, unless I'm wrong, a classic SLAPP - Strategic Lawsuit(s) Against Public Participation - technique: the intent is not necessarily to "win" but to essentially silence critics by bankrupting them. There are by all accounts quite a few family lawyers in the bunch, all of whom are well-versed enough in laws pertaining to this type of crap for this express purpose.)

Many people have come up with ways to counteract the Phelps' clan's hatefulness, including but not limited to the Patriot Guard Riders (motorcycle group that shows up and blocks the grieving family's view of the hatemongers). One lovely little trick is to get people to pledge a certain amount of money for however long the Phelpses stick around at a funeral service (or even if the Phelpses don't show at all, which I'm told they fail to do at about half the events they say they're going to picket), and then donate that money to a cause guaranteed to earn their wrath (ex. family planning clinics, gay ministries (PFLAGG or other such), etc.) - even better, letting the Phelpses know you're doing this in THEIR names. Just imagining the apoplectic look on Shirley Phelps-Roper's (the unofficial spokesperson for the bunch) face sure brings a smile to mine.

[rahmota]

Seshat/Amethyst: yeah definately wonderful people... I am waiting for when they push too far or the wrong group and things get really ugly. So far its stayed mostly legal and civil but people can be pushed too far and all this picketing of funerals is not rubbing people very nicely.

[Seshat]

I just hope that the legal line is crossed by them first, and it's recorded. Or that it's not recorded and all the witnesses (other than them) agree that they did it first.

[rahmota]

True one can hope for that Seshat. Emotions get strong enough and who knows what might happen. Phelps and Co seem to have at least a basic knowledge of the best ways to provoke and manipulate situations for their own advantage. So could be interesting.

[protege]

Phelps and Co seem to have at least a basic knowledge of the best ways to provoke and manipulate situations for their own advantage. So could be interesting.

They're not alone on that. Many hate groups use the same tactics. For example, when the Klan has had speeches here, they *want* to get attacked. Not only does it "reinforce" their beliefs, but it sometimes gains new followers as well. As such, those speeches have a heavy police presence, usually involving concrete barricades (Jersey barriers) topped with fences, to keep protesters away.

[AFPheonix]

I just got done reading this.

http://blank.org/addict/


How sad and infuriating at the same time.

[rahmota]

Protege: Yep nothing like looking like a "poor helpless" victim to be able to justify attacking your enemies. (Not meaning to be insensitive to real victims just those who fake it)

AFP: Dont forget sick, twisted and evil. If Phelps isnt an enemy of humanity I'm not sure what is. He definately needs to meet up with an old oak tree and ern to dance.

[DexX]

Why the Mormons? Easy: Joseph Smith added new material to The Bible, and as far as Phelps is concerned the King James is The Bible. I would guess it's a combination of that and the "perversion" of polygamy (you know, what with Abraham, David, and Solomon all being good monogamists, and Phelps being such a lover of the Old Testament - f--king hypocrite).

[Alfie]

They're not alone on that. Many hate groups use the same tactics. For example, when the Klan has had speeches here, they *want* to get attacked. Not only does it "reinforce" their beliefs, but it sometimes gains new followers as well. As such, those speeches have a heavy police presence, usually involving concrete barricades (Jersey barriers) topped with fences, to keep protesters away.

Those morons have speeches in PUBLIC? Surely everyone would realise how freaking stupid they are for doing that! It's so sad that it has come to a point where the fuckwits are so proud of their beliefs they are willing to celebrate them regardless of circumstances.