Westboro didn't fare to well in Joplin!!

ETA:
Just saw this Related Thread. I searched, and I looked at the Firehose, but I missed it. Please check out their posts as well!
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Well, Joplin is my hometown, and I have been speaking with a lot of people there and hoping for some major headlines about today's protest and counter-protest, but so far there have been no headlines. I am getting a lot of reports that Westboro didn't fare too well. I will post all the updates, blogs, tweets, and personal stories that I get into this thread.

I have heard many things that I can't confirm yet, but a few of my favorites, "They were arrested as a potential threat to Obama," "They were tazed and tear-gassed," "They were blockaded by truckers and not allowed to leave," "They began their protest, were attacked, one was sent to the hospital, and then they were escorted out of town."

I don't know how many (if any) of those things are true, but I have high hopes!!

I do believe this report from my brother, and it seems to be corroborated with the internet chatter:
So far, my brother reported that, "The Hell's Angels met WPB, and a fight ensued. One Westboro member was supposedly arrested and another hospitalized, but I can't confirm."

Here is what I am finding so far on the Internet:

Well, its already starting..as you know the WBC parasites are in Joplin today..or TRYING to get into Joplin today, and that person that is supposed to be the Commander and Chief of our country is going to be there, as well..anyhoo..

Joplin is my home town, I moved 4 years ago to central Missouri, but I have family and friends there who are keeping everyone abreast of what is going on.

Here is what has already happened to the WBC scums..this is just too good to be true!

)..

A biker friend here in Oklahoma just posted this on their facebook "Westboro church pukes 0 Joplin Bikers 1, he's on the way to ER!" and when asked what happened replied with this. "not sure, a large crowd beat him, then a cop taz'd him, then they loaded him up in the meat wagon. Next time he'll keep his thoughts to himself!"


They also tried to get pizza at a local restaurant last night and they refused to serve them. The entire town of Joplin establishments are refusing them service..I can tell you one thing..they picked the wrong town ..people of Joplin are tough, they ban together..and they wont be very happy protesting there..they might even go home in body bags..we have ALOT of bikers

Source


This one has some great pics of all the bikers!!

Westboro Baptist protestors met by counter protestors
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church scheduled a protest in Joplin, Mo., Sunday. One protestor arrived around 12:15 p.m. and was accosted by counter protestors. Police escorted the Westboro member to safety and used tear gas to control the crowd.

KSPR 33 Springfield

A tweet about truckers blocking in the WBC people at what is left of the Flying J truckstop.

Was tweeted this:

Truckers at the Flying J in Joplin, Mo. have the clowns from Westboro Baptist Church blocked in. Good job drivers...no hate protest today!

"Thousands of Bikers" according to LA Times

Thousands of motorcyclists also streamed into town from Missouri and surrounding states, many announcing their intention to block protests planned by the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, which said it would picket Obama's arrival.

The controversial church opened a raw wound here with its announcement that those killed when a 200 mph tornado struck Joplin a week ago, now estimated at 139, "died for the sins of Missourians who have repeatedly lifted up their violent hands against God's anointed, despite plain warnings not to do so."

"We love Joplin. Joplin's hurting. Nobody needs to make it worse. They need to go home," said Mike Striegel, a biker from Joplin.

"We will take care of our town, no matter what it takes," added Herb Kirkpatrick Jr., a motorcyclist from the outskirts of Joplin.

Most of those lining miles of roadway between Joplin's main mall and the campus of Missouri Southern State University, where Obama was scheduled to speak after touring the 6-mile-long storm-ravaged area, were couples, families and groups of young people, many waving flags and posters of support for the city.

"We're trying to show respect and honor for the ones we lost in Joplin," said Charlie Brown, a co-organizer of the street rally, who said more than 20,000 people indicated on the group's three Facebook pages that they planned to attend.

"We want people to know that despite rumors that 75% of Joplin is destroyed, that is absolutely not true. We are alive. We are well. We are going to survive."

Link with Video

There are conflicting reports right now about why Joplin police used tear gas. We are hearing they used it against both the Westboro Baptist Church and members of the opposing rally. We also are hearing the WBC members were escorted out of the state, and that truck drivers made it hard for WBC to leave. Here is video of the rally against WBC in Joplin today before the memorial for tornado victims.

