Morons plan to protest Elizabeth Edwards' funeral

[GeoffP]

Let's leave aside the right/left American sectarianism - also worthy of banning, frankly - and observe, simply: Fred Phelps and his inbred collection of yahoos need to be broken up - I shall be Yoko to their John and Paul - and simply scattered around the countryside with no way to contact each other, or returned to their families with a good stiff slap upside the head, or else scattered over the country in tiny pieces, in proceeding order.

Church to protest Elizabeth Edwards funeral

By QMI Agency

A fringe church group infamous for protesting soldiers' funerals plans to picket the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards on Saturday.

Westboro Baptist Church sent out a press release Wednesday condemning Edwards and her family, and announcing the group's plan to protest her funeral at the Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2010/12/09/16493511.html

It raises the question of what are acceptable limits to dissent and protest, however. Or is this defamation of a sort?

 

[GeoffP]

Actually, anyone want to argue this one formally? I could take the "pro protest" position, but only because I'm feeling bloody-minded.

 

[cosmictraveler]

Again I say they have the right to protest as well however they are at the wrong location to get their point across. They should be at a military base where their anger is directed not at this site. If only the media wouldn't give them any coverage then they wouldn't even show up. But that won't happen so the show will go on.

 

[wsionynw]

Surely the police can take a view on this. If the 'protest' is likely to create a violent scene then it needs to be stopped or organised in a different time/place.

I'd turn up and pepper spray the Westboro freaks, but that's just me.

 

[GeoffP]

All right: let's hit the electorate, if present. Poll coming up.

 

[GeoffP]

Poll! The choices are sort of increasing acceptability: closer in being a greater acceptable of the Westboro protests than some reasonable legal distance.

I voted essentially "no fucking way, anywhere", but I am a filthy Communist, after all.

 

[superstring01]

Ugh.

I hate WBS, but Edwards is a public figure and protesting her funeral is--I grudgingly admit--protected (and should continue to be), as long as it is "from a reasonable distance". Just as well, I highly encourage counter protests, and I wouldn't resist a good laugh if a few noses got broken by the "good guys".

~String

 

[S.A.M.]

I thought right to assembly was constitutionally protected in the US

 

[Bells]

Ugh.

I hate WBS, but Edwards is a public figure and protesting her funeral is--I grudgingly admit--protected (and should continue to be), as long as it is "from a reasonable distance". Just as well, I highly encourage counter protests, and I wouldn't resist a good laugh if a few noses got broken by the "good guys".

~String

Pfft.. safe distance and broken noses..

I'd opt for the funeral cortege running the festering little bastards over while yelling out 'fuck you arseholes!'. I am sure Mrs Edwards would have approved.

 

[superstring01]

Pfft.. safe distance and broken noses..

Yeah. Freedom of expression can get ugly. Though, nobody has the right to break another person's nose, the aggressive cave-man in me won't shed a tear over the little infraction.

I'd opt for the funeral cortege running the festering little bastards over while yelling out 'fuck you arseholes!'.

I have dreams of going to a "counter protest" (which, I will one day, and I'll take pictures and post them. . . I have [gay] friends who go to them and intentionally make out in front of their kids, and get cool looking post-cards made and send them out), and breaking a few noses.

[I am sure Mrs Edwards would have approved.

She would not. She was certainly the "superior" half of the Edwards couple.

~String

 

[Tiassa]

This and That

I hate WBS, but Edwards is a public figure and protesting her funeral is--I grudgingly admit--protected (and should continue to be), as long as it is "from a reasonable distance". Just as well, I highly encourage counter protests, and I wouldn't resist a good laugh if a few noses got broken by the "good guys".

Ordinarily, I would just say, "Let the kids be kids". However, we may be through the proverbial looking glass:

[Sedgwick County Sheriff Bob] Hinshaw gave this account:

Two sheriff's detectives were among the law enforcement personnel helping to observe a protest by Westboro members Tuesday morning at Mulvane High School.

"Everything seemed to be peaceful," Hinshaw said.

On the way back to the Sedgwick County Courthouse, one of the detectives saw a vehicle "persistently staying behind" a vehicle carrying the Westboro protesters. "It didn't look right to him," considering the controversy surrounding Westboro, Hinshaw said.

Based on "reasonable suspicion," the detective stopped the vehicle on K-15, Hinshaw said. The driver said he was helping to protect the Westboro group and was with the group, Hinshaw said. The detective let the driver go on.

Later, when the detective contacted members of the Westboro group, they said the driver was not with them. They told the detective they were headed to City Hall to meet with Wichita police officials.

Acting on the group's information, the detective stopped the man's vehicle a second time in downtown Wichita. The man showed an ID and told the detective he was a reserve law enforcement officer in another county, Hinshaw said.

