Fred Phelps loses lawsuit!

Fred Phelps loses lawsuit!

www.freerepublic.com

BALTIMORE (AP) - The head of a fundamentalist Kansas church being sued over a funeral protest testified in Baltimore today.

Fred Phelps of Topeka\'s Westboro Baptist Church said he didn\'t consider whether children would see a sign carried by protesters with the words \"Semper Fi Fags\" and two stick figures that appear to be engaged in a sex act.

Phelps says they needed to warn to the country to change its wicked ways.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I just heard on the news that the Phelps Klan has lost the suit filed against them in Maryland! $3 million is a lot of pain and suffering on a man that has brought so much (pain and suffering) to so many.

My one thought is that it is too bad it has taken him getting such national coverage against \"The Troops\" for this to finally come to a head. As a Topekan, I have watched this guy for most of my life and find it a little sad that no one could bring this on him as long as he focused solely on the homosexual community. BUT hey, he\'s still getting what he has coming AND this could open him up to a LOT more civil litigation!


www.freerepublic.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Here's the latest news:

www.mddailyrecord.com...

How long before the appeal?

These people are ridiculous I think. Personally I don't even see how their argument makes sense. Lets complain about gay people at the funeral of a soldier who died in combat. How did they hope that this would somehow spur on some anti-gay agenda for the country? Seriously? Must be bonkers if you ask me. Not to mention that they would take their young children to these events. That makes me just as mad as the act. Why ruin perfectly good children with rubbish like this.

Ya know, I kinda get sick of all the crying that goes on about this church and their actions.

To me, I say Boo Hoo, welcome to freedom, sorry it took a bite out of your *** but that's life.

It's sad to me that they would get ANY money for hurt feelings. Emotional duress is garbage and should yield NO compensation. While I serious dislike the Phelps, I think everyone likes to claim they like freedom, then enjoy watching the more "edgy" participants get stymied.

Kinda makes me sick.

I also opposed every single law passed with regards to funeral protests. To me they seem UnAmerican.

In my mind, Phelps should have laughed his way out of that courtroom, having owed nothing.

so, I guess you wouldn't mind if I got a gang together to stage an environmental protest outside of the church where your daughter is getting married? This would make more sense than what this church was doing, since it is at least remotely relevant to the protest, I mean, more than likely, at least all the people more than likely showed up in cars, and will leave the wedding in cars....which do cause pollution.

If I go stand outside of someone's house day after day, with a sign saying that they are a theif, and am shouting that they are, is that free speech, or harassment? Or hey, let's all go and find one of those sex offenders, and picket his house identifying him as such....see how long it takes for the cops to take us away!

Free speech does have limits, and I believe that this church did cross that limit.
Let the dead be buried in peace!

this news made my morning!! grieving families shouldn't have to be thrown into a anti-whatever hell that's being staged for political, ideological motives.

reply to post by KrazyJethro


Dang man you are as cold hearted as they are. Sorry you don't mind seeing this, I feel bad for you. Hopefully someone shows you some good loving and makes you feel like a human! You kinda make me sick.

Edit** Sorry but I thought it was only fair.

[edit on 1-11-2007 by sputniksteve]

reply to post by KrazyJethro


But why on earth would anyone in their right mind protest a funeral? Gee I mean come on have some respect for the deceased. These are soldiers that died defending out country. Phelps keeps pulling these stunts the Government will end up breathing down the neck of all the churches and revolk the tax excempt status.

I heard it this morning on CNN and it was 10. something million. Well thats what happens when people think they can say what they want disresping people who died calling them fags and say their going to hell.

I do not support the actions of Fred Phelps. Because no one has any business judging people and its not my place to judge anyone's lifestyle nor is it any of my business.

Originally posted by sputniksteve

Dang man you are as cold hearted as they are. Sorry you don't mind seeing this, I feel bad for you. Hopefully someone shows you some good loving and makes you feel like a human! You kinda make me sick.

Edit** Sorry but I thought it was only fair.

