Westboro Baptist Church Goes To Mississippi – And Loses

[W5RB]

Mods or Admins , feel free to move this to another area , if I've put it in the wrong spot , or if comments warrant .

http://thehayride.com/2011/04/westboro-baptist-church-goes-to-mississippi-and-loses/

These are my neighbors .


On Saturday USMC Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers, who was killed in action in Afghanistan April 7, was buried in Brandon, Mississippi.
That, by itself, is a sadly unremarkable – though certainly noteworthy and solemn – occasion for us to mark.
And in fact when Sgt. Rogers’ body returned to Brandon it was greeted by hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, of well-wishers who gathered at the roadside to honor the fallen American hero. The dashboard camera from Mississippi state trooper Elmo Townsend’s cruiser gives an indication of the scene last Thursday.What is most notable about Sgt. Rogers’ funeral in Brandon, however, is what didn’t happen.
You see, the troglodytes from Westboro Baptist Church had threatened to spew their poison at Sgt. Rogers’ funeral.
But the Westboro mob wasn’t on the scene, and Sgt. Rogers was laid to rest without incident – thank God.
Why weren’t there protestors?
Planning ahead by the locals, as it turns out.

Follow the link for the rest of the story . There are several videos .

[ad4mg]

I was on board until the 'Democratic activist" reference. More weak kneed right wing rhetoric. A creative solution marred by the monosyllabic partisan reference.

Given all that, and the author's refusal to step back from the partisan rhetoric, it reeks of fake patriotism to me.

Do you think the fallen soldier would have approved of such a remark? I doubt he willingly gave his life for such an arrogantly divisive opinion. That soldier was an American, and he died an American. It's more than shameful to mar his memory with rhetoric as hateful as the rhetoric they sought to exclude.

On the surface, this seemed to feel pretty good. I don't think anyone with all their faculties supports these pseudo-religious maniacs. It's a shame it was ruined by a polar opposite pseudo-political remark.

You place the thread where you want, we aren't anal about that at all. If you want it moved, we'll do it for the asking.

[W3MIV]

Frankly, I am sickened by the way this Marine is being used by the system to foster the illusion of importance to his death. His life was squandered by a nation bent on felonious imperialism, and all the flag waving and fervent gushes of misplaced patriotism will not bring him back to his family. To date more than 112,000 US military personnel have been killed in undeclared wars fought for no other goal than political and/or economic control over other nations of the world.

Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union the "evil empire." He was wrong, the US is the evil empire, and we have wrought more injury around the world since 1945 than ever did the Soviets.

[N8YX]

Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union the "evil empire." He was wrong, the US is the evil empire, and we have wrought more injury around the world since 1945 than ever did the Soviets.
Substitute "malicious" for "evil" and you may have a point.

[rot]

I know not how it feels to deal with a loss like this as a father, a son or as a friend with an antagonistic outside influence.
The only thing left is memories and the feedback loops are closed.
Not sure what would give me peace, which is truely what I would hope for anyone else.
In my heart of hearts, for me, I would not feel comforted by the "We kicked their ass" group after the fact.
Maybe it offers community peace or an outsider looking in peace, but surely not I.
As I say again, I know not how it feels and can only project.
In a sense, your neighbors are my neighbors as well and I would not offer you this as a means of comfort or healing.
If it does in the long run, I will stand corrected.
rot

[W3MIV]

Substitute "malicious" for "evil" and you may have a point.

Is that not a difference without distinction?


In a sense, your neighbors are my neighbors as well and I would not offer you this as a means of comfort or healing.

"No man is an island, entire of itself...." Not even the innocent Afghans caught in our web of militarism, and all children are innocents. I remember well the chant, "Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?"

As Bob Dylan wrote, "How many years must the cannon balls fly?"

[W5RB]

I was on board until the 'Democratic activist" reference. More weak kneed right wing rhetoric. A creative solution marred by the monosyllabic partisan reference.

Given all that, and the author's refusal to step back from the partisan rhetoric, it reeks of fake patriotism to me.

Do you think the fallen soldier would have approved of such a remark? I doubt he willingly gave his life for such an arrogantly divisive opinion. That soldier was an American, and he died an American. It's more than shameful to mar his memory with rhetoric as hateful as the rhetoric they sought to exclude.

