It is awkward that the state legislators of Kansas, the unfortunate home of Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church, didn’t pass a funeral picketing law this session because the House and Senate couldn’t agree on the terms. But senators had a point in standing against a too-strict House bill that would have drawn a constitutional challenge and perhaps even ended with the state paying Phelps’ legal costs. And maybe by next session, the situation in Iraq will have improved enough to allow a major drawdown of troops and slow the casualties that provide Phelps with his target.
In addition, the U.S. House this week voted 408-3 and sent to the Senate the “Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act,” which would apply to protests at military cemeteries. In a predictable response, Phelps described Congress as an “American Taliban” and said the nation “is rapidly reduced to having as much liberty as a frog in a snake’s belly.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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22 Comments
I have as much respect for Phelps as I do a car thief. It may be a matter of legal, but I can not help be feel like it is saying it is the car owners fault for leaving the keys in the car. So the thief has a right to steal it. No one should have a right to steal. Nor should the issue be clouded by Phelps having a right to protest. What he is doing it not a protest, it is an abomination to the rest of us. He just cloaks it in the first amendment and the Bible.
Taxpayers of Kansas already fund the adventures of the Phelps family since some retard state bureaucrat gave several members of the Phelps family state jobs. If the state any balls it would find away to rid itself of these scumbag employee’s. Every time I read the paper about the Phelps I always hope that finally someone will have beat the shit of this sick and twisted church but alas that has not happened. BTW if the funereal law passes it will prevent people from protesting the funeral of Fred when he kicks the bucket.
Fred backed down the Legislature. That’s rich! Why do we keep sending these people back to Topeka?
XXX, kansas keeps sending these jerks back to topeka because seventy percent of them differ from fred only by degree.
Things are the way they are in kansas because the majority of voters WANT them that way.
Pharisee Phred thrives on the attention – he’s just another media hound. I wish we could just ignore the sick, pathetic being and not give him the satisfaction of attention.
Rhonda,The only problem with your rationale is that the Iraqi army will only stand up when there are three seperate Iraqi armies: one each for the Kurds, Sunnis, and Shi-ites.
Yeah, when there are no more soldier funerals to picket, fred and his merry band can go back to picketing only gay funerals… and no one will care… again….
Think you are wrong on that kfg.
Fred and company have jumped the shark protesting at ANY funeral. It is truly regrettable that their antics were not widely known until they did it at funerals for dead soldiers.
They must top themselves, rejump the shark, Maddona themselves, so to speak in order to keep getiing attention.
Next they will likely picket childrens cancer hospitals or burn units. And no I don’t feel bad for possibly sugggesting it for them. I am sure they have their next outrage well planned.
Maybe our legislature figures that if they procrastinate long enough, Phelps will die, and they won’t have to worry about getting into some controversial issue.
It’s about time for reasonable people to start protesting Phelps’ church on a regular basis.
Free speech cuts both ways . . .
LH,Interesting idea. What would your sign say?
Mine would say “The GLBT community LOVES Fred Phelps.” (it might hasten his fatal coronary)
You know that love would kill that hateful old bastard.
Someone kicking his ass works too
I’m for kicking his ass, it would be so cathartic!
“BTW if the funereal law passes it will prevent people from protesting the funeral of Fred when he kicks the bucket”.
There are just somethings I am willing to forgo no matter how enjoyable it would be. For the good of all.
KFG, the first time I heard of Phelps was when they protested at Brian Whites funneral. The boy that died of aids from tanted blood. There are some of us that were paying attention when he was protesting at aids victim funnerals. But he has a double reservsation in Hell either way!
Somehow, I am not concerned about Fred Phelps needing to find other protest outlets. Let’s face it, a person (and his ignorant followers) with that much hatred will always find someone else to target. …and somehow, Farm Girl, I doubt that they will go back to just picketing gay funerals. They hate EVERYONE who doesn’t view the world through Phelps’ critical eyes.
YOU ALLOW HOMOSEXUALS TO PARADE IN USA STREETS IN FRONTVOF YOUNG CHILDREN–YOU ALLOW HOMOSEXUAL NAMBLA TO ORGANIZE IN THE USA–YET–YOU DON’T ALLOW PASTOR PHELPS TO HAVE FREE SPEECH. USA IS A MADHOUSE–THANK GOD LATINOS WILL SOON RUN THE USA–WE WILL BAN ABORTION–HOMOSEXUALITY–CRUSH FEMINISM & DUMP PETA–THEN WE WILL INSTITUTE BULL FIGHTS & USA WILL BE MEJOR POR SIEMPRE–ARRIBA TRADICIONES BAJO MARIPOSAS
What?! There are no gay Latinos?
BTW, isn’t it rather ironic to pledge to dump PETA, considering the treatment of the bulls in bullfights? If anybody thinks all they do is wave a cape at the animals to get them PO’d, then you’ve never seen a real bullfight.
What IS done with the bull hide after the bull is stabbed to death?
Yes writerdog, but it was RYAN White’s funeral :) He was an amazing person and should never be forgotten. Thanks for remembering him.
The Kansas legislature fails to pass a law to stop phelps? The white house to offer amnesty to millions of illegal aliens? It is time to pass a law that all congressional retirement funds be taken and used to pay for imigrant health care, food stamps, and border patrol. Vote ALL incumbents OUT! We need new poeple in office who will not sell out! Vote for those who will abolish congresional retirement funds! We the people need our country back!
Uncle Sam
Hey people! LOOK REAL HARD at the junk “ricardo” is spitting out. Does it look familiar? 10.00 will get you 10,000,000.00 it is “IAN” under a new name!