Westboro Baptist in our neck of the woods

[Arista]

Our advice, for what it's worth is to not counter-protest the WBC. Your most noble attempt will be met by the worst behavior you'll have ever seen. They thrive on the confrontation and publicity. They've been doing it for years. It will escalate into confrontation that will detract from the solemn event going on. If you interfere with their 'lawful' protest you will face a lawsuit as they are mostly Lawyers by trade. You will also subject the Chuck County Government to a Civil Rights lawsuit. That is how they make their money and keep their protests going.

Absolutely agreed. When I was in college, I had the "pleasure" (please add the appropriate amount of sarcasm to that word) of having a run-in with the WBC. They came to protest at my college campus about how "college creates fags" and how "God hates people with a college education." A rather large group of students confronted them and no good came of the incident. The confrontation did not accomplish what the students had hoped it would and only made the situation worse in the long run.

Of course, I'm sure no one with half a brain who is capable of independent thought needs me to tell them that these people are truly cracked. They're the very definition of crazy and have skewed and warped the Bible's text to "justify" their screwed up agenda.

Please, exercise caution when dealing with these individuals. They're several fries and half a burger short of a Happy Meal.

 

[clevalley]

We are going to picket the funeral of dead State Trooper Medivac worker Tanya Mallard.

Sad part is Ms. Mallard was not employed by MD. State Police. She just road the chopper as a volunteer to assist.

Goes to show how far off-base this group really is.

 

[JimW711]

When I read the article a little while ago, I was both disgusted and curious. It galls the hell out of me that any group would protest the funeral of someone that gave their life trying to save the life of another, especially in a medical field being that Mrs. Mallard was an EMT.

What makes me curious is what does their anti-gay agenda have anything to do with Mrs. Mallard?

Being a former Volnteer firefighter, I will try to be there to help in any way I can to stand against these zealots.

 

[bcp]

The service, the day of the funeral is scheduled at 9am at NorthPoint HS... the protesters are organizing at the same school at 8:15am...

pretty much not going to work with blocking.

cant the local LEOs keep them off of the school property? You would think that they could, even though schools are considered public property, they do have special limitations for public use.

 

[ememdee19]

Interesting

Lawsuit against WBC

On March 10, 2006 WBC picketed the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder.[56][57][58] On June 5, 2006 the Snyder family sued[59] Fred Phelps, WBC, and unnamed others for defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. On 31 October 2007, WBC, Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, were found liable for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A federal jury awarded Mr. Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages, then later added a decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and an additional $2 million for causing emotional distress (A total of $10,900,000). The organization said it wouldn't change its message because of the verdict.[60][61][62]

Westboro Baptist Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[clevalley]

cant the local LEOs keep them off of the school property? You would think that they could, even though schools are considered public property, they do have special limitations for public use.

We are going to talk later today and I will ask them that...

I would bet local government will maximize the law as they are researching their options and exact interpretations of the law.

I would hope the scum-buckets protest on entrance to the school, as there are two ways in and out of there the funeral procession can use.

 

[Ken King]

We are going to talk later today and I will ask them that...

I would bet local government will maximize the law as they are researching their options and exact interpretations of the law.

I would hope the scum-buckets protest on entrance to the school, as there are two ways in and out of there the funeral procession can use.

What's to interperet? It's pretty straight forward in its wording.

§ 10-205. Obstruction, etc., of entry to or exit from funeral, burial, memorial service, or funeral procession.

(a) Scope.-

(1) This subsection does not apply to a person who conducts a funeral, burial, memorial service, or funeral procession.

(2) A person may not knowingly obstruct, hinder, impede, or block another person's entry to or exit from a funeral, burial, memorial service, or funeral procession.

(b) Prohibited speech.- A person may not address speech to a person attending a funeral, burial, memorial service, or funeral procession that is likely to incite or produce an imminent breach of the peace.

(c) Prohibited picketing.- A person may not engage in picketing activity within 100 feet of a funeral, burial, memorial service, or funeral procession that is targeted at one or more persons attending the funeral, burial, memorial service, or funeral procession.

(d) Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

 

[bcp]

When I read the article a little while ago, I was both disgusted and curious. It galls the hell out of me that any group would protest the funeral of someone that gave their life trying to save the life of another, especially in a medical field being that Mrs. Mallard was an EMT.

What makes me curious is what does their anti-gay agenda have anything to do with Mrs. Mallard?

Being a former Volnteer firefighter, I will try to be there to help in any way I can to stand against these zealots.

And to think, Mrs. Mallard would have done the exact same thing for one of them if they had been in the accident.

