The "God Hates Fags" morons

[aricandover]

finally got whats coming to them....

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/31/funer...s.ap/index.html

Church ordered to pay $10.9 million for funeral protestStory Highlights

 

BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

 

Albert Snyder of York, Pennsylvania, sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

 

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.

 

U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court.

 

Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

 

A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries.

 

But the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

 

The church and three of its leaders -- the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46 -- were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.

 

Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

 

The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that the deaths of soldiers are due to the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

 

Their attorneys argued in closing statements Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

 

The judge said the church's financial statements, sealed earlier, could be released to the plaintiffs.

 

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse.

 

Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers."

 

Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."

 

Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict, while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles. E-mail to a friend

 

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[OOO]

Isn't a prison shower more along the lines of what's coming to them?

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

finally got whats coming to them....

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/31/funer...s.ap/index.html

 

 

Yeah...

 

The odd thing about this is that this church is associated (at least by name) with a major denomination. It's usually the non-denominational churches that are kinda out there.

[ZenLunatic]

finally got whats coming to them....

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/31/funer...s.ap/index.html

 

OMG! I cant believe this is a true story. Some people are just plain screwy.

[caliber66]

Yeah...

 

The odd thing about this is that this church is associated (at least by name) with a major denomination. It's usually the non-denominational churches that are kinda out there.

 

While its members identify themselves as Baptists, the church is an independent church not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations, nor does any Baptist institution recognize the church as a Bible believing fellowship.

 

wiki

[Boots]

As horrible as these people are millions of dollars being awarded for speech seems troubling to me. And I'm agnostic, pro-gay, and from a millitary family (my little brother is active now)

[gogo]

I saw this documentary a few months ago, and if you ever get the chance to see it, I recommend it.

 

http://www.lawrence.com/news/2006/nov/24/ryanjones/

 

It's particularly chilling to hear the children in his family repeating the vileness they hear from their parents and grandparents.

[EL the Famous]

As horrible as these people are millions of dollars being awarded for speech seems troubling to me. And I'm agnostic, pro-gay, and from a millitary family (my little brother is active now)

 

while i'm down for free speech, even when i don't agree with what's being said. demonstrating against homosexuality, at such a private moment as a funeral (for somebody who isn't even gay nonetheless)...no different than someone waltzing right into your house and doing the same.

 

besides all that, it's just ghoulish and completely insensitive.

[ction]

Attending your own child's funeral is an awful enough experience anyway, let alone being subjected to hateful morons using it to promote their own ignorant social/political agenda. Fuck those people.

[EL the Famous]

Attending your own child's funeral is an awful enough experience anyway, let alone being subjected to hateful morons using it to promote their own ignorant social/political agenda. Fuck those people.

 

exactly.

[Sir Stewart]

These nothings showed up at graduation last year at the high school where my wife teaches. They got clearance through town hall and everything. The kids were great, she said, just staring them down, not taking the bait.

[gogo]

I love the biker group who formed specifically to shield these funerals from Phelps' group.

 

Patriot Guard Riders Mission Statement

 

The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse amalgamation of riders from across the nation. We have one thing in common besides motorcycles. We have an unwavering respect for those who risk their very lives for America

[Boots]

I'm not going to lose any sleep over this judgement, and if something should happen to my brother over there and they showed up, well there very well might be some additional burials that day.

 

Anyway I think the bikers are great, they get my agnostic God Bless You

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Yeah...

 

The odd thing about this is that this church is associated (at least by name) with a major denomination. It's usually the non-denominational churches that are kinda out there.

There are many Baptist churches that are not a member of any official denomination or conference. Oh, I see that's already been covered.

 

That said, this isn't a real church. It's mostly Fred Phelps and his family. They're a family of lawyers and THEY'RE usually the ones earning money from these lawsuits. Hopefully this will stick, but the legal basis seems somewhat shaky. Their views and actions seem calculated to make people assault them or deny their demonstration petitions, etc. Liberals, conservatives, moderates, anyone with some notion of respect for the dead and/or basic decency--their actions alienate all of the above.

