The most hated family in america

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Vault Dweller
Maybe someone is interested in discussing this

They call themselves the most hated family in the US and they picket funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. So what did Louis Theroux make of the Phelpses after three weeks?

In any country, let alone one as patriotic as the US, few actions are as provocative as protesting at a soldier's funeral.

The Phelps family pickets mourners across the country, to mark what it describes as God's revenge on the US for tolerating homosexuality.

Their actions are in the name of the Westboro Baptist Church, which numbers 71 and is headed by "Gramps", preacher Fred Phelps. The church, which is based in Topeka, Kansas, mostly comprises his extended family.

Louis Theroux, himself no stranger to people with unconventional views, says the Phelpses are the most extreme people he has ever met. But in the following interview, he reveals how three weeks with them left him perplexed by their motivation

Source= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6507971.stm
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See the whole documentary on Youtube=
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=lluk2
 
yeah, seen some stuff about them. they're looneys.

Rednecks.jpeg
 
I heard them on Howard Stern once a few years ago. They're just a bunch of rabid lunatics, and I really can't understand why someone hasn't killed them or beaten them half to death yet.
 
Montez said:
I heard them on Howard Stern once a few years ago. They're just a bunch of rabid lunatics, and I really can't understand why someone hasn't killed them or beaten them half to death yet.
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I believe they attract the attention of the police when they around, which protects them to an extent. I would guess that it will happen sooner or later though.
Wikipedia said:
  • During a March 26, 1993 protest at Topeka's Vintage Restaurant, a riot broke out and eight WBC members were hospitalized for various minor injuries...
  • In 1994, a woman tried to run down protesters in Topeka after one of them screamed obscenities at her while her pick-up truck was parked at a stop light. She was arrested, but was later found not guilty due to temporary insanity.
  • In 2003, WBC member Charles Hockenbarger, who was in his 70s at the time, had his face crushed in a beating after standing on a street corner holding a sign reading "THANK GOD FOR SEPT. 11".
  • During a protest at the 2005 presidential inauguration of George W. Bush, WBC protesters were slapped, kicked and had their signs forcefully taken by other protesters.
  • There have been differing reports on actions at an October 5, 2005, picket of a Wisconsin soldier's funeral. One report was that Sheriff Todd Nehls asked Paulette Phelps to move so he could protect her. Her group called him a Nazi and refused to comply. A conflicting claim put forth by members of the WBC alleges that Sheriff Nehls punched Paulette Phelps in the face. Video of the purported incident at godhatesfags.com — which claims to show Nehls striking one of the church members — is ambiguous, and at the point the purported attack takes place, the camera is pointed at the ground...
  • During a picket in Seaford, Delaware on May 21, 2006, a mob broke through police lines and tried to assault WBC members who fled into a police van. Some of the mob then began banging on the van attempting to get inside. Two windows of the van were shattered before the van could get away. Five people face criminal charges.
  • In 2002 Blue Valley North High School held productions of The Laramie Project play. Westboro members made it known that they were coming to picket the school. To their surprise many students cut class to meet the picketers and a small riot ensued with a few instances of car vandalism.
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I really don't care that they picket homosexual parades and presidential inaugerations, its in their freedom of expression. I'll defend their right to their idiotic and disgusting "thank god for 9/11" signs as well - though I find those distasteful, they're also protected in their freedoms and honestly they're only displaying their ignorance and lack of compassion. But to picket funerals is blatent, inhuman, immoral disrespect for human life and the losses of those affected by the death of a loved one. I wouldn't stand by if they were to march on the funeral of any one of my squadmates that have fallen to this unconstitutional war, despite my feelings on the Iraqi conflict.
 
I saw the Louis Theroux interview/documentary thingie. It was...interesting, really. Everyone, except for the elder who founded the sect, was really nice. They were all friendly, fun and easy-going.

Of course, they'd refer to Louis as a hell-bent sinner and rejoice in the Lord's impending vengeance on Louis by sending him to hell. And they'd tell Louis that. But they were still nice people.

You could also see that the college-aged girls were very, very sexually frustrated. You'd have girls of 22 who would have to ask their moms to go out and have a cup of coffee with Louis (who'd by then been living with them for days). And the mom would say no, leaving the girl more frustrated. It was sad to see that a younger generation essentially became a victim of the strict views of the elders.

Of course, they're still a bunch of deluded loonies.
 
Fred Phelps! Isn't that the shiteater that visited my country once, holding up a sign that said "God Hates Sweden"? He actually praised the deaths of Swedes in the tsunami disaster.
 
Sweden Bastard said:
Fred Phelps! Isn't that the shiteater that visited my country once, holding up a sign that said "God Hates Sweden"? He actually praised the deaths of Swedes in the tsunami disaster.
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Sweden, you neutral bastards! Fred Phelps is a GOD!

Don't sweat it man, that guy can't even pronounce your names...let alone write them in his Book of Grudges.
 
Montez said:
I heard them on Howard Stern once a few years ago. They're just a bunch of rabid lunatics, and I really can't understand why someone hasn't killed them or beaten them half to death yet.
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Leave it to Howard Stern to be the only person to take these attention-whores in perspective and laugh at them for the loons they are rather than taking them seriously.
 
