http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/fred-phelps-dead_n_5000577.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/20/phelps-obit/6494627/ So... the master hater has finally passed on. Let us hope his hatred can go with him... I pray that actual Christians and other people of faith are kind enough to show him and his family the common decency they and their church would not show to others... for hatred only begets hatred. Let us stop this circle of pain here. ... even in his old age, his ignorance and arrogance knew no bounds...
I do not cheer anyone's death, especially when much of the Westboro church are family members and likely to take up the cause with renewed vigor.
Really? That's dumb. It's good when bad people die. He had already been excommunicated. This won't change anything.
A champion of free speech has passed. Regardless of his message, he had the balls to stand up and speak his mind and heart. Apparently, all of you have heard it. Quite effective...truly. PS: Just stopped in for a look Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Well, so did the Unabomber. You can support free speech while objecting to the method used to express it.
Granted, I found the use of funerals objectionable, but the method worked. Overall, I understand your point, but there were those who wanted to ban flag burning...because it was objectionable. BTW: The unabomber was a terrorist who used violence and destruction as a tool. If Phelps and his followers had done the same, they would have found themselves in prison. There's no fine line between expression through words and leaving a bomb in someone's mailbox.
That's my point. Had Phelps written long polemics, put up a lot of websites, gave fiery homophobic sermons, did anti-gay parades - no worries. If I disagreed with his message, I (and everyone else) could just ignore it. Likewise, had the Unabomber sent his manifesto to newspapers, given speeches about it, posted it on telephone poles - no problem. I object to their methods, not to their right to say whatever they want.
But there's the slippery slope, one that has been used before, telling people where they can and cannot speak, thereby limiting their liberty. If your on public ground, whether it be outside a cemetery, church, or government building, you should be able to express yourself--in my opinion.
I disagree. Yes, it is a slippery slope - but that does not make it OK to picket dead soldier's funerals, or yell "FIRE!" in a crowded theater, or hand out pornography to children.
Certainly no comparison to Phelps' message, but it's a point to be made that Free Speech is a fragile liberty that's easily trampled. [video=youtube_share;kqzfIitfHjU]http://youtu.be/kqzfIitfHjU[/video]