Westboro Baptist Church to picket vigil for victims of CT shooting

[007]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2312186.html

The Westboro Baptist Church, the controversial group known for protesting outside funerals of slain U.S. service members, announced that it will picket a vigil for the victims of Friday's Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the second-deadliest school shooting in American history.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, a spokesperson for the group and, like most members of the organization, a relative of the group's founder, Fred Phelps, announced on Twitter on Saturday the group's plan "to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgment."

It is unclear when the group plans to protest, although a tweet from Margie Phelps implied that it would be during a vigil that will be attended by President Barack Obama on Sunday evening.

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church say that America is being punished for its acceptance of gays and lesbians. In recent days, Phelps family members have sent tweets about the Connecticut shooting that have said "God sent the shooter."

Not surprisingly, the group's announcement was met with resistance online. A Change.org petition asking for Connecticut officials to prevent the group from protesting has been launched, and users of the social news and link sharing site Reddit have been discussing ways to stage a counter-protest.

A Facebook event that calls for "counter-activity" to "keep any hatred from touching" the grieving families has over 10,000 attendees, but because of a bomb threat in Newtown on Sunday, the event has been cancelled.

Anonymous, the loosely affiliated group of Internet "hacktivists," said that it had hacked the group's website and released personal information about the group's members, according to The Inquisitr.

The Southern Poverty Law Center calls the Westboro Baptist Church "arguably the most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America," while the Anti-Defamation League calls it "a small virulently homophobic, anti-Semitic hate group."

In 2011, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church, saying that the right to picket funerals was protected under the First Amendment. President Obama earlier this year, however, signed legislation that said that protests must be held 300 feet from military funerals.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated that WBC members would picket Sandy Hook Elementary School. The vigil is at Newtown High School. Additionally, an earlier version of this story called the shooting "the second-largest mass killing in American history." It is the second-deadliest school shooting.

[ndws]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I recall at one protest site the locals found out where they were staying. The morning of the event some rude people just happened to park their cars in front of the potential picketers and they couldn't get out of their spots. By the time police responded with tow trucks the funeral was over and the cars had just been moved.

I think that was out east somewhere. I remember it too. The authorities weren't in any hurry to get there either, they had other pressing matters than illegally parked cars.

EDIT to add:

just googled it. Brandon, MS

[mdchiefsfan]

just sayin

[kaplin42]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

I remain surprised that no emotionally devastated mourner with nothing left to lose has slid their F-150 sideways through a massed gathering of WBC protestors. Maybe this will be the time.

I would pay to see that. And I never pay to see an F-150 slid sideways through protesters.

[whoman69]

They are most likely just trying to have someone violate their rights or attack them so they can sue. Fundraising time.

[kaplin42]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

As much as I despise them it wouldn't be a win. They've committed no terrorist acts. They are merely exercising their freedom of speech.

Sadly this.

They have the right to say as they do. But as a consequence of that choice, they also earn the hatred and disgust of the nation.

[WhiteWhale]

Originally Posted by kaplin42

Sadly this.

They have the right to say as they do. But as a consequence of that choice, they also earn the hatred and disgust of the nation.

Exactly... that's why I support mob justice in this case.

[Halfcan]

I hope someone shoots them Dead. And they rot in Hell.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

No matter what your political or religious affiliations may be, this should ****ing disgust you.

It does, and I wish these idiots would find a nice, flaming AIDS-Christmas Tree to fall in to,.

[Mr. Plow]

http://fox4kc.com/2012/12/17/westbor...ory-petitions/

Westboro Meets Its Match: Thousands Sign Retaliatory Petitions

Posted on: 11:57 am, December 17, 2012, by Sarah Clark, updated on: 04:24pm, December 17, 2012






KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thousands have signed two separate petitions that would classify Topeka’s Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group and strip it of its tax exempt status. The petitions were started after members of Westboro announced plans to protest a Sunday vigil in Newtown, Conn.


After Westboro Baptist Church spokesperson Shirey Phelps-Roper tweeted plans to protest the vigil, “to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgement,” the hacktivist group known as “Anonymous” threatened the church . In it, an automated voice says, “We will not allow you to corrupt the minds of America with your seeds of hatred. We will not allow you to inspire aggression to the social faction which you deem inferior. We will render you obsolete. We will destroy you. We are coming.”


In addition to the video, Anonymous hacked Westboro’s website and released personal information about church members including names, street addresses, phone numbers and email addresses according to CNET.


Anonymous didn’t stop there. Using its Twitter account, Anonymous asked its followers to sign a petition that would investigate the IRS tax-exempt status of the church. As stated on the White House website, the petition claims: “The Westboro Baptist Church is better-known for homophobic displays, suing people and picketing funerals than for providing Christian care to a community. Due to their harassment and politicking, their IRS tax-exempt status should be immediately investigated.”


A total of 16,062 signatures are needed before the White House will review the petition. As of noon on Monday, nearly 10,000 people had signed it.


Another petition aims at stripping Westboro of its “religious” affiliation and classifying it as a hate group. As stated in part on the White House website, Westboro’s “actions have been directed at many groups, including homosexuals, military, Jewish people and even other Christians. They pose a threat to the welfare and treatment of others and will not improve without some form of imposed regulation.”


Over 108,000 people have signed this petition, which surpasses the 25,000 needed for the White House to review it.

[I'mAlwaysRight]

^^^I sure hope they succeed. I was going to sign both petitions, but a "Whitehouse.gov account" is required to sign, and I am NOT gonna go there.

[Lumpy]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

from @kyanonymous on Vimeo.

Eh, yep. Shit is about to get real.

[BryanBusby]

This is gon be good ya'll

The Westboro group is stupid enough to keep on keepin' on, so they're going to keep poking the hive of Anonymous.

[Iowanian]

This should be the back breaker.

If they're stupid enough to picket small children....They deserve whatever terrible thing should happen to them and the people who do it should be celebrated.

[KcMizzou]

Anonymous is incredibly interesting to me. It's just like this nebulous thing. There's no real leader, not much in the way of organization, just a group of like minded internet users. And the number depends on the cause.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

from @kyanonymous on Vimeo.

As they say in golf.......USEFUL....