Westboro Church Members to Protest at Elizabeth Edwards' Funeral

[benny05]

Source: WRAL News in Raleigh

The Westboro Baptist Church plans to protest for 45 minutes before the funeral set for 1 p.m. at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in downtown Raleigh, according to the church's website.

The Westboro church website throws invective at Edwards but gives no specific reason why they chose to protest her funeral.

The Topeka, Kansas, church is well known for holding anti-homosexual protests at funerals, often at those of soldiers. The church, which is not affiliated with any larger Baptist group, is led by Fred Phelps and mostly attended by his family members.

Edwards, 61, died Tuesday at her Chapel Hill home after a six-year battle with breast cancer.

Read more: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/8749610/

---

These people have no lives of their own. This is disgusting.

[Loge23]

1. What a wonderfully Christian thing to do!

I cannot say what I would want to do these "Christians".

[SharonAnn]

41. They just want publicity. What unchristian people they are.

[christx30]

75. They are funny

They just aren't your normal "love thy neighbor" Christians. I'm just waiting on them to sue someone for flipping them off.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. This is beyond idiotic.

This isn't a matter of "free speech." It's a matter of hate speech and harassment. Someone just arrest these creeps and be done with it!

[RKP5637]

4. Exactly! It crossed the line long ago, what about other peoples rights. This is plain

harassment with intent to harm emotionally. It's pure hate speech.

[BonnieJW]

5. And then they sue and then they win

and then they collect more money so they can show up some place else. The cure for the Phelps is to ignore.

[nckjm]

12. Ignorance and hate don't go away if you just ignore them

Laws are needed to contain the damage done by these fanatics. We don't let people damage and destroy property...well, WE THE PEOPLE can make it illegal to stage a protest within site of the building/church and grave site during anytime the family will be there for the service. The right of the group to protest is not impacted but the location sure the heck can be.

[get the red out]

13. +1

This is harassment, plain and simple. It should not be permitted because they hide behind "religion".

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Um yes they do go away if you ignore them

That's why the Phelps are rarely home anymore. The media here won't cover them. So they travel all over the country to get the attention they crave. And they file lawsuits (which they almost always win) when laws such as the ones you are proposing are passed. And because I value our constitutional rights I don't support these types of laws.

If we want them to stop these idiotic protests, ignoring them is the most effective strategy.

[Bragi]

26. Agreed! /nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Amen

Why do you think they rarely protest at home anymore? We learned to ignore them years ago. They get more attention here on DU than they do in our local media.

[RKP5637]

3. The good die young, these creeps go on forever and are disgusting. n/t

[Iolanthe15]

25. Phelps

The Devil has always looked after his own !

[Art_from_Ark]

6. Holy batshit, Batman!

Why can't these people protest something that really needs protesting, instead of always going around hounding people who are dealing with a death in the family?

[indimuse]

7. Disgraceful and Disgusting behavior continues by the Xtreme right!

ugh..

[Rebubula]

10. I depise...

...the Xtreme Right as much as anyone, but even those on the extreme right HATE these evil assholes.

They are in a branch of idiocy all by themselves. Hell...they wanted to protest at Falwell's funeral. They are the fringe of the fringe and hated even by the people that we despise.

[indimuse]

40. thanks for the heads-up! who knew...

unreal. ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. And Fred is a registered Democrat

[Beacool]

24. Nope, even the Freepers think that these people are sick.

The RW respects the military and these jerks keep protesting at soldiers' funerals.

;(

[indimuse]

39. oh...who knew there were an even MORE Xtreme than the current crowd!

ugh.. thank you! :hi:

[Beacool]

55. Yep, even the right wingers think that these folks are kooks.

That's how bad they are.

;(





:hi:

[msanthrope]

59. Dude, even Freeperville hates these fuckers. n/t

[Rebubula]

8. Rare...

..that I wish ill on anyone.

But, I certainly make an exception for these hateful assholes. I would not weep if a fire burned the church, and all of its members, to the ground.

They are attention whores of the Nth degree.

[elocs]

9. The trick is to crowd them out with sheer numbers which overwhelm them. n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

11. cameras will be there , so of course they are. n/t

[bettync]

14. Two innocent little children just lost their mother.

It is awful to imagine that there are people this heartless and cruel in the world. No Christian would do this. This crosses the line of Free Speech. To me, this is a hate crime.

