Free speech, hate speech clash

NBC NEWS ^ | Oct. 28 | Pete Williams

[CSM]

I am not sure if this is a scam to eliminate the ten commandments from the park or if these dolts really are as hateful as they appear!

[CSM]

I attempted to excerpt this article, however it doesn't seem to have worked. Is there any way you can fix it?

[Evil Inc]

"Casper Mayor Barb Peryam said she was offended by the Kansas group’s tactic"

So if rhe loons are offended who wins? Who does society make the little gods no one dare offend?
Offended is not a valid argument.

[AppyPappy]

Fred Phelps is a carney. This is all a work. A cheap gimmick.

[Catspaw]

I am not sure if this is a scam to eliminate the ten commandments from the park or if these dolts really are as hateful as they appear!

Both.

From what I know about Phelps, I doubt if their "granite monument" even exists. And when they're denied the "right" to put their "monument" up, they'll sue--even though Fred Phelps is a disbarred lawyer, some of his whelps are lawyers in good standing--and they love to sue.

[Agnes Heep]

The Horst Wessel of the limp-wristed set.

[Puppage]

an anti-gay hate group

It's a religeous group who are vociferously against the gay lifestyle, among other things. Now, I do not agree with their methods, in fact the protest at Shepards funeral I find particularly obscene.However, the news refers to them as an anti-gay hate group ONLY to polarize a specific group of people (the gays & lesbians) & to elicit a response for them.

Being a religeous group, the news could just have easily called them an anti-adultery group,or an anti-murdering group. How about an anti theft group? IMHO.

[auboy]

No one would have ever heard of Matthew Shepard if not for the two thug murderers and their actions. Now he's the poster boy of the thought police. Doesn't Fred Phelps (I refuse to call him Reverend) have something worthwhile to do with his life and his church? Surely he can find hungry people to feed, folks who need a coat for a cold Kansas winter, etc. Instead, he chooses to stir the pot and fuel the flames.

[I still care]

Because they call themselves, "God Hates Fags". They take biblical truth and mix it with a very bad attitude. As a result the name of Christ is dragged in the dirt.

God calls us to be truthful and spread his Word, including some of the more politically incorrect and "painful" truths, - but I can't imagine him approving of exploiting people's pain, which is what this church does.

It's just downright mean to try to put up a monument stating a murdered person is going to hell. And it doesn't win anyone for Christ - in fact, it chases people away from Jesus, which is supposed to be the Christian's priority.

[Catspaw]

Doesn't Fred Phelps (I refuse to call him Reverend) have something worthwhile to do with his life and his church?

From a friend of mine who lives in Topeka, no. Not that he couldn't do something worthwhile, it's that he won't.

[auboy]

Phelps sounds like another "Reverend" who likes to stir pots.

[Sloth]

Being a religeous group, the news could just have easily called them an anti-adultery group,or an anti-murdering group. How about an anti theft group? IMHO.

I don't think so... I've never heard of them picketing adulterers or carrying signs saying "Thieves go to Hell" and "God Hates Murderers". My impression is that they are, indeed, and anti-gay hate group. Which is fine with me, btw, though there's no reason they should be allowed to place a monument on public property.

[Poohbah]

Google up "GOD HATES FIGS" for a really funny parody of Fred Phelps.

[Catspaw]

However, the news refers to them as an anti-gay hate group ONLY to polarize a specific group of people (the gays & lesbians) & to elicit a response for them.

They advertise themselves as an anti-gay group. That's what they promote.

And, trust me--they don't just offend a specific group of people--"gays & lesbians" is your assertion. When they showed up in Wausau, Wisconsin to picket (I can't remember if it was earlier this year or last year), they offended EVERYBODY, including my husband's family, not a gay or lesbian among them. They were disgusted with the Phelps--and that's putting it mildly.

[RippleFire]

And don't forget Phelps and Al Gore - http://cjonline.com/webindepth/phelps/stories/110400_phelpsgore.shtml

[steve8714]

are they an anti-gay hate group or an anti gay-hate group?

[Catspaw]

Phelps sounds like another "Reverend" who likes to stir pots.

That's the only thing he does well. From what I've read and seen about Phelps, he's barely done a lick of work in his entire life. He's a carney, a con man.

And I really would know if Phelps' "monument" really exists. Phelps is known for telling a city/place he's showing up, stirs up the place--then not showing up. It'd be consistent with him to say he's got a "granite monument" ready to be placed in Casper, when this monument never existed at all. He's just stirring up Casper and they're falling into his trap. I just can't imagine Phelps actually spending any money on anything--except himself.