On the surface, this seemed to feel pretty good. I don't think anyone with all their faculties supports these pseudo-religious maniacs. It's a shame it was ruined by a polar opposite pseudo-political remark.

You place the thread where you want, we aren't anal about that at all. If you want it moved, we'll do it for the asking.

I placed this in the "General Chat " , because , to me , it's not mostly a story about politics , but about the best part of what neighbors do for each other .The "activist" remark was well-defended in the article , and hardly the thrust of it . I think your characterization of that description as "hateful " is a gross misdirection.

[W5RB]

Frankly, I am sickened by the way this Marine is being used by the system to foster the illusion of importance to his death. His life was squandered by a nation bent on felonious imperialism, and all the flag waving and fervent gushes of misplaced patriotism will not bring him back to his family. To date more than 112,000 US military personnel have been killed in undeclared wars fought for no other goal than political and/or economic control over other nations of the world.

Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union the "evil empire." He was wrong, the US is the evil empire, and we have wrought more injury around the world since 1945 than ever did the Soviets.

I didn't post the article as support for the war , since I don't support it , and have not , since the beginning .The last Republican I supported for President would have ended US involvement in those .Those people on the roadside , and the very impressive Patriot Guard presence , weren't about politics , not on that day .

[ad4mg]

I placed this in the "General Chat " , because , to me , it's not mostly a story about politics , but about the best part of what neighbors do for each other .The "activist" remark was well-defended in the article , and hardly the thrust of it . I think your characterization of that description as "hateful " is a gross misdirection.
And that's all good. I don't have an issue with that, your opinion is as valid and as welcome as mine, perhaps more welcome at times, as I seem to suffer 'delivery' issues.

I wish we could all proceed along these lines!

[W5RB]

I know not how it feels to deal with a loss like this as a father, a son or as a friend with an antagonistic outside influence.
The only thing left is memories and the feedback loops are closed.
Not sure what would give me peace, which is truely what I would hope for anyone else.
In my heart of hearts, for me, I would not feel comforted by the "We kicked their ass" group after the fact.
Maybe it offers community peace or an outsider looking in peace, but surely not I.
As I say again, I know not how it feels and can only project.
In a sense, your neighbors are my neighbors as well and I would not offer you this as a means of comfort or healing.
If it does in the long run, I will stand corrected.
rot

Thanks , Rot. You seem to have found the essence of the story . Trying to see this from the family's perspective , yep , they'd likely prefer that everybody just left them to bury their loved one in peace .Is it a sad commentary on the times that once the Westboro crew gets involved that isn't possible ? Yep it is . Once that happens the singular motivation of many of the others who then get involved , is to deny the protesters access and opportunity . Actually , around here , even with no threat of protest , people sometimes line the roads , to a lesser degree , when National Guard units return home . The love that those people are out there expressing ain't for a political party or a war . I'm glad that somebody gets that.

[W3MIV]

I didn't post the article as support for the war , since I don't support it , and have not , since the beginning .The last Republican I supported for President would have ended US involvement in those .Those people on the roadside , and the very impressive Patriot Guard presence , weren't about politics , not on that day .

I understand you do not support the war, Russ, and I did not mean to imply otherwise. I apologize if that seemed to be the case. Though we may disagree about which president might do what about any of the wars (it seems to me that no president of either party since FDR has had much hesitation to go to war for American imperialist aims), my core of anger is based in the miserable fact that young men like this Marine are being deceived, deluded into believing that they are serving some noble purpose when they are but tools of a system that seeks to dominate resources and control potential resistance to our domination of those resources. It is a strategic game being waged for future control of those resources in which the men and women being maimed, deranged and killed around the world under the aegis of a US ensign are mere pawns.

And, of course those people gathered along the highway were about politics. They were gathered there to oppose the politics of the Baptist assholes who would burden families with the added grief instead of the Christian consolation both creed and common sense would require.

For the family's sake, I share your evident happiness that these many people turned out to ward off the noxious torture of the Westboro assholes. But to deny that their mission is political is to deny reality.