[valerief]

15. I'm sure Fox will defend them. nt

[think]

17. People should protest in front of their church

24/7. Protest every service, wedding, and funeral they hold and see how those assholes like it!

[ultraist]

18. Terrorizing grieving families of our fallen soldiers, now...

a mother and her mourning children.

Isn't that the definition of EVIL?

These Westboro people are obviously a hate group of mentally ill individuals. It seems something could be done about them.

[AmandaMae]

19. How sick. I wish these hateful people would go away for good.

[LiberalEsto]

21. I hope there's a peaceful counter-protest

It would be great if lots and lots of people were to form a human barricade protecting the funeral site.

[progressoid]

66. That has happened quite often lately.

I would imagine that a high profile funeral like this would be quite coodinated and these assholes would be kept at bay.

[Justitia]

79. I hope they get hit by a bus. -eom

[WorseBeforeBetter]

95. "Just Wear Blue"

http://www.creativemediapeople.com/content/news/2010/12/just-wear-blue/

"Just Wear Blue is a movement created by The Creative Media People in response to the news that hate group Westboro Baptist Church plans to picket the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards in Raleigh on 12/11. Wearing blue is a simple way for North Carolinians (and supporters) to visibly show solidarity.

Why blue?: It’s a perfect color for Elizabeth Edwards since she lived in Chapel Hill and attended Law School at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, where the university colors are white and (baby) blue. It’s also particularly fitting that the university colors originally began as symbols of unity. Blue seems as good a color as any to represent North Carolinians. The exact shade you choose doesn’t matter.

Why The Creative Media People?: We’re a small group of creative media professionals based in Cary, North Carolina who were upset by the news that Westboro church planned to come to our neck of the woods at Christmas time to protest the funeral of a woman whose young children will be in attendance. We think visually, and decided that wearing blue is the perfect way to show Westboro that North Carolinians stand together against their hateful picketing. More importantly, it’s the perfect way to show the Edwards family that we support their right to dignity and respect during this time of tragedy, regardless of our personal political or religious beliefs.

Here’s what you can do:

1. If you live in North Carolina, join the group planning to act as a human buffer between Elizabeth Edwards and the Westboro church on Saturday from 10am-2pm. RSVP here so organizers know how many people to expect. Then RSVP here to the event on our page to indicate you’ll be there WEARING BLUE!"

(More at link)

[Beacool]

22. These people are just nasty and hateful.

"Christian", my ass!!!!! This is one of the least Christ like actions that I can think of. They are disgusting, they keep protesting at soldiers' funerals. I read recently how in one small town people came from surrounding communities to line the main road so the family couldn't see these jerks protesting their loved one's funeral.

Unbelievable.......

x(

[Bragi]

28. Do you support imposing "free speech zones" on all protesters?

The idea of keeping protesters away from those against whom they are protesting is a violation of their free speech rights. I believe courts have already ruled on that.

It's what the Bushites did to protesters for years. I oppose that, and I also oppose suppressing free speech for groups with which I disagree.

[Demoiselle]

32. Surely there is a legally definable difference between a funeral and a political gathering.

The Bushies kept protesters away from their own public partisan political rallies, government dog and pony shows, etc. How is that the same thing as keeping noisy nutcases away from a private family's service?

I would defend even the Falwell family's right to privacy at such moments, and I certainly have no love for Falwell.

Do you really believe that the right to privacy has no place in this discussion? Must we then force people to grieve for their loved ones in secret and behind locked doors?
And whatever happened to "disturbing the peace?"
Can a group of Phelps people scream abuse at me in the street just because it's a public street? Really? And is it really the law that the only way I can avoid such abuse is to stay off the street?

[Bragi]

34. Free speech includes the right to be offensive

If we support free speech, we have to accept that there is no right not to be offended when someone else exercises their free speech rights.

We can ignore them, or engage in counter-speech, but we cannot silence people whose speech we deem to be offensive.

If we do, why would then expect our own free speech rights to be protected?

[Demoiselle]

36. Again I will ask...what about the right to privacy? The freedom, if you will, to be private.

I'm not talking about being offended. I'm talking about people conducting their private lives being verbally assaulted.If we cannot stop verbal assault except by conducting our lives in locked caves, we haven't got much civilization left.
Freedom of speech does not include the right to shout "fire" in a crowded theater. Freedom without definitions and lines drawn is license.

[Bragi]

42. Phelps uses public space

A sidewalk in front of a church is a public space, not a private area.