Here is the reason they are protesting.
Maryland is gay friendly I suppose. ( no more than any other state as far as I can tell )
God, is punishing Maryland by taking away high profile citizens in horrible accidents.
God brought down the chopper because he is trying to get everyones attention to the heathen qualities of the state.
(not my thoughts)

The way I see it, when God saw the people acting in an unGodly and improper manner while Moses was up collecting the Ten Commandments, He didnt kill them, he just made them wander around for 400 years to make sure the generations of people had been replaced before allowing them into the promised land.

I think, if God was so determined to get the attention of those in Maryland because of some unholy justice, he would instead make Marylanders wander around through life suffering. Hmmm, how long has maryland been democratic rule????

Im fairly certain, with my understanding of the Bible, that God is not playing his hand in a plot for revenge by killing an innocent person to get our attention.
God most likely does not approve of Westboro and they will be discussing it with him hopefully in the near future.

 

[bcp]

What's to interperet? It's pretty straight forward in its wording.

thats the problem, these aholes are using the law to the line and there is nothing anyone can really do about it






legally.

 

[clevalley]

What's to interperet? It's pretty straight forward in its wording.

Pretty damn straight forward then.

NorthPoint HS is HUGE, and the parking lot is even larger, with another school next to it with a large school zone. I wonder where this 100' barrier will start? Hopefully on 228.

 

[Ken King]

thats the problem, these aholes are using the law to the line and there is nothing anyone can really do about it






legally.

If they follow the letter of the law then what is the problem? Are you saying that these WBC folk are just going to stand at 101' away with signs and not disrupt, make inciting comments or interfere with the event in any way, shape, or form?

 

[HeavyChevy75]

Jeez...and to think that if she had come across one of them in an accident she would have stopped and helped them.

 

[clevalley]

If they follow the letter of the law then what is the problem?

The problem is these "Christians" are disrespecting a loss of life...

Are you saying that these WBC folk are just going to stand at 101' away with signs and not disrupt, make inciting comments or interfere with the event in any way, shape, or form?

You know what, they do just stand there with their signs in silence just to get their exposure. I am not going to post the YouTube videos as most of them show the counter-protests and have profanity on them... not good for the open forums.

 

[Sharon]

Burn Jesus in effigy and mock their beliefs. Dress like devils and angels and make signs saying Jesus wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.. Or God hates insane religious zealots.

Fight ignorance and stupidity with more ignorance and stupidity.

 

[Ken King]

The problem is these "Christians" are disrespecting a loss of life...


You know what, they do just stand there with their signs in silence just to get their exposure. I am not going to post the YouTube videos as most of them show the counter-protests and have profanity on them... not good for the open forums.

Sure I'm serious. If they are not in violation of any law then why can't they do it? Do I like the idea that someone can be so disrespectful? Hell no. But this is America, is it not? We are supposedly a free nation and while we might not like how some exercise this freedom any effort to curtail it outside of the legal boundaries is an equal atrocity.

 

[bcp]

Fight ignorance and stupidity with more ignorance and stupidity.

hire some gay prostitutes to go in and start kissing on them and trying to pick them up.
Get pictures, post the evidence that they are really gay and just trying to hide the fact.

 

[clevalley]

Sure I'm serious. If they are not in violation of any law then why can't they do it? Do I like the idea that someone can be so disrespectful? Hell no. But this is America, is it not? We are supposedly a free nation and while we might not like how some exercise this freedom any effort to curtail it outside of the legal boundaries is an equal atrocity.

You're right, this is America... there actions piss me off, as well as you...

 

[Arista]

What makes me curious is what does their anti-gay agenda have anything to do with Mrs. Mallard?

Nothing.

Their whole platform is "God hates fags." They view America as gay-friendly and thereby believe that all the bad things that happen to America or Americans occur solely because God is out to smite America and show His displeasure in America's support of gays. They well and truly believe that God is a vengeful being and He is out there striking down innocent people. Like I said, these people are completely cracked. You can't really logically explain why they choose to protest what they do and how doing so is actually relevant to their platform. 99% of the time, it's not relevant.

 

[JimW711]

Nothing.

Their whole platform is "God hates fags." They view America as gay-friendly and thereby believe that all the bad things that happen to America or Americans occur solely because God is out to smite America and show His displeasure in America's support of gays. They well and truly believe that God is a vengeful being and He is out there striking down innocent people. Like I said, these people are completely cracked. You can't really logically explain why they choose to protest what they do and how doing so is actually relevant to their platform. 99% of the time, it's not relevant.

I'll be perfectly honest and admit that I'm not one that's for gay rights, but that doesn't mean I'm going to protest about it to any degree. How they can call themselves members of a Baptist church I'll never know. These people must read the bible with selective reading habits, and it makes me sick.

 

[Highlander]

I was wondering why they chose the Medic's funeral and not the Retired Trooper or the Active Trooper's funeral. Or did I miss something. I would think they did this because they knew they'd probably get locked up at the officer's funerals with 1000 of cops there. What a bunch of sissy azzholes!