Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2006 » Protesting funerals « Previous Next »
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Smogboy
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Username: Smogboy

Post Number: 2119
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 69.47.100.44
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:01 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I saw these two articles today, one in the Detroit News and the other one in the Freep today and am amazed at how low and judgmental some people can be.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/M ETRO/603280360

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=2006603280372

Don't these folks from that Westboro church have something better to do on a given day than to protest a soldier's funeral with their hatred? Leave these people be to mourn the loss of their child!!! It's got to be a tough enough time already for them without this group protesting and waving hate filled signs around them.

Is it time to enact this protest legislation in the State of Michigan now or are we being knee jerk in reaction to a bunch of fringe people with offbeat religious views?
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Jt1
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Username: Jt1

Post Number: 7071
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 198.208.159.20
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:06 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Gotta love the bikers. Congrats to them for drowning out the idiots.
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Bobj
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Username: Bobj

Post Number: 617
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 65.221.183.120
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I don't care what the deceased did or didn't do, protesting funerals is sick stuff. The funeral is as much about the family and friends as the deceased. Leave them alone, protest your cause somewhere else.
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Dialh4hipster
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Username: Dialh4hipster

Post Number: 1503
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.61.187.234
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:36 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The fact of the matter is these nutjobs have been protesting the funerals of gay people for years and no one gave a fuck. And now everyone's worked up because they are protesting soldiers' funerals (which they've been doing for a while, btw).

If the media had found the other protests worth covering, and if people could have actually found it in themselves to get worked up over these obnoxious protests at the funerals of gay people (and trust me, the signs are much less delicate at those), there wouldn't be this problem now. But, you know, it was OK before.

Well, it looks like these loonies have finally found a way to get your attention, since gay bashing the families of the deceased didn't work before. It just demonstrates the hypocrisy that people refuse to see. At least in the 80's people dismissed you to your face, instead of quietly turning a cold shoulder.

It's always interesting to me when black people won't equate the civil rights struggle for racial minorities with the civil rights struggle for gay people. The circumstances are different, but the effects are just the same.
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Jt1
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Username: Jt1

Post Number: 7074
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 198.208.159.20
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:40 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I honestly had no idea they have been doing this at funerals of deceased gays for years. I am just as disgusted in that instance.

I have often wondered how communities that were oppressed in the past are some of the larger anti-gay critics. You would think walking a mile in the same shoes when it comes to rights would garner some support
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Dialh4hipster
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Username: Dialh4hipster

Post Number: 1504
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.61.187.234
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:52 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's the website of the protesters, by the way:

www.godhatesfags.com

Of particular interest is the "memorials" section toward the bottom of the page. Matthew Shepard has been in hell for 2724 days! Check out the memorial they plan to erect in Casper City Park too:

http://www.godhatesfags.com/ma in/shepard_monument.html
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Bobj
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Username: Bobj

Post Number: 621
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 65.221.183.120
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:56 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I had no idea they were protesting the funerals of gay individuals, I don't agree with that or the protesting of anyone's funeral/
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Dialh4hipster
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Username: Dialh4hipster

Post Number: 1505
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.61.187.234
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 12:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That's kind of why this law in the state legislature is a bit toothless, don't you think?
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Smogboy
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Username: Smogboy

Post Number: 2120
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 69.47.100.44
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 12:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Like Jt1, I had never heard of these folks either until I saw a piece on TV about them a few weeks back. I never knew that they were going around the country protesting either. I've heard of nutjobs and extremists protesting gay rallies and thought of them being as being disgusting narrow minded as well.
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Rms
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Username: Rms

Post Number: 24
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 141.211.114.43
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 12:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

For me it was really different in person - much more assaulting. When it was in the news, I could somehow distance myself from it. They were just a bunch of whackos, out "there" somewhere.

Coming into work at UM a couple of years ago, I was driving up State Street and saw picketers near the entrance to the Ann Arbor public school board building and transportation offices. From a distance I figured that it was a labor thing. Then I got closer and could read the signs, "God Hates Fags", "Thank God for 9/11", etc. It was like someone slapped me, I got so angry. It turns out they were also stationed at a couple of the High Schools that morning. I found out later that they were protesting because A2 public schools offer domestic partner benefits to its gay employees.

