Church plans protest of Richardson funeral

[SecularMotion]

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

MILLBROOK — Members of the Topeka, Kan.-based baptist church said they are coming to Millbrook Sunday to protest Natasha Richardson's funeral.

On it's Web site, Westboro Baptist Church said it plans to protest the funeral because Richardson supported research for a cure for AIDS. The small Kansas church has protested schools, colleges, churches, funerals and other venues

On Friday, local police said they are preparing for traffic and crowds Sunday, based on reports Richardson will be buried in a private ceremony near the family's Town of Washington home.
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State police 1st Sgt. Eddie Moore of Troop K said they have not been officially requested to provide security Sunday. However, based on published reports of plans for a funeral, the state police are making plans to deal with traffic and other concerns.

Read more: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090321/NEWS01/903210328&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

---

Freedom of speech is our most important right in a democracy but we should consider laws against protests at funerals because of these assholes.

[GoesTo11]

1. Jesus must be smiling down on them right now.

[checks-n-balances]

20. Meaning what?

These particular protesters have no inkling of what Jesus lived and taught.

Surely you are more informed than they are, or did you just forget to indicate
"sarcasm" in your post?

[Lucky Luciano]

24. I am fairly certain the poster was being sarcastic.

[checks-n-balances]

28. That's good - thanks

Sometimes it's hard to tell around here, depending on the topic!

Attacking people deeply in grief the way the Phelps people do is evil and sociopathic.

[GoesTo11]

31. Sorry, I was being deeply sarcastic

I can't believe these people in the name of their church - and by extension, presumably, the teachings of Christ, are going out of their way to cause more pain to people in grief.

[acmavm]

84. These people and Christ and his teachings have NOTHING in common.

It's stupid to even think that they do.

[Ignis]

101. So these people aren't Christians?

It sure seems that they're trying their damnedest to live up to their own particular (sociopathic) interpretation of the Christian gospels.

I mean, you can't blame these wackos on the Buddha. ;)

---

Of course, I understand what you're trying to say. But keep in mind that defining who is or is not a member of an evangelical religion is a slippery slope.

Rather than saying they're not good Christians, can't we just agree that they're not good people?

:shrug:

[Summermoondancer]

93. What would be cool is.

if about 100,000 people showed up to block their protest and have signs in support of Richardson and all she did and signs in support of her father...what an act of humanity that would be...it would be greater if about ten really big characters broke their signs and made bon fires of them....where are the folks like MR T to run these idiots off when we need them?

[liberal N proud]

2. How can this group keep running under the guise of a church name?

I hope like hell they are no longer a tax exempt organization.

[960]

8. Not only that, but why aren't they classified as a terrorist organization?

All they do is harass innocent people for some fucked up non-sensical point.

[queerart]

32. You Are So Correct.......

As that is exactly what they are: Religious Terrorist


If it were a Gay group.... they would already be listed as a Terrorist threat against the nation:

http://www.queerty.com/maryland-gay-rights-group-on-terrorist-list-20090123/

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2009/01/gay_rights_group_made_the_terr.html

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid71603.asp

http://www.tips-q.com/content/georgia-gay-republican-activist-calls-aftah-domestic-terrorist-group-compares-us-nazis

[XemaSab]

69. A gay group or an environmentalist group

:(

[aquart]

56. And please put them on the No Fly List.

[Supersedeas]

103. makes ya wonder

[Hugabear]

3. I hope Fred Phelp's daughter passes away before he does

Because I want him to personally witness the celebration that will take place at her funeral. There won't be people protesting outside that cemetery, but I'm sure there will be quite a few people dancing a jig. Shirley Phelps-Roper is every bit as hateful and venomous as her hatemongering dad.

If ever there would be cause for gravedancing, it would be when these assholes die.

[LongTomH]

12. I couldn't wish that on anyone!

Phelps and his hideous family are as reprehensible as people can get; but, I still don't really wish for anyone's death - or for them to suffer the loss of someone in their family!

