'God is punishing Canada'

Strange how the Westboro Baptist Church seems to enjoy a high degree of official favor, despite their universally reviled tactics. They always seem to have plenty of traveling money at their disposal, they always avoid official harassment(in an era where anybody can be hauled off on a 'distubing the peace' charge, legalities be damned), they enjoy plenty of police protection when they do demonstrate, the media is always there to give them plenty of attention, and I'll bet they enjoy non-taxable status as a church too, despite their rather obvious political agenda. Heck, now they even manage to slip across international borders despite being on a watch list.

Yup, a lot of strange things about this 'church.'

Previous WBC activity:
www.abovetopsecret.com...



[edit on 8-8-2008 by starviego]

what im about to say is not in defense of this "church"

but i find it extremely disturbing that your officers... the people you trust to uphold your laws, have said they would sit idle while citizens violently fought back against a non-violent protest.....

if i were you guys, i would be more worried about the fact that the people you pay to uphold the law are saying they won't do their job.

not only that, but threatening violent and physical retaliation against them is plain childish, and we should have moved past that kind of behavior hundreds of years ago...

let them come in and make there feeble attempt at making people feel bad....

the worst thing you could do to them is completely ignore them, don't make this into a big deal... that is the exact reason that they do things like this. to get attention, if you don't give it to them... then they failed.

if you physically assault them, then they have technically won. and i promise you that the person who throws the first punch won't have much left when they are done with him.. it's happened before, and unless you country is corrupt... they would be allowed to fight back legally.

ladies and gents... they things i see being said in this thread are truly disturbing. sure they are dirt bags for doing what they do. but for you to sit there and say that you will beat/kill them if they do it near you is disgusting... don't sink down to their level, turn the other cheek and let them know, through a complete lack of attention to this situation, that you are not going to stand for their vile, and inhuman tactics. this is 2008, not 1886... we should have progressed past the point of using senseless violence to prove a point.

I would very much like to see this even filmed by someone! Bring your cameras people! ))

And have fun!

Mitch

Canadians are quite used to our police operating in a less than 'by the book' manner. It doesn't raise many eyebrows anymore, especially when it falls right in line with public opinion.

If they do show up, I wonder if they can be charged under the Cemeteries Act...


Not much of a punishment, but it could be used to shut the protest down.

[edit on 9-8-2008 by Duzey]

Their protests are the same as white power rallies. Sure they may be non violent, but that doesn`t make it OK, because these freaks always have offensive signs, and spew hate speech. How would you feel if these degenerates parked themselves outside the church during your sons funeral or your dads funeral or whatever.
`
They would have signs saying ``(Insert Name) IS A FAG`` or ``GOD HATES (Insert Name). They would be heckling and spewing hate at you and your family members as you go inside to mourn your beloved.

Theres freedom of speech, and then theres hate speech. If you`re telling me that you wouldn`t at least want to shut them up at least, then I pity your loved ones since you wouldn`t do %&*$ to defend them.

If I physically assault them, they would not win. I`m a large guy and when I`m angry and channel my anger, GTFO of my way. If you count broken facial bones as a victory, yea they would get first prize.



[edit on 9-8-2008 by ben420]

reply to post by starviego

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Read my other posts, they are a family of lawyers. Unfortunatly they happen to be good ones and have taken other peoples money in nefarious ways. They also happen to be excellent investors. I lived in the next county from them in Kansas. They are reviled there just as much as anywhere else. They attract every nutcase in the area to they're "church". They have unlimmited resources to do the crackpot things they do.

Zindo

reply to post by ben420

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everyone's online has been trained since they were born to fight in MMA


that's not the point though, and if you knew anything about these people you would know that they are fully aware of the laws in these places when they go to protest.

like when they do it here, they will not be within a distance close enough to be breaking the law, but they will be close enough to get the point across.


if they were protesting my family, your damn right i would be pissed, and knowing my temper i would prolly try to curb stomp one of them, but that is besides the point. i never said do as i would do... i simply said, do what is smart... and ABOVE what they are doing.

if you ignore them, they will go away... if you react like you guys say you want to react, then they will be winning... because you won't be doing anything but giving them further media coverage... allowing more people to see they hateful message, and possible join their "cause".

I fully understand the outrage here. but you are basically saying that you are only allowed to freely speak so long as it doesn't get my panties in a bunch... that is childish... everyone should be allowed to speak and do what they want, as long as it isn't infringing on someone elses liberties, and so long as it doesn't not physically threaten another person...

that is the diff between the way the majority of americans see and the way the majority of canucks see it.

in america, we have thick skin... we also respect that everyone is entitled to say and think what they want, so long as it isn't hurting anyone else.

in canada, you are worried about upsetting people and being politically correct.

nothing wrong with either way of thinking IMO, it just depends on how much you value you right be TRULY being able to speak freely (I personally don't think what you guys have up there is free speech since you can have legal reprecussions from things that are said.)