[proud2BlibKansan]

58. Bush was here last week on his book tour. He spoke in a church.

And we stood on the sidewalk in front of that church and 'welcomed' him.

I'd hate to lose that right because we want to shut up the Phelps.

[Demoiselle]

76. I know that.

But I also know that the Phelps crew would not choose that particular piece of sidewalk if the private funeral they'd chosen to target were not taking place inside the church itself.
I cannot believe that a country as well-supplied as ours with lawyers and courts and constitutional scholars cannot draw some lines that protect speech AND privacy together. I don't believe that "freedom of speech" was ever meant to tear open a great ugly gaping hole for opportunistic publicity seekers, bullies and bigots.
NOTHING is that simple.
The residents of a small town in Oklahoma recently sabotaged the Phelps crowd by puncturing the tires of their van, revving motorcycles to drown them out and generally doing everything they could to prevent them from disturbing the funeral service of a young man killed in action. Would you support investigating and prosecuting the people of this town for their actions?
Never mind. I understand your point, but, let me repeat, nothing is that simple ...in a civilized society.

[tpsbmam]

46. So do you support suppressing the free speech of the Americans who show up to,

in essence, protest these assholes' protest? This isn't the government setting up a free speech zone, it's people who want to spare families the horrors of these assholes descending on funerals & burials. So are you going to assert that one group has more rights to free speech than the other?

[Bragi]

50. Yes, I oppose any violation of the First Amendment rights

If a mob gathers for the purpose of taking action to deny another person the right to legal free expression, then yes, I would expect law enforcement to protect the person trying to exercise their right to free speech from the mob.

[Justitia]

80. Is the gov't showing up to arrest them? No? Then their 1st Amend. rights are protected. -eom

[Bragi]

87. You're just plain wrong on this

The role of the government related to the First Amendment is not limited to refraining from attacking people who might be exercising their free speech rights.

It also has a legal responsibility, when and where necessary, to protect citizens whose right to free expression is being curtailed or threatened by others.

That's why police show up every year to police the annual Nazi parade in Skokie, Illinios.

They are there, as required under the law, to protect the rights of the Nazis to free expression.

[Justitia]

94. I'm not wrong, and you are fetishizing the role of the 1st Amendment. -eom

[Beacool]

56. In the case of these nuts, yes I do.

There should be a modicum of respect for the families of the deceased.

:(

[proud2BlibKansan]

60. But taking away their rights means we all lose.

They tried to pass a law here forbidding protests within so many feet of a church. This was an attempt to shut down the Phelps. But many of us lobbied against this law because none of us would have been able to protest. Fortunately the law failed to be approved.

[CLANG]

23. I just had a great idea of how to get rid of these freaks permanently.

I'd better keep it to myself though....

[leftyladyfrommo]

30. They are cockroaches.

The only real way to deal with them is for several thousand people to show up and simply isolate them from whatever is going on. That has worked in some small towns.

[KamaAina]

44. Take that back!

Cockroaches from New York to Hawai'i are crawling around the woodwork in outrage!

[leftyladyfrommo]

90. I thought of that. These people are lower than cockroaches.

the poor much maligned cockroach.

[KamaAina]

92. How about the Ebola virus?

:puke:

[Jamastiene]

93. The Phelps clan make cockroaches look like royalty.

I would imagine cockroaches all over the world are hissing in offense to that comparison.

[shimmergal]

27. Has anyone tried ridiculing

these kooks?

Obviously they thrive on other people's anger, and legal challenges. But Fred Phelps has already "lost" one son; perhaps making his other lawyer-offspring uncomfortable enough would peel some of them off too. If he couldn't get legal representation for free he might eventually have to go out of business.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

31. :(

:grr:

[proud2BlibKansan]

61. Yes we tried that for years and it didn't work

He thrives on the attention he gets. Fred has also lost more than one child. Last I heard three had left the family. Also they are all lawyers so there is always a family member available to file a lawsuit. Fred was disbarred but his kids are also attorneys.

[xor]

88. I think with these guys it's best to pretend they don't exist. As giving them any attention is what

they're looking for. They're very similar to internet trolls, ya know?

[Lil Missy]

29. OMFG.

[Whoa_Nelly]

33. People of Raleigh should rally to push these assholes out

Is a permit required by Westboro to be able to picket in public like that? If so, am wondering if Phelps' bunch has a permit, if anyone in the area can find out.

[Bragi]

35. Free speech advocates should oppose that

If they are legally in a public space, then they have a right to express their offensive views.