[RaleighNCDUer]

21. Hey, everybody dies.

Is it too much to ask for good timing?

[Hawaii Hiker]

45. I have to agree with Hugabear on this:

Common courtesy & normal everyday good manners goes out the window with the Phelps family, as they are among the most vile & despicable pieces of human garbage to ever take up space on this planet...

[Gormy Cuss]

4. I wish that I lived near enough to show up.

I'd be the one carrying the sign "God hates false prophets."

[scytherius]

5. Ditto. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

67. 1 John 4:20 on my sign -

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Hypocrisy, ignorance and hatred abound in some always...

[JerseygirlCT]

78. Unfortunately, that's EXACTLY what they're hoping for

Their whole gig is to do absolutely hateful, outrageous things, and then when people are outraged, and act on it, start trouble, then sue the others.

They are terrorists, and I'd go so far as child abusers, as this "group" consists of the immediate family - including young children being raised to hate.

They want the attention; it's all they've got. The very best thing is to absolutely ignore them, as the insects they are.

[proud2BlibKansan]

97. Yes. Our local media finally figured that out.

They get zero attention here in Kansas. The only time I hear about them is here on DU.

[bluestateguy]

6. Freedom of speech, which they abuse

ny

[CBHagman]

7. In the dictionary, next to the words "hateful" and "hatred"...

...there ought to be a picture of Fred Phelps. What energy he and his clan of like-minded (or like-mindless) types and/or blood relatives expend on just trying to offend and torment people.

[wackywaggin]

10. Way to get these people to not show up:

have the funeral while the Limpig show is broadcast on Monday, they will miss the funeral services while they are listening to their Savior.

:smoke:

[Fearless]

9. I'm sure she wouldn't give a damn what they did.

Although... I'd suggest that they go see the movie Taken first.

[LeftishBrit]

11. I remember when Louis Theroux did a programme about the Phelps family on the BBC

He interviewed various members of the family, and they showed a bizarre mixture of near-normality when not discussing one of their various obsessions, and sheer lunacy when they were. Hell and its fires got a certain amount of advertising! The one thing I found hilarious was when Theroux said something with which Shirley Phelps disagreed, and this middle-aged, seemingly dignified woman, fully aware that she was being recorded, replied in a surprisingly matter-of-fact voice: "Not a chance, Pooh-Pooh Pants".

[fascisthunter]

13. these people are sick

to further their own agenda they would go to somebody's funeral when people are mourning a loss... how sick.

[valerief]

14. These criminals don't want a cure for AIDS? Oh, they're BlackOps, for sure. nt

[Xithras]

25. They claim that AIDS is gods cure for homosexuality. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

68. I like to think that aids/hiv is their god's attempt to see if they are capable of

compassion.

I'm sure their god is very disappointed.

[KamaAina]

15. God Hates Skiers?!

:eyes:

aside: The PoJo continues to give its all in its ongoing quest to become America's Worst Newspaper: "On it's Web site" is a direct quote. (Any fourth-grader could have told them it should be "its", with no apostrophe.)

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Just so everyone sees the full horror of this reasoning

Ms Richardson's father, the great director Tony Richardson, died of AIDS. So of all people, of course she wanted to see a cure. AIDS killed her father.

[checks-n-balances]

29. You're right, and that makes these protests twice as demonic

to remind the family of the father's death as well.

[Critters2]

63. The family has requested that memorial gifts go to AmFAR.

The Phelps bunch are just evil.

[pmorlan1]

17. Sick

These people are really sick. This just makes me so angry.

[glinda]

18. Indeed. Something (fines, jailing, remove tax exemptions) has to be done to stop people from

scaring, harassing people that are exhibiting their "freedom of speech" by having a "burial". I don't find it acceptable that people have to put up with this stuff when all they want to do is have closure in their grief. I believe in the right to voice opinions but new laws must be put in place to protect people at funerals, burials, and in illness.

