November 24, 2006

Falling down Remember that busload of kids that pitched off an overpass in Huntsville, Alabama? Four of them died, and now the Westboro Baptist Church is picketing their funerals today (Friday). Although Phelps' minions will be kept two blocks from the services, the local Unitarian Universalist church will try to deal with them peacefully by accepting pledges for every hour that Phelps is out there.

No link to anything from Phelps or his church. But here's a letter from his estranged son, Mark. See Fark for a discussion about how the church is using the protests to make money.

  • I really appreciate the link to the letter. Although what it says should be obvious, it offers insights that I hadn't previously considered.
  • Upon death, and inevitable descent to Hell because of his inability to eradicate hate from his life, Phelps will be buggered up the rear end every five minutes for all eternity and by the devil himself.
  • Makes supporting free speech a tough one to get behind sometimes, dunnit? Some people are just vile and evil, and I don't think he should be allowed to be within two miles of the funeral ceremonies. Caddis: buggering is too good for him
  • Makes supporting free speech a tough one to get behind sometimes, dunnit? Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and accept that the assholes have a right to be there.
  • This is truly beyond comprehension. Aside from the profit angle (which really makes the whole sick thing even worse), what do they really hope to gain by being such hateful sons-of-bitches? They should basically be classified as a hate group similar to neo-nazis or the KKK.
  • Interesting point, sly. Classifying groups and individuals by their actions and words instead of what they claim to be. "But we are Christians*! We can't be evil!" "You certainly act like it" *or whatever Of course, what do you do with the classifcation? I agree, Nickdanger, they do have a right to be there. But it's difficult.
  • So let me get this straight, no matter how you die, it is "God's vengeance on America for its tolerance for homosexuals." So if we banned homosexuality the dieing stops, or is that what brings the rapture? Homosexuals are stopping the rapture? If that is the case I say bring on the fags, because I am going to hell anyway.
  • So why do people in other countries that don't tolerate homosexuals still die? Oh, yeah. It's because they aren't christian. Silly me.
  • Don't attempt to use logic to counter Phelps. The family hiring the bikers to encircle the protestors is closer to the right approach.
  • Too bad it won't be Dykes on Bikes.
  • Or perhaps Gaye Bikers on Acid? Does Phelpy have a problem with drugs?
  • buggering is too good for him Far too good. Anyone who makes that much noise is clearly gagging for some buggery (or bugging for some gaggery). I may have missed something, but what is the connection between this particular bus accident and God's alleged position on homosexuality?
  • but what is the connection between this particular bus accident and God's alleged position on homosexuality? You know, there's no possible way to answer this question other than "Fred Phelps SAYS there's a connection and if you disagree with him, YOU'RE going to Hell too!"
  • I don't know the back story on this, actually, but the linked article seems to suggest that one of the high school students was gay. From article: The site claims the wreck, in which a bus carrying Lee High School students plummeted 30 feet from Interstate 565, killing four, is God's vengeance on America for its tolerance for homosexuals. Someone who knows about this better can confirm/correct this. Of course, what do you do with the classifcation? Well, if we're to believe Hollywood and James Ellroy, the CIA would be watching them more closely, and possibly infiltrate them to assassinate some polarizing figure and use them as patsies. This would likely be some high-profile gay activist, and though his/her death would be a tragedy, it would bury the organization. /ends pitching scenario to self
  • Tried to light up recently? It seems that there is no corner left on earth that isn't splattered with "espace non fumeur" signs. And the true apocalypse doesn't even begin until January. In short, God hates fags.
  • I don't think that any of the high school students was gay (or if they were, it wasn't mentioned in the article). Phelps has also been protesting at the funerals of (presumably) straight military personnel who were killed in Iraq, saying that homosexuality is somehow the cause of the war. The biker group (which I think is comprised of veterans) usually provides a buffer zone at these military funerals, and they've done a great job of taking away what little sympathy Phelps had managed to get for himself. Also, I don't think it's Phelps' "church" that's raising money -- it's a Universalist Unitarian church whose collecting money for their social justice committee. I'd bet they give the cash to something like PFLAG or a group like it. (Finally, I hesitate to admit that Phelps has a real "church" or are Christians, as they seem to go against everything Christ stands for -- and can I just make a mini-rant that it's assholes like this that make every Christian in the world (including yours truly) look crazy and homophobic?)
  • Not all fags hate God, however.
  • Meredithea, the email I received from the UU church stated that they're splitting the donations: two-thirds to the kids' families and a third to the Aids Action Coalition.
  • Thanks, Wednesday! Those are both good places to send the money. It's such a sad, sad, thought, but I'd think that it's a big and unexpected expense to bury a child :(
  • Obviously, these teens died because God hates fags. Duh. *rolls eyes* *shakes magic beads; kills chicken on front porch of thread*
  • Phelps apparently believes in a very strange god - one who would kill some people because some other people think homosexuals should be accepted. Attention whore, to be sure. Let's all join his churh and vote him out of office.
  • I was skeptikal of the Poxyklips, but now I'm a believer. It will be here soon, and Phelps will be bringing it to fruition.
  • I found Phelp's online persona here. Don't worry, the blog itself isn't much better.
  • A Planned Parenthood in PA did a similar thing with anti-choice protesters. And taking away free speech doesn't make the hate go away.
  • The Most Hated Family in America. Coming Sunday to a BBC near you. I found this odd: "Some of the girls look All-American". Does that term actually mean something?
  • Yeah; good-looking, intelligent, popular. In a broader sense, the term all-American is colloquially used to describe stereotypically clean-cut, mainstream/conventional middle-class people, particularly teenagers and young adults. I think it's weird that the 71 members of the church, mostly family, isn't seen as a ridiculous population problem. Having 13 kids? Hater pleeze!
  • It just strikes me as odd that a non USA person (speaking as a North American, myself) would use the term, thus implying that somehow the USA has cornered the market on cleancut, healthy, mainstream young people?
  • We also created a fear of human smells in order to sell underarm deodorant, which was genius. Plus we invented the fruited plains, although no one's really quite sure where they are.
  • God hates fruits.
  • God Hates the World. Chilling!