[W3WN]

I didn't post the article as support for the war , since I don't support it , and have not , since the beginning .The last Republican I supported for President would have ended US involvement in those .Those people on the roadside , and the very impressive Patriot Guard presence , weren't about politics , not on that day .Agreed, this shouldn't be about the war. This is a very personal issue for the family. Regardless of how one feels about the wars overseas, and their justifications (or lack thereof) and the rest of the political mishagash...

For the family, they have a loved one who voluntered for military service and, sadly, paid the ultimate price. They should be permitted by ALL to grieve as privately (or as publicly) as they wish. The poor soul who's being buried is not a public figure, and he (or she) and the family do not deserve to be turned into a public spectacle.

Sadly, the Westboro meshugediks don't truly care about anyone but themselves, and have (against their wishes) dragged the family and their mourning under the public spotlight.

The only thing sadder about this story than the death itself is the necessity of the community to take action to prevent further reprehensible actions by those schmendriks who claim that their rights trample everyone elses.

[KC2UGV]

So, we need to consider this a good thing?

A person was beaten for their views. Then, the police detained the person, and the associates of the person; thereby preventing them from exercising their right to free and peaceable assembly...

We really need to consider this to be a "good" turn of events? Maybe if I worked for Minipax, I'd see this as a good turn of events...

[W5RB]

dupe

[W5RB]

So, we need to consider this a good thing?

A person was beaten for their views. Then, the police detained the person, and the associates of the person; thereby preventing them from exercising their right to free and peaceable assembly...

We really need to consider this to be a "good" turn of events? Maybe if I worked for Minipax, I'd see this as a good turn of events...

I considered those things before posting the item , and I understand your concerns . I once lived within a few miles of where all this happened .Without knowing specifics , I'll go out on a limb and say the guy had to be expressing his views in a fairly aggressive way , to tote an ass-whipping in a gas station parking lot in Brandon , MS . I have never believed that the goal of these Westboro protests was "peaceable assembly". Rightly or not , yes , I take some satisfaction in the fact that Fred Phelps got his ass handed to him less than 100 miles from where he was born and raised .

[W3MIV]

I take some satisfaction in the fact that Fred Phelps got his ass handed to him less than 100 miles from where he was born and raised .

I think we are in total agreement on this part, and I am not ashamed to admit it.

[ad4mg]

yes, I take some satisfaction in the fact that Fred Phelps got his ass handed to him less than 100 miles from where he was born and raised

I share that satisfaction with you, Russ, even knowing it may not be totally right. It's nice to see the bully get his ass kicked now and then ...

[KG4CGC]

Back to the author's comments, really? That's just stupid and batshit brand defense. Nice story but the writer could learn a few things from people who are actual journalists (reporting news) than the ones whom I'm sure he thinks are journalists (rightwing pundits). The author may well be within his 1st Amendment rights but apparently, according to the SCOTUS, the WBC are within their rights. Could the WBC bring a Civil Rights Infringement lawsuit against the town?

[NQ6U]

The author may well be within his 1st Amendment rights but apparently, according to the SCOTUS, the WBC are within their rights. Could the WBC bring a Civil Rights Infringement lawsuit against the town?

They can and I'm willing to bet that they will. They're a family of lawyers, after all.

While it's hard to get choked up by one of those WBC assholes getting his butt kicked, that sort of thing is exactly what they're trying to provoke. You watch—This thing is not over yet.

[WØTKX]

Any so called church that is a hate group should lose their tax exempt status.

[W3MIV]

I don't see any basis for the WBC to sue the town for an infringement of FA rights.

[NQ6U]

Any so called church that is a hate group should lose their tax exempt status.

Fuckin' A*, my friend.



*"I agree with you completely."

[NQ6U]

I don't see any basis for the WBC to sue the town for an infringement of FA rights.

They may not have any basis, but that doesn't mean they won't try. With a stable of lawyers in the family, it costs them very little to bring a suit.

[W3WN]

I don't see any basis for the WBC to sue the town for an infringement of FA rights.They don't need a basis to sue.

Anybody can file a lawsuit.

What they don't have is a basis to proceed with one to trial, let alone win one.