[ShadesOfGrey]

23. I have no problem with them exposing themselves...

for what they are (morally sick), but it seems to me that their right to free speech should end where it interferes with the rights of others wishing to attend a peaceful burial. I hope that there is a way to keep these wackos out of sight during the funeral.

[caseymoz]

52. The right to a 'peaceful' burial is not in the Constitution.

The right to free speech is. And I believe free speech is far more necessary for the living.

That being said, Phelps & Company should have their church protested loudly during its services, and especially its funerals. Anybody having a funeral in that church deserves to have it protested, and Phelps should know what it feels like to have a solemn funeral politicized.

I don't believe this man, his family, or his Congregation. Using a death to make his point is like being a ghoul or a grave-robber.

[Lucky Luciano]

62. Can it be argued that they are inciting violence and

interfering with domestic tranquility?

A stretch...but does it have a prayer of working against them?

[RaleighNCDUer]

95. Do they really have a church, as such? With weekly sunday services,

sunday school, wednesday night bible study, and friday night bingo?

I mean, who, other than that sick, twisted, dysfunctional family, goes to that church?

[tabasco]

104. There is not one thread above yours that says Phelps speech should be prevented by the government.

So, what's your point?

Free speech is a guarantee against government prohibition of protected speech.

People are rightfully calling these "church" people vile cretins and that has nothing to do with the First Amendment.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

19. Shallow, useless idiots using death as an opportunity.

Nothing else need be said.

[L0oniX]

46. Kinda like HMO CEO's n/t

[mr_smith007]

22. I thought this was

a joke, seriously, I wan't too familiar with this group. Their website is actually called godhatesfags, wtf is with that? And protesting a funeral because the person helped raise money to end a horrible disease? I don't even know what to say to this. I don't believe that hell exists but I think I will start believing it just in the hopes that these fuckers end up there. They must be mentally ill, in a serious way. I just have a hard time believing any normal human being could be this full of hate and ignorance, it is mind blowing.

[Lucky Luciano]

26. ...oh yea...these freaks have been around for a while..

They have been protesting military funerals too when a soldier comes home from Iraq. No kidding. :wow: They also say that we deserved 9-11 because of our tolerance of gay people. I am not sure how the twisted logic of hating gay people got them to protest at a soldier's funeral, but if you Google around, then you could find their twisted logic.

[customerserviceguy]

53. Someday, somewhere

they're going to protest at the wrong funeral, and it won't just generate Internet hand-wringing.

Some sharpshooter is going to take them out, and the local constabulatory is going to look the other way.

[caseymoz]

54. Yes, that's right, protesting military funerals: Ghouls for God, or Ghouls Against Gays.

The second one shortens to GAGS. Or, God's Ghouls Against Gays, which shortens to GoGAGS.

They hate the country-- because because they hate gays. They love funerals, though.

Really, if you take their extreme anti-homosexuality away, what does that church have left? An obsession with funerals, maybe.

[awoke_in_2003]

36. Welcome to DU

those people are the worst example of our species.

[tavalon]

105. They're psychotic but that doesn't absolve them

They need to go preach in a padded room. They have been protesting many a soldier's funeral. It's really disgusting what they do in the name of their mental illness.

[The Wizard]

27. There's always the biblical solution,

stoning

[ohheckyeah]

30. I disagree.

yes, what the Westboro Baptist church is doing is horrendous, but if we outlaw their protests who will be next?

[Lucky Luciano]

34. If they come protest at the funeral of any friend or family member

of mine, then there will be many victims in the group of protestors. Lucky Luciano takes no prisoners! They are inciting violence.

[rvablue]

40. Luciano, while this vile family stirs rage in me as well, this is exactly what they are after and

why they do what they do.

They attend every high profile funeral in hopes that someone will attack them and then they can sue both the attacker and the local police department for not protecting their 1st ammendment rights.

