Click the photograph to see the filthy signs. Read them and try not to be offended. “Pray for more dead soldiers.” How frigging sick! “God hates you.” Not my G-d. Mine is a just one.
Sage linked to a much more explanatory coherent post he wrote several years ago. I was too angry.
Westboro Baptist Church came to North Myrtle today and I went to my first demonstration in the South.
As a New York Jewish liberal I don’t often talk religion or politics here with anybody but my friends from home. It’s easier and I don’t really want to.
I say all this as I had problems understanding why Westboro was picketing churches, especially an Evangelical one. After all don’t they have the same basic aim? To baptize people into Christ’s love so they can go to heaven?
Then I realized the word love isn’t a word anybody associated with Westboro would use. Love is a concept they wouldn’t understand. They understand hate and only hate. It’s difficult to get anywhere near their mindset.
There are people who go to Barefoot Community Church I consider to be friends. It’s a church I have spent much time in, not for religious events. So I hope that nobody from Barefoot is offended by anything I say or do.
I will be demonstrating on Friday when Westboro hits schools and other public buildings because as a Jew I know how Hitler began. He was a radical fringe idiot people said “don’t listen to. He’ll go away.” Six million Jews and countless other people later he did.
I come from a long tradition of protesters.
Being silent sounds good. But turning the other cheek doesn’t work. I was raised on stories about my great grandparents and grandparents escaping the programs of Russia, about the Scottsboro Boys, and yes I was a young teenager during the civil rights movement who wanted nothing more than to be old enough to be a part of it. I proudly worked against the Viet Nam war but never once disrespected a troop and find it insulting when people assume that all of us who protested were against the troops.
I love North Myrtle. I put a lot of time and resources into my home. I have been developing a good life here.
I hope that my beliefs are respected also. It’s not me who is preaching hate. It’s not me who boycotts troops funerals or calls every American who doesn’t have Westboro’s beliefs “sodomizers” and “murderers.”
This is my blog. It’s not protected under The First Amendment. That means I can delete any comment I want to. Fortunately I don’t get the comments or the readers I once did. But this post–this post is important to me as I will not sit silently when messages of hate are being spewed in my front yard.
They were here in Michigan a number of years ago, protesting at a funeral of a dead soldier… I blogged about it then: http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2006/03/rantings-about-westboro-baptist-and.html
I can’t understand them…
That quote, “then they came for me,” reminded me of The Daily’s Shows parody of Glenn Back’s constant use of the Nazi-like threats? http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-may-12-2010/back-in-black—glenn-beck-s-nazi-tourette-s
I hate to say it, but I kind of think these guys will go away. They’re just mad they don’t get Michelle Malkin’s traffic.
We were having such a great time today at church that we didn’t even notice the protesters. We saw over 200 people make decisions to accept Christ as their savior this weekend and over 60 baptisms.
@Sage
Sage I linked to you as you were so much more articulate than I was
@Krista
Doug–they don’t go away–is the problem. And they carry on their “work” through the proceeds of First Amendment lawsuits–a troop’s family sued them as they interrupted the funeral. They won. I forgot which celebrity is going to pay for the family
@pia
The problem is they multiply. I would never disrupt their protests as I would never want them to win a lawsuit. I just really believe they don’t represent anything good in this country and should be protested again–and I really do hate politics
Krista–I’m glad
i say good for you
and take pictures
these people should be embarrassed
The police kept us so far away which actually was protecting us from them claiming we were harassing. Westboro does win its law suits. I heard you could get closer at the other two churches.
A man began screaming at us: “my brother was killed two years ago and you disrupted his funeral” We told him we weren’t Westboro. He thanked us. People kept screaming from cars. It was the most inclusive demonstration I have ever been to
They’re incapable of being embarrassed. And they use little kids–the best looking they can find–as pickets
On Friday I will attempt to take much better pictures
@cooper
Pia you might be interested in a very good blog by one of the Phelps children who managed to get himself out of the family cult:
http://n8rphelps.blogspot.com/2009/05/over-top-fluffy-words.html#comments
What’s even more disturbing/fascinating is that Fred Phelps – the leader of this family/cult/pseudo-church was was considered one of the foremost leading attorneys in the civil rights movement. Google him and you’ll be shocked. The children of Fred Phelps lived through unimaginable child abuse and mental programming unlike anything one could dream up in this lifetime. Yet most of them became attorneys and work for Westboro. That’s how programmed they were – and their children and their chldren’s children are being brainwashed as we speak. They’re the ones you see standing outside protesting military funerals and funerals of high profile murdered young women.
