Bye, Fred Phelps! Thanks for everything!

[DonViejo]

Some are celebrating the Westboro Baptist Church leader's death, but most are showing a kindness that he never did

TRACY CLARK-FLORY

When a man like Fred Phelps dies, you expect some grave-dancing.

Indeed, it began even before the 84-year-old, famed for public protests with signs reading, “God hates fags,” passed away. Upon news of his rapid decline, Brandi Lynn Wallberg, a stay-at-home mom from Wisconsin, started the Facebook page, “Fred Phelps Death Watch,” which as of this writing has more than 3,000 likes. The page is filled with lolcat images featuring the likes of Hitler and what I can only interpret as jokes about his being anally raped in Hell.

In the hours following the announcement of his death, the tone did not soften any. The page displayed an image of Phelps with the all-caps epitaph, “REST IN PISS.” There were photos of a dead Wicked Witch of the West and a Photoshopped image of Phelps being flushed down a toilet. “I’m a little sad,” read a status update. “I hardly think he suffered enough.”

The Satanic Temple has announced that it will attempt a “post-mortem homosexual conversion” on Phelps. Some tweeters were quick to enthusiastically ring the death knell. Auragasmic wrote, “Anyone have an appropriate gifset for celebrating the death of Fred Phelps? I’ve waited so long for this and I’m UNPREPARED.” Another suggested that Phelps “enjoy the continental breakfast” in Hell, followed my a fire emoji.

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/03/21/bye_fred_phelps_thanks_for_everything/

[CBGLuthier]

1. I honestly believe the man accomplished a lot of good with his hate.

You have to look under one hell of a lot of rocks to find anyone who agreed with what he was doing. He took it so far and so offensively that all the relatively sane people were repelled. Even his fellow bigots could not get behind his hate campaign.

So, in the realm of unintended consequences I think he failed at what he attempted and instead actually helped the cause of those he despised.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Agree.

It all backfired on him.

[valerief]

3. Or did it? Was his intent to spread hate or make it ridiculous?

People have questioned his intent before. I think his hate was likely real. There's so much unjustified hate in this country the Grand Canyon couldn't hold it all, and why couldn't he, too, have that same insane hatred?

Will his hate live on through his family or do they plan to retire it?