[gogo]

Liberals, conservatives, moderates, anyone with some notion of respect for the dead and/or basic decency--their actions alienate all of the above.

What freaks me out most about this group is not Phelps himself or his children and grandchildren. Phelps is quite obviously off his rocker, and the kids were raised by this lunatic, so I can almost understand why they would buy into his worldview, not being exposed to much else. What bothers me is that there are people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, who married into this family. What sort of background would a person have to have to throw in your lot with this group?

[Mr. Heartbreak]

What sort of background would a person have to have to throw in your lot with this group?

I'm gonna guess inbreeding has a lot to do with it.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Same reason that people join cults? Misplaced sense of belonging and purpose? They really like seeing the American countryside? Free peanut butter crackers?

[Edie]

Last time this subject came up here, someone posted a link to a YouTube of Michael Moore's short on the Phelps crew. Highly recommended viewing.

[a.miller]

Fuck those people.

exactly.

[TheMaker]

Wow. This cult is even screwier than Jim Jones's gang. For real. I love that what they do is completely illogical and totally batfuck insane, except that I don't love it it all.

[gogo]

This cult is even screwier than Jim Jones's gang.

I think a huge difference between this group and the People's Temple (Jim Jones' group) is that the People's Temple was founded as a church which valued inclusion, and racial intergration, and social justice. It's easy to see why people would have joined that group (particularly in San Francisco in the 1970s), and Jim Jones was actually quite well-respected for much of his career, with strong ties to many local and state politicians. Even the move to Guyana was looked on by most people as a benign move to communal living, in a place where the church members could live outside mainstream materialist society in a pristine natural setting. In fact, the state assemblyman, Leo Ryan, who traveled to Guyana to investigate the Temple after receiving complaints from former members was filmed several days into his trip down there, congratulating Jones and the community members on their achievement. It was only in the day or two prior to his attempt to leave that he learned of the darker, and deadly, side of the group, and it was his falling-out with Jones in just that last day that led to his murder.

 

Which is all just to say: lots of people had really good reasons for joining Jim Jones. Following him as far as they did was obviously a far different, and entirely tragic, matter. But I can see where people were coming from in wanting to join him. I don't see any point in the history of Phelps' organization where I would understand why people would want to be a part of that.

[darkstar]

I think a huge difference between this group and the People's Temple (Jim Jones' group) is that the People's Temple was founded as a church which valued inclusion, and racial intergration, and social justice. It's easy to see why people would have joined that group (particularly in San Francisco in the 1970s), and Jim Jones was actually quite well-respected for much of his career, with strong ties to many local and state politicians. Even the move to Guyana was looked on by most people as a benign move to communal living, in a place where the church members could live outside mainstream materialist society in a pristine natural setting. In fact, the state assemblyman, Leo Ryan, who traveled to Guyana to investigate the Temple after receiving complaints from former members was filmed several days into his trip down there, congratulating Jones and the community members on their achievement. It was only in the day or two prior to his attempt to leave that he learned of the darker, and deadly, side of the group, and it was his falling-out with Jones in just that last day that led to his murder.

 

Which is all just to say: lots of people had really good reasons for joining Jim Jones. Following him as far as they did was obviously a far different, and entirely tragic, matter. But I can see where people were coming from in wanting to join him. I don't see any point in the history of Phelps' organization where I would understand why people would want to be a part of that.

 

 

Maybe in the begining Jones was all about righting social ills and whatnot but that guy turned into a meglomaniac. 3 words....grape kool aid

[isadorah]

Isn't a prison shower more along the lines of what's coming to them?

 

 

Genius!!!!!

[markosis]

This cult is even screwier than Jim Jones's gang

 

Yeah. Maybe someone should introduce them to the idea of mass suicide. The world would be a better place.

[gogo]

Maybe in the begining Jones was all about righting social ills and whatnot but that guy turned into a meglomaniac. 3 words....grape kool aid

Yeah, I'm well aware of that. My point is, people joined Jim Jones for good reasons, then the group developed the cult attributes over time. I don't see what good reason people have for joining Phelps.