They'll be picketing at the Ohio Union on October 4th. I've heard student organizations are already organizing counter protests to let the Church know they're not welcome, and I might participate. I can't stand these people, but I am somewhat excited to be able to personally respond to their hateful messages.

http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html

I don't know if this belongs in Politics forum or Serious Business, so I apologize if it is deemed to be in the wrong place.

well at least they are not building a church across the street.( sarcasm alert)

I work at The Union, this should be interesting...

We saw these scumbags in Brooklyn. They are a complete joke, and while I am sure you realize that already, just wait till you see this "church." To label their congregation "pathetic" is an understatement. Just a handful of inbreds, you almost feel bad cause you know they have been brainwashed since birth and never had a chance.

When they make appearances like this, I think the best strategy of all is to simply ignore them. If nobody is getting worked up, they're failing miserably in their mission.

I want to qualify this by saying if they show up at funerals or burial sites, they should be arrested for disturbing the peace. But for stuff at public buildings and such, just ignore them.

Writerbuckeye;459955 wrote:I want to qualify this by saying if they show up at funerals or burial sites, they should be arrested for disturbing the peace. But for stuff at public buildings and such, just ignore them.

Rush had a good analogy today. He wonders if the President along with all of the mosque in NYC defenders will step in and defend Fred Phelps and his band the right to spread their message all over America. Will we see them on TV saying we should understand their position and not get mad at them for spreading their fear-mongering? Will Footwedge get on the OC and claim we should understand them and their message and not get emotional and go to their rallies to spew hatred?

We all know the answer, but doesn't it make you think about constitutional rights vs. sensibilities and compassion? Rush puts the shoe squarely on the other foot and asks if being sensible goes both ways. Interesting.

These people are a joke. Not sure why anyone really gets worked up over them. Fred Phelps is a homosexual that never came out of the closet and therefore conceals his insecurities with his hate for "fags". JMO

dwccrew;459978 wrote:These people are a joke. Not sure why anyone really gets worked up over them. Fred Phelps is a homosexual that never came out of the closet and therefore conceals his insecurities with his hate for "fags". JMO

This is most likely true. His son came out some time ago, if I remember correctly.

I know that 2 of his sons and 1 daughter (with their spouses) came out - meaning disenfranchised themselves from the family/church - publicly. I did alot of reading up on these folks, disturbing.

I think it's disgusting that with all the brilliance and book sense that Fred Phelps has (or had) was wasted by this pure rot. He could have done good things with his life and created a great family to continue on good works. But instead, the world got the WBC. What a shame. But, isn't that how it always works out, historically speaking?

I admit: some small part of my mind wishes that the adults would lock all their kids outside and then group together and Jim Jones it. At least then the kids would have some small fighting chance to work towards better lives and working past all the programming they've gone through.
....................

At any rate, let's hope the students at Ohio State are able to keep their cool and not get into any trouble!

You want to know how to best combat them? Get some student groups together and donate x number of dollars for every x period of time to a charity that promotes tolerance of gays/other religions/other races.

I Wear Pants;460115 wrote:You want to know how to best combat them? Get some student groups together and donate x number of dollars for every x period of time to a charity that promotes tolerance of gays/other religions/other races.

I've heard that the Columbus Aids Task Force will be there to collect donations from the student counter-protesters.

The best protest would really be to have absolutely no on in sight. Not just ignoring them, but literally having no one there. Have all the employees at the union and all the students just walk out as soon as it starts. Cancel all classes within earshot of the building and literally don't have one single person, camera, or microphone in sight. To bad this could never get coordinated enough to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZfZiBRFM5w

I heard WBC' s rally is not going to be at the Ohio Union site but a few blocks away. WBC's pastor is insuring that this rally has nothing to do with hating gays but merely an attempt to service the spiritual needs of OSU students. In fact the rally will be open to the public.

Obama says that in America we have a right to free expression of religion and instead of objecting to this we should show tolerance. Those who think that the WBC rally will be a breeding grounds for neo-Nazi Skin Heads are just being ignorant, intolerant, racist, and bigoted towards gay haters.

Obvious sarcasm alert....