Lost for words…
hi pia, i love this post!!! that we can speak our minds is a reflection of our freedom, voice our opinions without fear…. amazing how we as human beings can be so single-minded in our approach and belief and not be aware it is as if they are blinded and have chosen the dark side instead of the light… it is a fine line this word freedom and what it has to offer…
I read an article not that long ago about these sickos. It seriously just made me want to cry. They protested outside a soldier’s FUNERAL. His family was devastated. It’s just reprehensible, and I hope they get what they deserve in the end.
@TC
They protest outside many soldier’s funerals. And when the family sues the family loses. They were the only people to picket a fireman’s funeral after 9/11 so it’s real personal.
I understand “turn the other cheek,” and I know 99.9% of all Americans despise them or just think they’re sick but it’s that .01% who can create havoc
I am just curious as what your reaction would be to someone one who posts a picture of a Registered Sex Offender and attaches the name of an innocent person to it and posts it on their blog ?
@Gracie34
I don’t understand how that has anything to do with Westboro, but I wouldn’t like it.
@lilyolily
Thanks! I read the blog. It was fascinating
I was a long time resident of Topeka, home of Fred Phelps and his Westboro Church. You cannot imagine the evil of this man, including beating his children and wife.
An indepth story re the Phelps can be found by googling Addicted to Hate by Michael Bell. It is a long read but a true story. Also, you can google Nate Phelps and find his words regarding his father and family. Nate managed to distance himself from this terrible group. If you are not a reader, feed in at YouTube….Westboro church , Fred Phelps or Shirley Phelps.
Now, that is all I am going to say. Otherwise my blood will get to boiling.
Fred Phelps & family are the shame of the State of Kansas. I hope you don’t mind, but I want to take this opportunity to share information about the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of “Bikers” who offer their services to the families of fallen soldiers. The group was originally created in response to respond to The Phelps clan. To see them in action is truly inspiring. They have also shielded families of murdered children when notice has been given that the Phelps crew will be there. From their website:
“Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives:
Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.
Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.
We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means.”
@Newbiw
Thanks. I truly believe as many people as possible should speak out against the faces of evil
Unfortunately they use beautiful little children as pickets. Scared to have adults and know nobody’s going to harm a child. They’re frigging cowards
@Vicky
Vicky thanks for the great info. I’m going to picket them on Friday though most people here believe in letting them act like fools and ignoring them. Though so many men in cars passing on Main Street screamed at them on Sunday. It was wonderful
You’re welcome Pia. I have picketed them myself. It didn’t make any difference to them, but it sure made me feel better. Like Newbie, just thinking about them makes my blood boil. Might I recommend a really loud boom box/PA system with some nice music to drown out their vile comments. It really frustrates them when they can’t be heard. Good luck to you and your friends.
AND, the Patriot Guard welcomes all. If you don’t have a motorcycle, no problem…just show up. If you have an American flag great !
Thanks Vicky & Newbiw–Bike week was over on Sunday, unfortunately for us and the rally, fortunately for my sleep as it was very noisy
I’m making some posters but a flag would be great!
Pia, the words they print and say are horrible but some of their drawings on signs are worse. Their children hold these signs.
The Patriot Guard is very active in IL trying to protect the families of the fallen soldiers from these hideous intruders. They act as a wall in between the “protesters from Westboro” and the family during graveside services. In my town, a group of college students (from Knox College, a very old private college) have made it their mission to assist the guard by making a second layer of insulation from the thugs. Makes me proud to see young people still willing to stand up against hate, unfortunately their services have been called upon far too often.
This Westboro group even threatened to picket outside the public memorial held in Orlando for Caylee Anthony. They didn’t show up that I heard of.
pia said~
Thanks. I truly believe as many people as possible should speak out against the faces of evil
pia, I will do my bit. I’m going to work on a post at my site concerning these christian frauds. Their whole agenda began with a false prophesy, IIRC. Newbi and lilyolily, thanks for the heads up on where I can get more info.
)
(its me, auntdeedee
pia, thanks for your friendship with Dave, too!
Yes they use beautiful children as they know no adult is going to do anything to the child–it’s a way of continuing the bullying
katfish–I’m not sure how many people here understand that they disrupt the funerals of troops. I know former troops do, but the average person? I don’t think they realize how harmful Westboro is
It very much upsets me that the one fireman’s funeral in NY to be picketed was by Westboro. It further upsets me when people talk about that and say “liberals picketed” when the entire city was in mourning
Sherry–Dave’s an easy person to be friends with
I support people of true faith but this is a cult that’s beyond evil and must be stopped. I can’t help but use the Hitler analogy because times were bad then, he wasn’t taken seriously and….
Good for you!