[KG4CGC]

I am looking at this strictly from a legal point of view. I do not support the views of the WBC hate group. They could make the case that their civil rights were infringed upon by the town in a collective negative bias (and basically the town conspired as a whole) against them and as a result they were not allowed to exercise those rights as per the decision of the highest court in the land.

[X-Rated]

In 1998, Fred Phelps ran for governor in the Democratic primary. The race was going against the incumbent Republican Bill Graves. The governor was very well liked on the Republican side and the Democrats really didn't have that big of an issue with that guy. The democrats were thinking of letting Graves waltz to an unopposed victory in that November until Phelps threw his hat into the ring. A state rep decided to run as the sacrificial lamb in the race and take out Phelps early in the primary.

Call him and his followers what you like. They ain't supported by any Democratic party I know.

[W3MIV]

They don't need a basis to sue.

Anybody can file a lawsuit.

What they don't have is a basis to proceed with one to trial, let alone win one.

They could be fined for filing a frivolous law suit.

[W2NAP]

"A couple of days before, one of them (Westboro protestors) ran his mouth at a Brandon gas station and got his arse waxed. Police were called and the beaten man could not give much of a description of who beat him. When they canvassed the station and spoke to the large crowd that had gathered around, no one seemed to remember anything about what had happened."

bout time one of them got shitstomped

[n2ize]

I didn't post the article as support for the war , since I don't support it , and have not , since the beginning .The last Republican I supported for President would have ended US involvement in those .Those people on the roadside , and the very impressive Patriot Guard presence , weren't about politics , not on that day .

I'm glad you posted it. Those townsfolk did the right thing. Keep that hateful bunch of wretched Westboro pigs on the run. They are all trash. Phelps himself is trash.

Aas far as the "democratic activist" comment, well, no need to apologize for that. Facts are fact. If Phelps aligned himself with Gore and the dems than so be it. Facts are facts. besides, it is not a blanket condemnation of the democratic party.

[KC2UGV]

Any so called church that is a hate group should lose their tax exempt status.

Then pretty much every church would lose it... Personally, I think EVERY church should lose their tax exempt status, but that's another thread.

[W4RLR]

Frankly, I am sickened by the way this Marine is being used by the system to foster the illusion of importance to his death. His life was squandered by a nation bent on felonious imperialism, and all the flag waving and fervent gushes of misplaced patriotism will not bring him back to his family. To date more than 112,000 US military personnel have been killed in undeclared wars fought for no other goal than political and/or economic control over other nations of the world.

Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union the "evil empire." He was wrong, the US is the evil empire, and we have wrought more injury around the world since 1945 than ever did the Soviets.So do you hate the war or hate the warrior?

[WX7P]

So do you hate the war or hate the warrior?

Richard, explain to me where there is any reference to "hate the warrior"/

This article that Russ posted and your comments have been the right wing message for some time now. In your case, if you are against a stupid government policy, you're anti-troops.

Russ's silly blog shows that vigilante-ism is alive and well in this country.
Use the presence of a really reprehensible group as an excuse to do something illegal in defense of "the good". What would be your reaction be if one of your SCV activities was disrupted by people not happy with your group? It's your constitutional right to do whatever it is you do, as it is for the Westboro scumbags. How do you reconcile that?

As for the Brandon gas station incident, it's ok to kick someone's ass if you don't like what they say? I don't think so.

[WX7P]

And that's all good. I don't have an issue with that, your opinion is as valid and as welcome as mine, perhaps more welcome at times, as I seem to suffer 'delivery' issues.

I wish we could all proceed along these lines!

You left Russ off the hook too soon for his defense of the silly "democrat activist" comment. The comment wasn't "well-defended", it was a wild ass accusation, and was an attempt to paint Democrats as supportive of the Westboro bohunks.

And, Russ- You whined about being provoked the other night after I went after you for some of your commments. I apologize to you and the group for the vitriol in my response to your comments, but I stand behind the basic message.

This thread is EXACTLY what you were complaining about the other side doing. Posting garbage with the slightly encoded message that "Democrat activists" are really like the Westboro fools. That kind of thing is patently false and makes me see red. Well, blue actually...

[ad4mg]

So do you hate the war or hate the warrior?
Well, that came out of left field. I can't figure anything he offered would give anything but a clear indication of the answer. Maybe you need to find some of that 'pissed off' food you mention in your signature.