Tannhauser said:
Montez said:
I heard them on Howard Stern once a few years ago. They're just a bunch of rabid lunatics, and I really can't understand why someone hasn't killed them or beaten them half to death yet.
Click to expand...
I believe they attract the attention of the police when they around, which protects them to an extent. I would guess that it will happen sooner or later though.
Wikipedia said:
  • During a March 26, 1993 protest at Topeka's Vintage Restaurant, a riot broke out and eight WBC members were hospitalized for various minor injuries...
  • In 1994, a woman tried to run down protesters in Topeka after one of them screamed obscenities at her while her pick-up truck was parked at a stop light. She was arrested, but was later found not guilty due to temporary insanity.
  • In 2003, WBC member Charles Hockenbarger, who was in his 70s at the time, had his face crushed in a beating after standing on a street corner holding a sign reading "THANK GOD FOR SEPT. 11".
  • During a protest at the 2005 presidential inauguration of George W. Bush, WBC protesters were slapped, kicked and had their signs forcefully taken by other protesters.
  • There have been differing reports on actions at an October 5, 2005, picket of a Wisconsin soldier's funeral. One report was that Sheriff Todd Nehls asked Paulette Phelps to move so he could protect her. Her group called him a Nazi and refused to comply. A conflicting claim put forth by members of the WBC alleges that Sheriff Nehls punched Paulette Phelps in the face. Video of the purported incident at godhatesfags.com — which claims to show Nehls striking one of the church members — is ambiguous, and at the point the purported attack takes place, the camera is pointed at the ground...
  • During a picket in Seaford, Delaware on May 21, 2006, a mob broke through police lines and tried to assault WBC members who fled into a police van. Some of the mob then began banging on the van attempting to get inside. Two windows of the van were shattered before the van could get away. Five people face criminal charges.
  • In 2002 Blue Valley North High School held productions of The Laramie Project play. Westboro members made it known that they were coming to picket the school. To their surprise many students cut class to meet the picketers and a small riot ensued with a few instances of car vandalism.
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Nice one..., I can't believe I survived a few years in KS. I used to date a few nice girls from the Blue Valley North..too, wow. I guess after that nice and reasonable educational super-intendant had left, everything went to the tubes. I wander if my Asian friends are ok there..., anyway, maybe being landlocked makes people paranoid and frustrated.., hmm.
 
Man I wish people like that didn't exist but as an American I gotta allow them the same rights I enjoy.. The same rights the consitution mandates for every one.
 
This is exactly why if we want to achieve world peace organized religion must be abolished. Specifically monotheistic ones, as polytheistic/nontheistic/quasitheistic ones seem to NOT have these problems.
 
Funny thing, extremism. Apparently, it exists on both sides of the debate. Case in point:

Magus Zeal said:
Stuff.
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The problem, if there IS a problem, lies as much with people who think like this as it does with people who think like Phelps. Phelps' church is far more repugnant, of course, but both camps are equal in their rigidity.

As someone who leans more towards the quantifiable than the miraculous, I find it absolutely pathetic how many of my fellow men and women of so-called 'reason' leave no room for compromise or concessions. There are far too many Richard Dawkinses in this world, and far too few E.O. Wilsons. (Or, for that matter, far too many Pope Benedicts and far too few... ummmm... Unitarians?)

As far as the Phelpses go... I know I'm not taking the moral high ground here, but there really is a very large part of me that wants to see how they react when Gramps dies and a massive picket shows up at his funeral.
 
"Topekan Elder was caught in a crossfire and raked for 36 points of damage, sending him into a spinning dance of death."

Nuff Said.
 
Don't quote me on this, but I believe a law was specifically passed to stop this group. Also, a lot of times local bikes would come and stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle around them so the funeral party wouldn't have to see them.

People bitch that it blocks free speech but we already have some limitations on what you are and are not allowed to say. Sexual harassment for example or harassment in general, threatening people, ect so I see no problem with silencing these people. Some things just shouldn't be said.


Magus Zeal said:
This is exactly why if we want to achieve world peace organized religion must be abolished. Specifically monotheistic ones, as polytheistic/nontheistic/quasitheistic ones seem to NOT have these problems.
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So you plan on achieving peace by forcing people to believe not to believe? How is that any different than achieving peace by forcing people to believe?

I would agree that there are some insane Christians that need to be reigned in a bit, even though I am a Christian. But to label religion as a whole as bad because of the actions of some people is to be a bigot.

People like these idiots are the people who make the rest of us look insane.
 
I have a monotheistic religion. (standard)

I am a Christian. (standard too)

Orthodox (like Russia, y'know?)

Now, why should we erradicate monotheistic religions?

I don't want to go Paladin Solo on you, but don't you think all of us have only ONE God?
 
It could conceivably have some connection with the fact that religion has inspired many, many bad things for all of its existance. The Spanish Inquisition. The Crusades. Many Christians -- and I say Christians specifically because that is who I've had contact with -- are hypocrites at best even today; the majority among those I've met often try to force one to accept their beliefs (usually, amusingly enough, by asking how you can accept going to Hell). Even more amusingly, few truly understand their own religion. If I, an atheist, know more about the text of your religion (the Bible) than you do... well, it's pathetic.

That said, my main reason for disagreeing with Christianity is that the churches are so vehemently opposed to evolution, which is a far more logical idea than, "Poof. Everything exists. Oh, Dinosaurs? Either never existed, or did with humans."

P.S. Religion, at its worst, leads to things like Jihadist Muslims. Do you think they have a right to practice their religion? Or does that only apply to the one religion you believe is right?
 
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