If police have any role here, it should be to protect the right of these loonies to engage in free speech.

[tpsbmam]

47. You keep advocating the free speech of the Westboro assholes over the free speech

of citizens who want to protect the sanctity of grieving families. Why? This is NOT a government silencing action, it's PEOPLE arising to oppose these assholes. The good guys have as much right to speak freely as the Westboro assholes.

[Bragi]

48. I support the First Amendment

The First Amendment prevents people from behaving in a manner that prevents others from exercising their legal right to free expression.

That's the way the law works, as I understand it.

Personally, I am more concerned about protecting the right to free speech than I am about protecting anyone from offensive speech.

[tpsbmam]

53. BOTH groups are exercising their right to free speech. What, you want to silence

the group that opposes the Westboro protests? THAT is infringing on their rights. If the government had restricted the Westboro free speech rights, that would be an affront to the 1st Amendment, not when people do it.

Here's another example. I was part of a protest in NYC the day after the kids were killed at Kent State. The protesters were angry & loud but peaceful. There were a large number of construction workers that descended on our protest -- they were protesting the protest. Now, some of them got violent -- it was both deplorable and illegal and definitely not okay. THOSE construction workers were trying to infringe on the protesters' free speech rights. But the others, the ones who were as peaceful as the Kent State protesters but were equally loud, well...I didn't have to like them being there but they sure as shit had the same right to protest as we did. No one except those who got violent were infringing on anyone's rights -- both sides were exercising their rights to free speech.

[Bragi]

54. I'm not silencing anyone

I'm saying both groups have a right to express their views, and neither has a right to act in a manner that prevents the other party from exercising their rights.

As for the instance in NYC you cite, if the construction workers were preventing the protesters from being able to exercise their right to free speech, then they should have been prevented from doing this.

That they weren't isn't surprising, given the circumstances, but that's how I think the law ought to have been applied.

[mbperrin]

37. They are certainly not a church. The IRS needs to jerk their tax-exempt status.

They don't accept members. They have no services. It's a family cult only. It's not a church. Once they begin to pay taxes like the rest of us, they may have to get a little busier making a living.

There's no reason excrement like these "people" have to be tolerated. I'm retiring soon, and I have been thinking for a while that a few hundred people ought to spend a year or two picketing, screaming, yelling, and suing these folks every time they show their faces anywhere, just for the pure fun of it.

I'm beginning law school in the spring with the intent of being able to cheaply file suit at my whim whenever and wherever I need to. As I say, just thinking out loud here, but I've been thinking this for 3 years now, and it looks kind of good.

[proud2BlibKansan]

62. Yes they are a church and yes they do have services

[mbperrin]

68. I cannot find any schedule of services; could you help me?

Also, his oldest son seems to think all the members of the church are Fred's kids and grandkids, about 60 in all. No invitation to the public and only 60 members, all family, in all the decades of existence, seems to me a feeble impression of a church.

Can you help me?


http://www.stoppingthehate.com/News-Article1302_Nate_Phelps_Estranged_Son_Of_Fred_Phelps_Speaks_Out_Publicly.htm

[proud2BlibKansan]

73. Yes all church members are family

And yes they are an affiliated Baptist church.

I would think information about services would be on the church's website. I know their services are open to the public because I have friends who have attended.

[mbperrin]

74. There's no information about services or even an address on their homepage.

Affiliated with what convention? Certainly not SBC or American Baptist; I checked their directories.

[proud2BlibKansan]

78. 3701 W 12 St Topeka, KS 66604

Wikipedia says it is an independent Baptist church. Whatever that means.

I know they have regular services cause I have friends who have gone to their services. Maybe they are listed on the sign outside the church?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

This is a good documentary on the family: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Most_Hated_Family_in_America

[delightfulstar]

38. Screw you, Fred Phelps.

He and his freeper friends have zero class. It's not fair that we lose Elizabeth, and we're still stuck with the likes of him. :thumbsdown:

I hope there's a huge turnout, and agree on there being a large, peaceful counter-protest - and it will happen. I would actually expect to see a solid "Patriot Guard" presence there, too, to drown out the Phelps Phreak Patrol.

[TeaBagsAreForCups]

43. Fred may just have picked the wrong target...

... this time.

Although as a group, Southerners are not generally noted for their liberal persuasions, they are intensely protective and supportive of "their own."

For many reasons, I suspect Elizabeth enjoyed love and admiration regionally that was both as deep as it was wide.