These people are vile. There is no reasoning with them. They know their way to be the only way, and feel secure in judging the rest of the world. Actually, like the KKK, they WANT to inflame people. There will however be no real dialogue with them. They will target traditionally liberal areas like A2, or sensetive functions like a funeral, because they can create outrage, or even confrontations.....which then gives their cause the publicity that they want.

Fred Phelps' group came back to A2 a month or so after the public school thing, and they camped out protesting outside of the Aut Bar. The recommendation that was coming from certain community groups at that time was to not interact with them - ignore them. Don't give them their publicity. Expend your energy writing a letter to the editor, or talk to religious leaders in the community getting them to speak out against this. Fight back, but on your own terms, and smarter.
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Spaceman_spiff
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Username: Spaceman_spiff

Post Number: 18
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 152.160.56.93
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 2:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The lack of charity and compassion evident in these protests, although stiking in its magnitude, is not the sum of the issues presented. Is offensive and disruptive language entitled to any less protection? I don't think so. What about language which incites violence? I think that this is not protected speech. Is the solution then to react violently, so that through establishing a history of violence subsequent to these protests, the act of protesting is seen as inciting violence?
In particular, how does this subject relate to the last big freedom of expression current event, the printing of political catoons depicting/mocking Mohammed? Is the constitutional freedom to speech limted by the most vocal/violent groups? How do the religious views of the protesters come into play in this dialogue? Is the immediate vincinity of a funeral an area with limited speech rights similar to a public educational institution?

just some ideas.
Personally, I still feel nothing but contempt for these individuals.

-Spiff
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Smogboy
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Username: Smogboy

Post Number: 2124
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 69.47.100.44
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 7:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Freedom of speech is in a way a fallacy. It's not like any of us can go into a crowded theater and yell "Fire" at the top of our lungs and claim free speech. Each of us should (again, SHOULD) be responsible for the words that we spew. I wish these folks would look at all of the hideous venom they're spouting at people that are already in pain and realize the hurt they're inflicting. It's hardly a Christian or compassionate ideal is it?
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East_detroit
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Username: East_detroit

Post Number: 555
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 69.212.169.194
Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 8:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Members of the religious right will often condemn, insult, ridicule and chastise people... in some misguided fanatical attempt to persuade.

I can't think of anyone of intelligence who is persuaded by these methods.
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Unclefrank
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Username: Unclefrank

Post Number: 19
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 192.85.50.2
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 10:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How anyone can protest a funeral is beyond me. That person is dead now, and will have to explain their life actions to their maker. We should respect that, no mater what a person did while here on earth.
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Chitaku
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Username: Chitaku

Post Number: 9
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 68.43.107.72
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 10:44 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

But i thought god loved everyone?????
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Unclefrank
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Username: Unclefrank

Post Number: 20
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 192.85.50.2
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 10:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

God does love eveyone. Although,like a good father, he may not be to pleased with their actions. BTW, I don't think you can lump these funeral protesters in with the so called religious right. These people are just plain nuts.

(Message edited by unclefrank on March 29, 2006)
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_sj_
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Username: _sj_

Post Number: 1283
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 69.220.230.150
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 10:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Respect and morales are at an all-time low. Is it due to the current low membership of churches which many including these groups believe it is. Or just bad parenting that is breeding this lack of respect.
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Chitaku
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Username: Chitaku

Post Number: 11
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 68.43.107.72
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 11:02 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It's funny that the church defines morals. Yet hates on people for having "other" beliefs
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Unclefrank
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Username: Unclefrank

Post Number: 21
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 192.85.50.2
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 11:18 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I feel it's the constant barrage of negativity that our kids get from the media that is having such a huge impact. Unfortunately, parents use the tube, video games etc., to placate their kids so they can work longer hours or whatever.
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Jfre66_77
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Username: Jfre66_77

Post Number: 19
Registered: 01-2006
Posted From: 12.15.1.161
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 2:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Smog - you hit on an important point. Although we have the right to free speech, that right comes along with a responsibility.