At the courthouse, the detective checked records and found that the man was driving with a revoked license, and learned from officials in the man's home county that the man was not a reserve officer.

Based on that information, the detective and a couple other detectives went across the street to City Hall to see if the driver was there.

"And sure enough, he was," Hinshaw said.

It was mid-morning. The detectives found the man in his vehicle, backed into a spot south of the City Hall parking garage, Hinshaw said.

They arrested him and secured the vehicle.

(Potter)​

If this keeps up, it won't just be broken noses.

Double-amputee Army veteran Ryan Newell now faces several charges, including conspiracy to commit aggravated battery, a felony.

• • •​

I thought right to assembly was constitutionally protected in the US

It is, but it's not a blanket policy. WBC fits into a niche not well-explored according to our prior sense of dignity. But in the twenty-first century, it's all up for grabs. The question of WBC's right to assemble has to do with whether they're making a point or looking to harass people. We'll have some better definition of the legal boundaries—hopefully—when the Supreme Court has its say in June.

To the other, when Fred Phelps, Sr., dies, we can probably expect many people dancing and pissing on his grave. Imagine a chorus line of gay men in a spectrum of lamé string bikinis singing Stonewall songs, high-kicking, and holding signs reading, "I'll see you in Hell, Freddie!" You might even see my skinny ass come out for that one.

Sure, Margie will have her faith to comfort her. And so does everyone else have theirs.

Westboro's counting on the protest. The old man will be their symbolic martyr, remembered in the way of Christ. Revered like Ali. Venerated like the alleged prophet Ellen G. White.
____________________

Notes:

Potter, Tim. "Veteran with guns arrested on suspicion of stalking Westboro Baptist Church members". The Wichita Eagle. December 1, 2010. Kansas.com. December 10, 2010. http://www.kansas.com/2010/12/01/1612740/decorated-vet-arrested-at-city.html

—————. "Veteran now faces felony conspiracy charge". The Wichita Eagle. December 4, 2010. Kansas.com. December 10, 2010. http://www.kansas.com/2010/12/04/1617714/vet-now-faces-felony-conspiracy.html

See Also:

Sciforums. Snyder v. Phelps Resented to Supreme Court. Updated October 12, 2010. Sciforums.com. December 10, 2010. http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=104383

 

[Syzygys]

Here is what you do with morons like this. You follow the German farmer's example, who was protesting the taxoffice. He had a manure truck, that distribute shit over the landscape. He pulled up next to the taxoffice, and turned the machine on. He misscalculated a bit, because instead of the taxoffice it was a doctor's office and the flying shit hit people sitting in the waiting room.

So alright, it was bad execution, but the principle was still good. So just hire a farmer, and when the morons picketing show up, you turn the machine on.

Just aim carefully....

 

[spidergoat]

I say do nothing. Not a damn thing. These people aren't hurting anyone, just showing themselves to be stupid.

 

[GeoffP]

Tiassa has seized on the essential element: is it really political dissent, or is it harassment? To any of us, it's pretty clear that, if dissent, it is really among the most stupid and needlessly offensive in recent memory.

(Edit: I mean, for fuck's sake - so everything is about ye olde gays, right? Protest Edwards! She liked gay pe'ple! Protest the armed forces! Them'uns don't ask nor tell! Who else's funeral fits under that umbrella? Upper scale clothing salesmen? Thong developers only? Anyone who likes the theatre? I mean, they haven't even touched on the stereotypes, so far as I know: so exactly how wide is their political canvas intended to reach on the central point of protesting the fact that certain dead people ever drew breath and were distantly associated with gay rights? How distant is distant? I digress.)

But how to tell the difference? I suppose the logical arguments will be hashed out to some level of our mutual satisfaction when the Supreme Court meets on it. Or is it sufficient to say - and I suspect it is - that since WBC is all ultimately about protesting gay rights that they're integrally in the wrong. This sounds like the appropriate line.

Perhaps this thread ought to be rolled into the other thread. Although the other thread has not so excellent a poll as mine.

Edit: although I did fuck up Option 4. That should be "at some reasonable distance". Do we have some reasonably distant mod who can correct it?

 

[spidergoat]

You don't have a right to not be offended.

 

[GeoffP]

Damnit! So now I must be offended. I am offended!

It offends me that I must take offense.

 

[Asguard]

How is it that the government can limit protests to "free speach zones" during an election but can't keep these wackjobs away from funerals?

 

[GeoffP]

Free speech zones?

 

[Asguard]

To stop protesters from protesting at the pollies events, the excuse was security but in reality the political strategy was the ovious reasons.

 

[Lori_7]

i saw a story on the news not too long ago, where in a case just like this, the counter-protest was very successful. practically the whole town showed up and flooded any surrounding area that the protesters could have assembled in.