I've had the displeasure to be up close and personal with these people. I was there in a professional capacity and so could not voice my dissent with their vile tactics. With the filth that they bandy about, you'd think it would be "us" who should be protected from them by the cops.

But before they show up, they call and threaten the local PDs and therefore, the cops have to protect them. The cops I saw that day were disgusted....but they had to do their job.

Anyway, just thought I'd share this. They exist only to enrage so they can sue and collect compensation to continue their hate parade.

[pipi_k]

51. Good lord, it must suck to be them

I mean, really...

I could wish some really horrible things on them, but what worse punishment can there be than for them to have to live with themselves the rest of their rotten miserable lives...

[JerseygirlCT]

79. Absolutely. I've seen them "up close and personal" too

as they protested at my small church. All the churches in town (especially those being targeted) were asked to simply and absolutely ignore them. Refuse to feed their little machine of hate. That ticked them off, I'm sure. No attention. No press, no confrontations. Just a yawn and everyone into church to worship without paying them any mind.

[ohheckyeah]

60. I can't disagree with that tactic.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

33. They're not a church--they're perverse street theater

and not even witty.

[AllyCat]

35. Why do these people hate children?

You'd think they'd want AIDS research to help the kids born to mothers with HIV.

Just one more story to prove that once kids are out of the womb, they are on their own as far as these jerks are concerned. Not to mention that they are assholes for all the other people who suffer.

[old mark]

41. They hate everyone who is not them - and you are very right about

their concern for children - it stops at birth, thereafter whatever happens is "god's plan".
They are very evil people and I hate that they think they are "christians".

mark

[tomm2thumbs]

37. someone should tell the public it's a meeting of AIG's executives & Madoff Fan Club

THEN it would be taken care of itself

[caseymoz]

48. Why don't these people protest the greed that has brought this country to its knees?

Does this church have a creed besides anti-homosexuality? Is it trying even to get souls to heaven?

[VermeerLives]

38. Why does this church still retain its tax-exempt status?

I'd really like to know. Leave this grieving family alone!

[hlthe2b]

43. How do you know that they do?

[queerart]

66. Just Thought I Would Add.....

Westboro has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt church for several years. In 2000 Westboro nearly lost its status completely, but was saved by a series of lawsuits it filed against the IRS citing religious persecution. However, Westboro has been steadily losing some of its tax exemptions, (see below section "The Westboro Compound"), and remains in constant risk of losing its tax-exempt status altogether.

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Westboro_Baptist_Church/id/2001301

[Butch350]

39. Here's a question...

Why don't groups of people protest the Topeka, Kan, Satanist Church where they practice their pagan rituals?
Maybe if individuals showed at their place every once and while and protest maybe they'd get a hint of what it's like!

[rvablue]

42. May a choir of angels surround and protect Natasha, her family and friends from vile Phelps:

Fred Phelps showed up in Laramie with a dozen “God Hates Fags” picketers, but he was quickly silenced when Romaine ’s angels showed up at the court house. Phelps and his group were surrounded by a dozen counter-demonstrators in flowing white angel costumes with 10-foot wingspans rising seven feet high. The angels turned their backs on Phelps, smiled and silently blocked him from the view of passersby at that time.

[pipi_k]

49. I think I could kiss each and every one of them n/t

[No Elephants]

99. Great Idea!

[santamargarita]

44. Counter protest and drive the snakes out!

What a bunch of goddamn right-wing assholes

[caseymoz]

47. We don't want to put so many limits on free speech.

Plus, their protest is political. Obnoxious and contemptible, but political.

[mbperrin]

50. Nah, it's greed.

They want somebody to do something so they can sue.

The fact that they still breathe is a tribute to the civility of the American public.

If there was a god, he'd have burned their so-called church in a pillar of fire.

But if the universe has a sense of humor, one of these sick fucks will come down with full-blown AIDS.

