Well, Fred Phelps died.

[muy_thaiguy]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/us/westbo ... nder-dead/

I don't celebrate people dying, but certain people I won't mourn. Phelps I won't mourn, that's for sure.

[crispybits]

Dunno if everyone can see this but Louis Theroux had some good thoughts on this topic:

https://www.facebook.com/LouisTheroux/p ... eam_ref=10

[2dimes]

If I were single I would consider taking some time off work to protest at his funeral.

[notyou2]

Dang, I have to adjust the GOD poll.

[PLAYER57832]

If I were single I would consider taking some time off work to protest at his funeral.

LOL
Seriously, though, not sure it is truly worth the journey... besides his followers would probably just see as making him a martyr. Better to just ignore him.

[jonesthecurl]

Phelps dies, fags laugh.

[Jmac1026]

Phelps dies, fags laugh.

Yeah, cigarettes are sort of assholes like that.

Then again, so was this guy.

[2dimes]

If I were single I would consider taking some time off work to protest at his funeral.

LOL
Seriously, though, not sure it is truly worth the journey... besides his followers would probably just see as making him a martyr. Better to just ignore him.

It would need a bit of diplomacy to do it well. A sign with a selective bible quote would be best I think.

[Army of GOD]

Dunno if everyone can see this but Louis Theroux had some good thoughts on this topic:

https://www.facebook.com/LouisTheroux/p ... eam_ref=10

tl;dr

[Phatscotty]

I continue to be amazed at how much influence an extremely tiny group of bigots has over millions of others to the point millions of people spread their word for them and make them even more influential than they already are, but there is no reason why they should be influential or popular or have their views spread. Many of us know WB is just a construct media elites use to make sure average Joes are categorizing their politics based on hate in a way that demands zero thought on the issues, but really if it wasn't for the media using and abusing their image and reputation, most of us wouldn't even know who they are and the media wouldn't need to push the group into being more popular on TV every time they protest a funeral.

The utilization of Westboro's image may even rival that of the KKK someday, and that's saying a lot, given the KKK has basically been reduced to nothing and experienced their prime over a century ago, but still get summoned up and recieve major play as some kind of modern fantasy of reality by Lefty's on a daily basis a century later.

People who post about WBC, like Symmetry, Pimpdave, Woodruff...they are the one's who help give WBC it's power.

[Army of GOD]

People who post about WBC...they are the one's who help give WBC it's power.

agreeable

[Symmetry]

Aye, it's my fault he got publicity for protesting outside soldiers' funerals. Nice line of argument Scotty.

[notyou2]

Apparently, the media needs to sensor itself to Scotty's taste.

PS I thought you were all for freedom of speech, or is this just another case of "when it suits you"?

[t-o-m]

Title should have read, "Welp, Fred Phelps died."

I hope you can sleep tonight.

[chang50]

Joined that other piece of trash,Falwell,the world is a slightly better place today.

[thegreekdog]

Is it bad that I don't know who this is? For some reason I thought Fred Thompson died.

[muy_thaiguy]

Is it bad that I don't know who this is? For some reason I thought Fred Thompson died.

Leader and founder of the Westboro Baptist Church.

[mrswdk]

PS is entirely correct. The WBC only get to make such a disproportionately huge splash because they have the media gleefully lapping up every stupid thing they say and spraying it all over the internet and TV. If people find the WBC's message so despicable then the best thing to do is ignore it, not give the WBC the coverage and attention that they are hoping for.

It's like school shootings. Every time someone goes postal on his nearest school, the media spend weeks devoting a significant amount of air time to 'WHO WAS THE KILLER AND WHY DID HE DO THIS?', which just tells every psycho watching that if he wants to go out in a blaze of glory and make himself heard then shooting a bunch of other people's kids is a great way to achieve that.

This is one thing I think the media actually get right in China. Separatists recently stabbed about 160 people in Kunming station, killing 30, and they received short-lived, not-very-specific news coverage as a result. Their views were not plastered all over the news and they did not get the attention that their despicable attack did not deserve to receive.

[notyou2]

That's the obvious bonus of living in a state controlled country, you only get the news they want you to hear. How wonderfully utopian.

[Symmetry]

Louis Theroux's documentary on his church is probably the best way to understand him and his ilk.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtfgxo ... shortfilms

[mrswdk]

That's the obvious bonus of living in a state controlled country, you only get the news they want you to hear. How wonderfully utopian.

The news covered the attacks, they just didn't spend lots of time advertising the terrorists' political views (which would, essentially, reward the terrorists for their attack).

[muy_thaiguy]

Louis Theroux's documentary on his church is probably the best way to understand him and his ilk.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtfgxo ... shortfilms

I wwatched it on youtube, it was split into segments, but it was interesting. Especially when outside of the whole anti-gay and anything else that was political or in their "message", they actually weren't that bad of people, and that's from the guy who did the documentary. The lone exception seemingly being Fred Phelps himself, according to Theroux.

[Stegura]

I like the protesters with their "Sorry for your loss" sign.

[t-o-m]

I like the protesters with their "Sorry for your loss" sign.

Best thing for it.

[Symmetry]

Louis Theroux's documentary on his church is probably the best way to understand him and his ilk.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtfgxo ... shortfilms

I wwatched it on youtube, it was split into segments, but it was interesting. Especially when outside of the whole anti-gay and anything else that was political or in their "message", they actually weren't that bad of people, and that's from the guy who did the documentary. The lone exception seemingly being Fred Phelps himself, according to Theroux.

He did a follow up to it which is pretty interesting too. I would have posted the youtube links to both but they came up with the "not available in your country message".