[edit on 8/9/08 by SRTkid86]

reply to post by Duzey

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the thing about how they protest is... they are smart about it, and the entire family is made of up succesful and smart lawyers. they know what they can and can't do. and they know that they can't be touched so long as they are doing things by the law. so i wouldn't get my hopes up on them being charged with anything like that.

don't get me wrong, i think what they do is disgusting, but i believe they, just like anyone else on this planet IMO, is allowed to say and think what they want, who cares who it offends. you don't have to listen.

heres to hoping they get arrested for something up there though, because the way they do things down here would never allow for them to be prosecuted in the USA.

I don't care what kind of freedoms these people have. I bet they lied to the boarder guards otherwise they wouldn't be allowed in Canada, and isn't that suppose to be reason enough to get arrested? I sure hope they do get arrested, and here in Winnipeg, things often get violent when it comes to crime. I pray that God shows them that what they are doing in "his name" is actually blasphemy.

A question before I address this. As an American do you feel that anyone can say what they want? Freedom of speech?

reply to post by intrepid

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yes, very much so. so long as your words remain just those... words, then what REAL damage can they do?

the only reason i say i hope you guys can do something legally to them, is because we can't... and i honestly believe that their hateful message needs to be stopped before it infests the minds of more people than it already has.

reply to post by intrepid

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If I may? Freedom of speech has always been limited in the States, and everywhere else, too. It's a wonderful concept and all, but really not at all true. You can't libel without concequence. Scream fire in a crowded theatre. If speech were truely unlimited, both of these would occur without penalty.

All freedoms are limited by the ;needs of society, over the needs of the individual. Where that line is, is where the problems occur. MHO.

This is a fundamental difference between Americans and Canadians. We don't think that someone can say what they want in given situations. This is one of them. Phelps lot will get NO support from a jury here. Dead in the water.

After a lifetime of civil service paychecks, the Clintons are multi-millionaires. Is that because they are just 'excellent investors?' No, it is because someone is funneling money to them. Ditto for the WBC. Of course their funding will be covert, using a plausible cover. Here's where a little common sense comes in. Who would hire a lawyer whose very name would cause jurors to vote against them, no matter how strong the case? What is the motivation of the WBC? What are they getting out of all this, besides public disdain? They are obviously publicity hounds, but what is the objective? Follow the money.

reply to post by intrepid

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yes, it is a fundamental difference. and i mean no offense when i say i don't necassarily agree with it.

more power to you if you want to kick them out/prosecute them etc...

but that is not how it's set up down here, and i would never support any kind of movement that wanted to change things to the way that you guys have it.

if i was worried about someone calling me a fag and saying that god hated me, i would move to canada where i would be safe from that kind of ridicule. but i personally believe that a person's freedom of speech trumps my comfort. i will never hold my tongue for fear that it would offend somebody, and i would never expect someone to do the same for me.

now like it was said a few posts ago. there are instances where you don't have 100% freedom of speech, but this group of people are highly educated, and they know what they can and can't do. i don't imagine they went up there to protest ignorant of your laws regarding protests. chances are they know what can and can't be done, and they will respect the laws, because i have no reason to believe they would, based on how they have normally done these kinds of protests

I had been avoiding this thread..., bit I am compelled to add that I wouldn't be surprised if these people are the excuse they will use to establish free speech zones whenever and wherever they want, at the drop of a hat.

Asses like these are going to give them every excuse to repress everyone's free speech, because they abuse the privilege.

That's why I'm teaching my children that "free speech" is a responsibility, not a right.

-peace-

reply to post by SRTkid86

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Like intrepid said, Canadians and Americans have differing opinions on the right of Freedom of Speech. As we like to say - your right to point a finger ends at my nose.

They know they are treading on thin ground up here. They've already been a no-show at two of their protests (Alberta & Toronto) in the last two days. To quote a Winnipeg MP:



We may act polite and PC most of the time, but there is an inner Rambo deep in the heart of every Canadian that doesn't give a damn about certain group's freedom of speech. American rabblerousers protesting at funerals would be one of those groups.



[edit on 9-8-2008 by Duzey]

And rightfully so! I think it's darn polite of you to even allow them into the country considering you know what they are going to do to those poor people.

reply to post by starviego

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No, your wrong, this family had mucho dinero way before this "Crusade" was started. He was disbared, but his family is his church. 61 of the 70+ members in his "church" are his family. At least 6 of his children are lawyers. They do quite well even with they're father such a prominate butthead. The money isn't from backers or behind the scenes, Its old family money. Heres some links to just some of the opinions from others about this clown!!

www.123exp-biographies.com...

Zindo

Woops...11 of his children are lawyers!!

[edit on 8/9/2008 by ZindoDoone]