[W5RB]

You left Russ off the hook too soon for his defense of the silly "democrat activist" comment. The comment wasn't "well-defended", it was a wild ass accusation, and was an attempt to paint Democrats as supportive of the Westboro bohunks.
The comment , as you saw , was not mine , nor was it a prominent part of the article I posted . Perhaps I should have said "well-supported" , which it was . You infer a lot from other people's words that , frankly , I don't see . Sometimes , the only thing "between the lines" , is space .


And, Russ- You whined about being provoked the other night after I went after you for some of your commments. I apologize to you and the group for the vitriol in my response to your comments, but I stand behind the basic message.
Apology accepted .


This thread is EXACTLY what you were complaining about the other side doing. Posting garbage with the slightly encoded message that "Democrat activists" are really like the Westboro fools. That kind of thing is patently false and makes me see red. Well, blue actually...

What I complained about was the fact that several posters here use very incendiary language that is obviously designed to demean and incite anger in all those with opposing views .They spew whatever the Soros operatives have told them to push that week , whether it's on-topic or not . In short , they troll to draw their opponents into , not a discussion , but a fight . Deny it if you will , but dozens of threads support what I'm saying . I didn't see anything that suggested that all Democrats were like the Westboro gang . As to posting articles with "patently false" content , well , PKB.

[W5RB]

So do you hate the war or hate the warrior?

In fairness , I thought Albi made that distinction reasonably clear .

[NQ6U]

So do you hate the war or hate the warrior?

Kind of depend on the warrior, doesn't it?

One kind of warrior puts himself in harm's way for what he genuinely believes is the good of his country. Right or wrong, that warrior deserve respect.

Another kind of warrior is in it for the glory. He deserves little respect.

Yet another kind of warrior is a careerist of limited abilities who's looking for a steady pay check. This type of warrior occupies a rear-echelon position throughout his service term, then retires with full pension and finds a job in the civilian world. He goes to the PX/Commissary for discounted supplies, receives his health benefits on Uncle Sam's dime, then complains about "Obama Care" and calls welfare recipients "moochers." There's a whole lot of that kind of warrior here in San Diego County and I have no respect for them whatsoever.

[W2NAP]

Then pretty much every church would lose it... Personally, I think EVERY church should lose their tax exempt status, but that's another thread.

i agree to that. nobody should get "tax exempt"

[W3MIV]

In fairness , I thought Albi made that distinction reasonably clear .

Thank you, Russ. Things one does and believes in one's youth have a way of altering with the perspective of age and experience. Introspection can be a good thing, but the shame is that wisdom comes late. As the old verity warns, "you can't put an old head on young shoulders." Were it possible to do, we might have a chance to end these useless wars and save people like young Jason for higher and better purposes at home.

[WØTKX]

We could put old heads on young people if schools did not do the "Lies my Teacher Told Me" scenarios.

[W3MIV]

We could put old heads on young people if schools did not do the "Lies my Teacher Told Me" scenarios.

That is true. Burn all history texts except for those of Howard Zinn and a few other "iconoclasts," and forbid such passé bits of pseudo-patriotism as the Pledge of Allegiance -- consign them to the same dust bin as prayers and Bible tracts. Banish Pentagon recruiters from our colleges and universities; shut down all ROTC programs. Stop all research contracts with academia (including such pseudo-academic enterprises as my neighbor, the Applied Physics Lab of JHU), and force them to return to the ancient mission of education, not of training overseers for the moneyed elite.

Let the cleansing sunlight of truth into the classrooms at every end of the educational spectrum and, perhaps in a few generations, we shall see a real change.

[WØTKX]

I have always had a penchant for teaching, and I like kids. Even teenagers though challenging, can be reached.

But it's not an honorable decent paying profession, and as a single white guy, my motives would be questioned.

This actually happened in ski school, there was discrimination against older males. Women preferred. Stupid.

[KG4CGC]

<snip>
This actually happened in ski school, there was discrimination against older males. Women preferred. Stupid.
A shave and a tuck? Tootsie?

[WØTKX]

No, I would be even uglier than Tootsie. Not "passable".

[KG4CGC]

"taxi. taxi. TAXI!"