Patriots, bikers, and truck drivers showed up to show their disapproval of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Well well well...

far be it from me to praise vigilantism but... WOOHOO!!!

Cel-Eeee-Bration time come on.
You reap what you sow Church of hate!
I'm a supporter of the men and women in uniform. I'm also a future solider. Deal with it.

My personal take on all of this is pretty straight-forward. I do not believe the Bill of Rights should ever be infringed upon by the Government. These people have a right to show up and say whatever they want, without fear of government intrusion................

B U T

There is also such a thing as "Natural Consequences!"

Growing up in Joplin, I know that the country boys there fight just for fun. I have met some of my best friends in bar fights in Joplin!! We fight, then we make up, and everything is fine. We used to joke that the bars don't have closing times. At some point, it becomes obvious that you aren't going to take home some sweet thing, so you start looking for something else to entertain yourself. The bars close when the brawls break out, and then the lights come on, the clean up begins, and we do it all over again tomorrow!!

SO, I expected Joplin to be a very, very good place for these Westboro folks to learn about Natural Consequences.

The government should never infringe upon right to free speech, but going into a highly emotional, highly stressed environment, and telling everyone that it is their own fault that a tornado struck their town and killed their loved ones, should elicit a violent response, and rightfully so!!

The legal defense is called, "Extreme Emotional Distress." If someone in this environment went completely bonkers on this group, and gave them exactly what they deserve, I don't believe they would serve more than a few days in jail, and they would probably come out of it with a book deal and a talk show circuit!!

So, while I support WBC having a right to free speech, I hope that my old stomping grounds up in Joplin give them the stomping they deserve, and I hope the police are far too busy helping the community to put much effort into arresting any of the good ol' boys back home!!

As Ive said before.. incindiary speech and verbal assault is NOT covered under freedom of speech.

Ill contribute to the defense of any person who stood up to these jerks if they get arrested.. and Im not joking

This made my day.
I am sick so sick of these so called "humans".

But, one great man has come to be because of Fred Phelps and that is his estranged son Nate Phelps who has done great things for many different community's out there for people seeking help, and those that are sick and suffering, and has done great things for the LGBT community as well as children who suffer abuse at the hands of cult practices.
Anyway I don't want to go too off topic, but look him up...it shows that GOOD can come from EVIL.

reply to post by getreadyalready


As a gay man and an ex-marine, I condone none of this. What the hell about free speak? Yes, they are disgusting, but really? If you don't like the msg (and i don't know how anyone could), turn your back, and don't listen. It is that easy. No arrests, no taser, no guns, no fists. Break out the signs and counter protest, like those truckers did.

reply to post by telephonemonkey


The problem is that they are not "protesting" anything? Are they protesting tornadoes? Their sole purpose is to intentionally hurt people that are already hurting. My brother has been there digging through rubble since the first night, and today he says the stench of rotting flesh is almost unbearable.

If someone intentionally provokes and insults you with no purpose other than to be intentionally hurtful, then they deserve violent retribution.

I know of people that had to pick up 8 year old boys impaled by flying debris. You do not "protest" a natural disaster. If they want to protest political policies, they can take their signs to Jefferson City, or Washington, DC. If they go to the site of massive carnage that was not a result of any political cause or fault, and they want to intentionally provoke the already emotional state of the victims there, then I believe a violent backlash is to be expected, and is easily defendable in court, if it even gets that far.

Sure, protest politics all they want, but don't pretend to protest a tornado. The tornadoes are not listening!

reply to post by telephonemonkey

Westboro went into Joplin looking for trouble. So what? The citizens of Joplin
don't have any rights? I say, "if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen".

One other thing. SCOOTER TRASH RULES!!!!!!

Freedom of speech also gives you the freedom to be stupid.........

If you do something stupid feel free to suffer the consequences......

Your freedom to say what you want is protected, but that doesnt mean someone youve pissed off isnt going to pop you in the mouth for it.......