And no, I don't plan on taking it back, and no, I don't think I've gone too far. Look at the little license I've taken compared with what they routinely take.

[Whoa_Nelly]

65. When does does the line blur from free speech to hate speech?

...just wonderin' :popcorn:

[mbperrin]

76. How about somewhere when you are advocating the death of and

celebrating the death of people you never met for the purpose of angering someone else who loves those you say you hate so that you can sue them for violating your "free" speech?

I can't understand why these fuckers are so special. Get your signs out and picket any Congressman, Senator, or the White House with messages threatening death, celebrating death, and see where you go.

Of course, military families (some of these fuckers' favorite targets) and other private citizens may not be "important" enough to not take shit from these ghouls.

[caseymoz]

83. That's prosecuted after the fact, not before.

I don't want to prohibit or limit free speech before the fact. Such as, I don't think it should be limited at funerals, because soon you'll be prohibiting it at churches.

You punish hate speech after it is delivered, not prior.

[mbperrin]

98. So you'll not mind when I show up at your house with a bullhorn and shout

destructive wishes your way?

OK.

[caseymoz]

102. How the hell do you make this an either/or?

No, I didn't say I wouldn't mind, in the same way I didn't say that those at the funeral shouldn't mind. I only think we should generally outlaw protests at funerals; we shouldn't restrain everybody's speech because of what some assholes are doing.

I'm talking about prior restraint. I don't see political protest as the same thing as simple harassment or inciting violence. I'm sorry, I don't think protesting off private property should be limited by law. Now, what they say at the protest and whether they harass, obstruct a person at funeral, or going about their business, or incite violence or hate-- once they do that at a protest, I'd say prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Just like I would prosecute you if you showed showed up with a bullhorn...

Since they're preaching intolerance that could only be implemented through violence, I don't think they'd escape prosecution under my approach.

[No Elephants]

100. We don't need the First Amendment to protect speech that is popular with most

people. Majority rule does that. The First Amendment was designed for the speech that most people find distasteful, even hateful. So, the hate speech doctrine is a slippery slope, must as I viscerally would like to adopt it.

[winyanstaz]

55. Time to go protest at their church.

and when they are getting involved in politics..it is past time to yank their tax free status. This goes for any church that is being political. Who's job is it anyway to yank these people's tax free status? Time for them to get to work.

[Janice325]

57. I really don't know what to say.....

Out of respect for Ms. Richardson's family, I will keep my thoughts and epithets to myself about Fred Phelps and his so-called "church."

I am so sorry for Ms. Richardson's family, even more so if they have to put up with these fanatical idiots in their time of sorrow.

RIP, dear lady. You will be missed. You have been taken from us so soon and unexpectedly. :cry:

[IndianaGreen]

58. Westboro folks are all inbred, and they have no connection to Southern Baptist Convention

Laws have been passed in several states barring them from demonstrating during military funerals. They are too hateful even for rightwingers!

[mountainvue]

59. Fucking loons. n/t

[provis99]

61. someday one of these Phelps family members will lose their cool

in their zealousness for being an asshole, and hit someone. It will then be game over, as the Phelps clan will be sued into the poorhouse, and the whole works convicted under RICO act.

[classysassy]

64. Follow

the$$$$,bet there is money involved.

[Swagman]

70. a sign she was successful in her AIDs research support ! vale Natasha

[yurbud]

71. why can't someone catch this guy at a rest stop with Larry Craig?

[Raine]

72. Oh Gawd, those assholes came out here to CA

and literally to my neighborhood to protest at the funeral of a local boy who was killed in the Iraq war. They got a good cussing out from the locals here (myself included), it was weird to see them in the flesh. :puke: x(

[and-justice-for-all]

73. Those fuckers are not religious at all....

they use religion to hide behind so they can get away with being bigots, they are the KKK without the hoods or Nazis without the uniform.