I'm with the "ignore them" crowd. Groups like this thrive on confrontation and the media attention it brings. Ignore them and the'll eventually fade away.

BGFalcons82;459971 wrote:Rush had a good analogy today. He wonders if the President along with all of the mosque in NYC defenders will step in and defend Fred Phelps and his band the right to spread their message all over America. Will we see them on TV saying we should understand their position and not get mad at them for spreading their fear-mongering? Will Footwedge get on the OC and claim we should understand them and their message and not get emotional and go to their rallies to spew hatred?

We all know the answer, but doesn't it make you think about constitutional rights vs. sensibilities and compassion? Rush puts the shoe squarely on the other foot and asks if being sensible goes both ways. Interesting.

no one says you have to understand them or even like them, but they have the right to be there if they wish.

If i was in the vicinity, i'd protest their church, every sunday.

BGFalcons82;459971 wrote:Rush had a good analogy today. He wonders if the President along with all of the mosque in NYC defenders will step in and defend Fred Phelps and his band the right to spread their message all over America. Will we see them on TV saying we should understand their position and not get mad at them for spreading their fear-mongering? Will Footwedge get on the OC and claim we should understand them and their message and not get emotional and go to their rallies to spew hatred?

We all know the answer, but doesn't it make you think about constitutional rights vs. sensibilities and compassion? Rush puts the shoe squarely on the other foot and asks if being sensible goes both ways. Interesting.

God that's a horrible fucking analogy

j_crazy;460762 wrote:If i was in the vicinity, i'd protest their church, every sunday.

And you would be giving them just what they want -- attention.

If people ignore them (no counter protests) there is no media attention and they don't get what they want.

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derek bomar;460769 wrote:God that's a horrible fucking analogy

What's the matter...did he make you think a little about why it's OK to defend Muslims but not hate-mongering zealots? Looks like the shoe didn't fit you so well on the other foot.

Is there anyone saying Phelps and his sickos don't have that right? Not that I've heard, which is why the analogy fails.

I can tell you how one gay organization handled them. I have just spent ten years as a member of the Seattle Men's Chorus, the largest gay organization in the Pacific NW. Last year the Westboro assholes picketed the Gay Pride Parade in Seattle. The SMC had a float in the parade and we singing members marched along. When we came up to the Westboro turds, we started singing "Jesus Loves Me." It absolutely pissed the living shit out of those people. We got a big laugh out of that.

BGFalcons82;459971 wrote:Rush had a good analogy today. He wonders if the President along with all of the mosque in NYC defenders will step in and defend Fred Phelps and his band the right to spread their message all over America. Will we see them on TV saying we should understand their position and not get mad at them for spreading their fear-mongering?

I don't know if it's a great analogy. They do have the right to be there and I would be surprised if Obama would say they didn't. Will he actually come out and say something about it? I hope not because I don't want them to have that much attention.

I'm with writer and everyone else who thinks it best to just ignore these crackpots.

FatHobbit;461410 wrote:I don't know if it's a great analogy. They do have the right to be there and I would be surprised if Obama would say they didn't. Will he actually come out and say something about it? I hope not because I don't want them to have that much attention.

The point is this: The Muslims have a Constitutional right to build their mosque within city ordinances and building codes where they please. The Fred Phelps gang has the exact same Constitutional right to spread their message. The people asking the Muslims to show a little compassion, show a little sympathy to the 9/11 families, be sensitive to the situation and not build their mosque in the shadows of Ground Zero are labelled as Islamaphobes, bigots, racists, and zealots. These same people, who say the mosque should be built, are now vehemontly oppposing the Fred Phelps gang because his group is not sensitive to gays, bigoted, homophobic, etc.

Like I said, the shoe is squarely on the other foot and it's kind of interesting to watch the reactions here on OC. Those defending the Muslims to build on their Constitutional Rights have no problem harrassing, impugning, chastising and demonstrating against Fred Phelps and their rights. In other words, it's about politics more than it is about Constitutional rights and it's interesting to watch how the tap dance is done. FWIW, I'm with the posters that say to ignore the Fred Phelps gang. They are looking to be noteworthy and in the conversation, so why include them at all?