Were raising a nation of pansies who want their freedom and to say and do what they want with no consequence...........sorry........life doesnt work that way

Reply to post by getreadyalready

Is this America or a fascist country? I don't like the wbc pukes either but condoning violence towards them just allows them to win. I can't support that. All you cheering this on make me sick and ashamed to be an American. Our soldiers fought so that all of us could express said differing opinions in a peaceful manner!


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

While I don't agree with the tactics of the WBC because they are not doing anything out of love to get people saved from the very wrath of God they are insisting will come upon America, I do lament the dying of free speech in America.

Q. When is free speech free ?

A. When it only agrees with your own thoughts.

Just because someone doesn't like what some one may say, does not make it right to attack them. But since they don't seem to have anything to respond with you end up with " Kill'em ! Get those dirty WBC people ! " etc.

Unfortunately, attacking them the way they did says they must have a point.

We are losing this country. We just don't see it yet that's all.

Just to let you know at my church here in Cleveland today we raised about 250 dollars for the Unity church that got destroyed to help rebuild the unity that got wiped out there. Im glad that the WBC got scrubbed . They are such heathens Im glad the bikers and cops got rid of them. Best luck and best wishes to the people of Joplin.

reply to post by The Sword


No. Our soldiers fought to ensure the government would not infringe upon the right to say anything we want. They also fought to ensure no other country would infringe upon that right. Nobody ever fought to guarantee that someone had the right to walk up and insult me, or my wife, or my kids, or some dead relative of mine, especially a recently dead relative, especially a recently dead relative killed in a gruesome manner by no fault of their own!

People do not have the right to say whatever they wan,t to whomever they want, whenever they want. There are things such as tact and class and circumstance and respect.

The same guys that wrote the Bill of Rights, were liable to walk out and duel to the death over an insult. Do you really think they envisioned anything like the WBC?

Sorry, but this is not free speech. This is a direct insult to an already hurting and emotional crowd. This deserves more than sign-waving. This deserves real consequences.

Originally posted by dntwastetime
Just to let you know at my church here in Cleveland today we raised about 250 dollars for the Unity church that got destroyed to help rebuild the unity that got wiped out there. Im glad that the WBC got scrubbed . They are such heathens Im glad the bikers and cops got rid of them. Best luck and best wishes to the people of Joplin.

If you are a Christian, that is, have been saved by the same blood of Jesus as the WBC people, and you can say good for the thugs that beat them, what does it say to Jesus to whom it was said the same thing of because His views weren't the "popular view" of the general public. Don't come against your family in Christ when they sin wishing bad happens to them, instead tell them of their wrong and hope they repent. They may be doing things outside of love and compassion, but if Jesus saved them from eternal damnation, they are family just the same. So correct them, don't wish evil upon them like the unbelievers do who cannot see the wrath of God coming as we Christians can.

These people get exactly what they deserve. Don't bait the hook if you don't want the fish to bite. I would have no reservations about walking up and clocking a few of them if I had just lost a family member. None whatsoever!

These people wouldn't last 2 seconds in Australia!

IRM

reply to post by The Sword


reply to post by Fromabove


I do have to agree that all of the attention and chaos is exactly what this group craves. Unfortunately the more we fight against them, the more justified and righteous they will feel. That is exactly the reason I feel violence is more effective. We will never change their minds, we will never change their self-righteous opinions of themselves, but at least maybe those people hurting in Joplin could relieve some of their frustrations and share some of that pain with people that actually deserve it, instead of just innocent kids and victims!

Just saw this Related Thread. I searched, and I looked at the Firehose, but I missed it. Please check out their posts as well!

Maybe they will decide to all jump and catch a ride with the comet Elenin!

reply to post by getreadyalready

People do not have the right to say whatever they want to whomever they want whenever they want.

On this point, and this point alone, I will disagree. People do have the right to say whatever they want to whomever they want, HOWEVER, they should also be fully ready to reap what they sow, if (as in the case with WBC) you would like to spit hate, then you had better be ready to suffer the repercussions of your actions, including getting your @$$ kicked over it.

It's simple, don't talk *snip* then there won't be any *snip*, they want to talk *snip* and by such deserve any and all *snip* coming their way as a result.