[No Elephants]

74. When did Christians oppose cures for diseases? These people are a lot

more like Satan than they are like Christ.

[JerseygirlCT]

80. These folks most certainly do not embody anything I've ever

thought of as "Christian".

They are hostages of their own hatred, and it has completely warped them. And just to be clear - this "church" consists basically of Phelps and his family. They bring along the kiddies so they can learn how to hate first-hand.

[No Elephants]

87. Unlike you, I have seen a lot of ugliness from Christians, though not

from Christ. Some Christians give Christ a bad name, not vice versa.

I would not be as all inclusive as Mahatma Ghandi, but I understand what he said:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

[BattyDem]

75. There really need to be laws against funeral protests

This isn't freedom of speech - it's harassment and it's cruel. :cry: :grr:

[LostinVA]

85. I 100% agree with you

[BrightKnight]

107. Disrupting a funeral should be a crime. - n/t

[IDemo]

77. They're classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=185

[JerseygirlCT]

81. Rightfully so

But I hate to see them being given any more importance than they deserve. This is a small group of family members tied by virulent hatred.

Honestly, it must really suck to be them. What a way to live your life.

[lunatica]

82. It's rapidly turning into a badge of honor to have the Westboro Church protest a funeral

Maybe funeral homes can designate 'free speech zones' a mile away...

[IndianaGreen]

86. I like the way Stalin dealt with religious wackos such as Westboro

and Focus on the Family. It was one of the few endearing qualities Stalin had.

BTW, where do they get the funding for all the travels they make? Has it occurred to any of you that a church with a few dozen members, all related by blood, could afford to travel to military funerals and to Britain to display their hatred? Who is really funding these people? The KKK? The Nazis?

[MadMaddie]

88. They are all lawyers

Believe it or not this is how they make their money. The * years allowed them to file lawsuits claiming religous persecution and the law arm of the government during the * years only looked at these cases. They didn't look into racial, age, etc cases. The guy that was in charge, his mission was to make sure that none of the cases except religious cases got investigated.

[Zavulon]

89. She supported research for a cure for AIDS? What a miserable bitch!

:sarcasm:

I don't know if it's been mentioned earlier, but the URL for Westboro Baptist Church is godhatesfags.com. These are some seriously sick fucks.

[Zavulon]

91. BTW, have any of you read the .pdf announcement that "church" put up?

This is beyond belief:

http://www.godhatesfags.com/written/fliers/20090320_natasha-richardson-funeral.pdf

[Ganja Ninja]

94. These people are some real sick fucks. n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

90. bah they just want more attention

so they are picking someone famous to protest.


the best way to handle these guys is to have counter protests...
bring large signs that block theirs outa sight...

they give up easily and run away when the pressure gets to high...


my favorite video on youtube involves them fleeing to their church van as rocks are hurled thru the window... classic great stuff...

they wanna champion hate so much, they can stand to get some of it back...

[SecularMotion]

92. 4:50 P.M. UPDATE: Graveside service ends at St. Peter's Cemetery

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090322/NEWS01/90322005&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

They didn't show up


"Police were bracing for expected traffic congestion from media and onlookers, as well as possible protests from supporters of the Westboro Baptist Church.

On its Web site Saturday, the Kansas-based church announced it plans to protest today at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Millbrook, where Neeson and his sons are members, because Richardson supported research for a cure for AIDS.

However, as of this morning there have been no signs of protesters and the scene in front of St. Joseph's Church in Millbrook is calm and quiet.

The group staged a small protest in April 2004 during same-sex marriages in New Paltz. About nine protesters shouted slogans with homosexual slurs while hundreds turned out to oppose the Westboro group."

[peacetalksforall]

96. Don't they always seem to announce what they're going to do? What about restraining orders?

[Tim01]

106. Pepper spray. How about pepper spray?

[carlyhippy]

108. This group also has also stated they thanked god for the ND flooding

I saw an article yesterday on that....they leave me speechless.