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has caught the attention of the Phelp's hate group:
Fringe group to picket local church services : Northern Suburbs : The Buffalo News (http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/northernsuburbs/story/584792.html - broken link)
now an Angel Action is being planned as a counter to this group:
Westboro Church Counter Protest: The Plan | WNYMedia.net - Buffalo News, Sports, Politics, Life (http://wnymedia.net/blogs/2009/02/westboro-church-counter-protest/ - broken link)
I do not think that the actions taken by the Phelp's group as being hateful and even Un-Christian is open for debate. So that is not the topic of this post.
However, as you will note from the Buffalo.rising comments, there is a debate on what is the proper course of action against such hate groups. There are people who advocate ignoring these people on the premise that media attention just fuels/feeds these hateful people. There are those - like me- who think that ignoring them is not working because the media will be there anyway, and that a quiet action, centered on allowing the people of Buffalo to mourn, by blocking the view of the mourners from seeing these hateful people is appropriate. There are those who would prefer "taking out" these people before they get to the protest site.
I see these people as a milder, domestic version of The Taliban. A vexing problem because any confrontation would probably only serve to inflame them, making the even MORE determined to "do the Lord's work, DESPITE the fact they were unpopular"..(i.e., The 'more we're hated, the better we're doing').
I would think SOME law could be applied to keep these folks from desecrating a funeral....but exactly how to do this, or which law to apply, I can't imagine.
Didn't these same delightful people last year show up to spoil the funerals of several deceased servicemen? Seems like there was a group of 'motorcyle types' who volunteered to show up and 'block' the wackos from contact with the mourners...but I don't know how successful this was, or the 'legal ins and outs' of such an effort...
I have no idea what to do with these hate groups. If a funeral of one on my family member's was being protested by the crap that is the phelps, I might wind up in jail.
I grewup in the 60's and this was pretty SOP behavior then. I no longer support any groups that protests now days. They use to meet soldiers at airports and spit on them as they arrived home. Just a sign of the time and best if they would be ignore and arested when they get out of hand. Shame is most are let go without fines afterwards.
I have no idea what to do with these hate groups. If a funeral of one on my family member's was being protested by the crap that is the phelps, I might wind up in jail.
I do, but they ain't worth spending the rest of my life in jail for.
And if I was on your jury, you would get a 'not guilty' vote from me, even if they showed footage from 3 news crews of exactly what you did. I would be demanding you receive a medal, or at least a certificate for beautification of America.
However, as you will note from the Buffalo.rising comments, there is a debate on what is the proper course of action against such hate groups. There are people who advocate ignoring these people on the premise that media attention just fuels/feeds these hateful people. There are those - like me- who think that ignoring them is not working because the media will be there anyway, and that a quiet action, centered on allowing the people of Buffalo to mourn, by blocking the view of the mourners from seeing these hateful people is appropriate. There are those who would prefer "taking out" these people before they get to the protest site.
What do you think?
I like the last idea.
OK maybe that's just a tad extreme (albeit tempting) - but the proliferation of such people - ie who's obnoxiousness and inconsidertion is surpassed only by their severe stupidity - in this country is largely because they are "toleratated" to an absurd and counter-productive degree. They're like spoiled kids. The more you let them get away with, the farther they'll go. Really we as a society are as much to blame (as the "permissive parent" so to speak) as the morons are.
I have no idea what to do with these hate groups. If a funeral of one on my family member's was being protested by the crap that is the phelps, I might wind up in jail.
Give me a call; I'll happily provide you an alibi and swear to it in court.
The logical consequence of such actions is for a member of a bereaved family eventually to be distraught enough to be considered temporarily insane, be confronted by them, and take out the protesters (I don't mean to Ihop.) No jury in the land would convict.
The "motorcycle types" that stop them from protesting near military funerals are the Patriot Guard, IIRC, and I salute them. Last I heard, the primary attempts were to bankrupt the church and protesters with lawsuits.
Counterdemonstrators overshadow Kansas fringe group : City & Region : The Buffalo News (http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/587487.html - broken link)
. . . narrowly missed getting my picture in the paper, I was just a foot or so to the left
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