I'm not cold hearted, only sick of those who'd rather see government do where people should do.

Welcome to America, land of the lazy no good government criers (more or less).

Freedom my @@@

Originally posted by Leyla

But why on earth would anyone in their right mind protest a funeral?

Don't know, and don't really care. Personally, I'm tired of people always wondering why. When push comes to shove, it really doesn't matter. They just do because obviously they felt compelled for one reason or another most people would disagree with.

Gee I mean come on have some respect for the deceased. These are soldiers that died defending out country. Phelps keeps pulling these stunts the Government will end up breathing down the neck of all the churches and revolk the tax excempt status.

I see no reason to require respect for anyone, alive or dead honestly. If doubt the government will remove the tax free status of churches. There would be an actual riot that could tear down the last vestige of this country.

I heard it this morning on CNN and it was 10. something million. Well thats what happens when people think they can say what they want disresping people who died calling them fags and say their going to hell.

I do not support the actions of Fred Phelps. Because no one has any business judging people and its not my place to judge anyone's lifestyle nor is it any of my business.

Meh, I could care less if people judge, are racist, bigoted, spiteful, etc, etc. Such is freedom.

My point is that I'm tired of freedom being confronted with plees for government involvement (or them just doing it anyway) rather than freedom being confronted with more freedom.

If the people of this country will do less and less to confront those things (personally and financially) they disagree with the have a more helpful society and ask the government to do more and more, we will strip the last bits of America we have left.

Social Action is the answer, not more government and lame lawsuits with little merit (like this one and these laws).

unfortunately, you are talking about US armed servicemen and women here.
the armed services go through alot of trouble to try to ensure their servicemen and women are buried with the honor they deserve.
this responsiblity they see to honor their fallen may just be what also gives them the right to intervene when a group of crazies come along trying to take away that honor? I mean these funerals are being targeted mainly because of the service to the country, doesn't this make the government just a little tad responsible for protecting the families?

but, hey, I know, how about a few of you anti-smoking people get together, and find some of those many, many deceased smokers that you claim are dying every year from their habit.....make up a few "Thank God, Another Smoker is Gone" signs and well, picket across the street from the funeral home while their service is going on. I got a feeling that you won't get as far as this group has gotten before the cops would come around hauling you away!
you wouldn't have the clout that this group has behind you!

KrazyJethro your ideas are ridiculous. Are you just saying that family members should just "suck it up" and take it?

The way I see it, there are only 2 choices: The Family handles it or the Government handles it. YOU may think that vigilantism will work in America, but I guarantee you it will not!

Your "quit hiding behind the government" rehtoric is exactly why we form governments in the first place. As an arbiter to distinguish the line when freedom of speech crosses over into hate speech! With out it we would have chaos.

I'll have you know that I speak from experience. My own mother had to pull me off this guy as I was getting ready to tear into him (THIS guy, Fred himself, not some random guy). People want justice for slights against them (great or small, percieved or real) that is the natural state of society. Without it you only have anarchy, if that is what you want you need to grow up.

Originally posted by whargoul
KrazyJethro your ideas are ridiculous.

You're right, the idea of freedom is pretty ridiculous in our current environment.

My bad... lol

Are you just saying that family members should just "suck it up" and take it?

Meh, somewhat. I'd prefer big and crazies not be out protesting funerals, but I'm not one to ask the government to do something I and other citizens who care could do for less money and for better effect.

The way I see it, there are only 2 choices: The Family handles it or the Government handles it. YOU may think that vigilantism will work in America, but I guarantee you it will not!

Hmm, me thinks you view my words through tainted vision. There is a big different between Social Action and Vigilantism, although it is in the same vein.

Social Action works, but the more the government disallows us to do what we do, the lazier the people become. Welcome to the new America.

Your "quit hiding behind the government" rhetoric is exactly why we form governments in the first place. As an arbiter to distinguish the line when freedom of speech crosses over into hate speech! With out it we would have chaos.