In no way do I support nor advocate violence, but suffice it to say that regarding Phelps and his crew, first, it's only a matter of time - and second, the vast majority at the funeral will not "cotton" to this "demonstration" or to these "interlopers."

Get the popcorn; it should be very interesting to watch.

[RKP5637]

51. I hope your are right. Best way is for a huge number of people to gather around them

and crowd them out. This shit by this group has gone way over the line. These people are shit hiding under religion.

[fascisthunter]

45. Let a mob come down on these religio fascists

[Bragi]

49. And what about your First Amendment rights?

Would you have any problem if a right-wing group formed a mob to prevent you from saying something they find offensive?

[fascisthunter]

69. I don't use my rights to harrass people who are grieving

the death of someone they care about... but hey, you go ride on that white horse full o' shit into the sunset.

[Bragi]

70. May you never be responsible for the rights of others /nt

[Name removed]

71. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[fascisthunter]

91. awww... my reply was deleted

I guess I was too harsh.... so I'll post again. Nobody said a damn thing about taking their rights away. But you did when I stated a mob go down there to counter them. Interesting, then my post gets deleted...

[John Kerry VonErich]

83. They do anyway.

It's call the tea party movement.

[MilesColtrane]

52. After seeing what kind of signs he plans on displaying...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/09/elizabeth-edwards-funeral-westboro-baptist-church_n_794333.html

in front of the mourning family and friends, I just want to smash Fred Phelp's face in to an unrecognizable, bloody pulp.

Since I'm not going to do it, I'll have to just enjoy the fantasy.

[Tx4obama]

63. Did ya'll see this disgusting flyer?

Excerpt:

In a promotional flier for the upcoming protest, the church references John and Elizabeth Edwards's son Wade, who died in a car crash in 1996:

"When they were visited from the Most High God with the death of their 16-year-old son, they did not humble themselves before His mighty hand. They reared up in rage, decided they would show God who is boss, and meddled in matters of the womb, resulting in 2 more children -- now motherless."

The church goes on to claim that she is now a "resident of hell, where her rebellion and rage will take full flower."



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/09/elizabeth-edwards-funeral-westboro-baptist-church_n_794333.html

Hopefully thousands of folks will show up and run their asses out of town!!!

[benny05]

64. This is so vile

Yet, I wonder if Elizabeth is laughing at the absurdity of it.

I'm hoping some local chapter of Rolling Thunder will show up with their bikes and drown out those bozos.

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :freak:

[dflprincess]

84. Or perhaps like in a couple of smaller towns where people from all

over the area showed up early to keep Phelps and his crew away from churches where soldiers' funerals were being held. If I lived anywhere near Raleigh I would be happy show to fill a space on the sidewalk just to help keep them away.

I'd really love to see what happens when Fred Phelps meets Jesus - I'm sure it will come as a shock to Fred.

[delightfulstar]

65. Elizabeth Edwards is at peace, and with Wade...

Fred Phelps will face whatever just reward he has to for all of the hate he has spread in his life. There's a special place in Hell/purgatory/wherever for people like him.

[progressoid]

67. What horrible people.

:puke:

[redwitch]

72. The Edwards family will be shielded from these sad people.

There is no way on Earth they will be visible at all to the mourners. "Thank God for breast cancer"?, I can only shake my head and wonder what awful thing happened to Fred that he is this hateful and raised his kids to hate everyone too. There will be a vast crowd to shield the family from these horrors, of that I am sure.

[Taverner]

77. OK theists - here's the deal - if the Earth opens and swallows the Phelps clan whole, I'll beleive

I will believe in whatever Christianity, Judaism, Jainism, etc.... that you want.

I just need a little proof - and one such proof would be God taking the Earth, swallowing these mockers whole, and thus giving the human race a breath of fresh air.

[harun]

98. Ok, once they are dead and burried, as we all will one day be, we, the believers have

noted your commitment, and will be holding you to it.

G'day!

;-)

[David Zephyr]

81. What vile people religion can make.

Oh, well.

[John Kerry VonErich]

82. One of these days crackpot will meet crackpot

and someone or ones are gonna get killed.

[somone]

85. Maybe they'll get stranded with flat tires

The Lord works in mysterious ways

[sakabatou]

86. Sick SOBs

[xor]

89. trolls.

[Elmore Furth]

96. What a horrible group of people NT

[Haole Girl]

97. Anything for attention...

they don't care about the cost.