There is no such thing as hate speech in my mind. I'd strike all laws that even mention the term as being unconstitutional.

I'm well versed in why we establish governments, and I can tell you that if the people took care of more things themselves, we would not have to be free of government, but we could be free to too much government (which as I said creates an isolated and lazy people socially).

I'll have you know that I speak from experience. My own mother had to pull me off this guy as I was getting ready to tear into him (THIS guy, Fred himself, not some random guy). People want justice for slights against them (great or small, perceived or real) that is the natural state of society. Without it you only have anarchy, if that is what you want you need to grow up.

You seem entirely too close to this situation to be objective, but I understand. I do not advocate violence, only that people use their freedoms to counter uses of freedoms that are generally repugnant (but as I see it still within the bounds of free speech).

Free speech doesn't mean not having to heard vile things or be grossly offended. If that was true I'd just sue Hillary Clinton for having to hear dried up lies and propaganda whenever she speaks.

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
Don't know, and don't really care. Personally, I'm tired of people always wondering why.

Well KrazyJethro you said it all right there. No one cares anymore. Have no respect for the US Soldiers who died in a foreign country because we have a nut job in the White House sending them to their deaths!! Can you tell me why? And no one cares or even wants to do anything about it! So yeah lets allow the illeagals to have Drivers licenses and bring in the North American Union!!

Who cares right?!

So we have a nutjob protesting the funerals of the US service people. Fred Phelps needs to be locked up with Bush and Cheney- in a single padded room. Then they can listen to Phelps mad rants.

The US citizens better straigten up and fast before that social order comes in and takes over everything. Then you will wish you had cared a bit more.

Originally posted by Leyla
Well KrazyJethro you said it all right there. No one cares anymore. Have no respect for the US Soldiers who died in a foreign country because we have a nut job in the White House sending them to their deaths!! Can you tell me why? And no one cares or even wants to do anything about it! So yeah lets allow the illeagals to have Drivers licenses and bring in the North American Union!!

Who cares right?!

Well, there's a huge difference between caring that it happens and caring WHY it is happening (which I was referring to the latter).

I care very much that certain things are happening, but the why is generally irrelevant. Again, because the fact remains that it is happening so speculating on the why simply does nothing but focus on the problem rather than a potential solution.

So we have a nutjob protesting the funerals of the US service people. Fred Phelps needs to be locked up with Bush and Cheney- in a single padded room. Then they can listen to Phelps mad rants.

Um, ok. Not sure what the point of this is, but hope it was fun.

The US citizens better straigten up and fast before that social order comes in and takes over everything. Then you will wish you had cared a bit more.

Hmm, guess you don't know much about me. I care more than most my age (30, married, 3 kids, single income) so I'm not sure what "social order" you speak of because I've been fighting it personally for at least a decade.

Perhaps questions might suit better than assumptions. I'd be happy to answer them for you, but please leave the sarcasm at the door. You can have it back when you leave.

Peace
KJ

Wow this forum really strayed off topic and really became constant rebuttal's against KrazyJethro but he does make a very valid point. In order to be truly free we can't silence a single voice no matter how upsetting there message may be, everyone has a right to there own message we just don't have to listen. This case is very severe though and it would be difficult to ignore and I sympathies with everyone hurt by Phelps's actions, but thats exactly it, don't obsess over the wrongful actions of others. Pickett the picketers, show up in opposition to there message of hate with a message of support, instead of filing law suits and complaints after the fact. In the past though many people have approached there distaste with Fred Phelps and his congregations messages but have been meet with that same type of system manipulation and misuse in the opposite direction. Phelps has a family of lawyers and clergy who on countless occasions have manipulate the first amendment to pursue many people who have voiced there own opinions in opposition to his church and there actions. So back to the topic at hand, I am pleased to see the same system Phelps has used for years finally get turned on him although it really has no significant outcome aside from what comfort the family got from there millions (thats a whole nother can of worms) nor will it bring about a positive change, it's really only an issue between Phelps's church and the family of the fallen soldier.