While I believe that as a society we often tend to carry political correctness to the point of absurdity, the things that these @holes are saying have nothing to do with being politically correct and everything to do with common decency. Their hate speech is only intended to provoke people, which then draws more attention to their cause.

Extremism in any form is usually never a good thing.

(Message edited by Jfre66_77 on March 29, 2006)
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Jeff
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Username: Jeff

Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 209.69.49.34
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 5:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hi Everyone. First time writer, long time viewer. If it's any consolation, the Lansing State Journal printed an article about the funeral. But, conveniently (& respectfully) left the protestors out of it. It's nice that they honored this hero with this story and did so without mentioning the three fanatics that tried to disrupt a families grieving. I'm all for letting this group protest. Just like any other fanatical group, it lets people know just what they're all about. Protesting at a funeral is just bad taste. Which further proves to every decent person out there that this group's beliefs may not be healthy
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Superaygun
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Username: Superaygun

Post Number: 322
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 68.42.181.134
Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 5:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i agree with you 100%, Smog; the problem with these people is they feel they ARE being responsible by spewing this garbage at the rest of the world. they think it's their responsibility to "wake us up."
welcome, Jeff. i see your point; let these morons put their shit out there so people can see that they're lunatics. and they have that right, but i wouldn't support letting the bereaved suffer their nonsense just to prove a point. i'm sure their rantings would seem just as nuts in any other setting. people should be left to their grief in peace.
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Knightmessenger
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Username: Knightmessenger

Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 147.124.50.189
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 2:17 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Actually, the leader of this wacko organization is not from the Religious Right, he's a registered card carrying Democrat. And a big contributer too, he attended a lot of special functions with Bill Clinton when he was president. I remember reading this in some of the disscussions and links from an online Yahoo news article about 2 months ago.
I wasn't aware of this asinine lunatic organization before when they protested gay people's funerals but I have seen "The Laramie Project". It was about Matthew Shepard's murder and there was scene with people carrying "God Hates Fags" signs and "Matthew in Hell" as if any human being deserves to be savagely beaten and left to die tied to a fence. I wonder if that scene showed the same group.
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Smogboy
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Username: Smogboy

Post Number: 2141
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 69.47.100.44
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 3:14 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Regardless of his political affiliation, his actions speak louder than words. To me it doesn't matter if he's a democrat, republican, green party, communist, or whatever... he's still urging people to hate- which as no place at a family's mournful funeral.
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Machoken
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Username: Machoken

Post Number: 1168
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 207.145.38.104
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 9:22 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

god, I hate people who hate fags.
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Dialh4hipster
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Username: Dialh4hipster

Post Number: 1514
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.61.187.234
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:13 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Knightmessenger - there's some background to his political affiliations here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R ev._Fred_Phelps#Political_affi liations

He's not exactly a part of the democratic mainstream, you might say.

That whole article is a good read about this wack-job. His group is indeed the one in "The Laramie Project." Also interesting to note - they picketed at Al Gore's father's funeral in 1998, too, yelling to Gore "Your father's in hell now!" because they didn't like the Clinton/Gore stance on gay rights.
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1953
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Username: 1953

Post Number: 746
Registered: 12-2004
Posted From: 209.104.146.146
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm oppossed to protests, but I don't know how to show it.
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Gumby
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Username: Gumby

Post Number: 1030
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 68.60.143.186
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:43 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think we should hold a rally like they do at the end of the movie "PCU" chanting "were not gonna protest" holding up placcards with those words as well. lol.

In all seriousness these people are the exact opposite of what the christian religion proclaims to be. They are sick individuals with no respect for true decency.
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Oldredfordette
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Username: Oldredfordette

Post Number: 576
Registered: 02-2004
Posted From: 68.60.177.56
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 1:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Welcome to news of these rotten bastards. Where have you folks been? They picketed in Ferndale when the Equal Rights vote was up. Hello?????????
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_sj_
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Username: _sj_

Post Number: 1287
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 69.220.230.150
Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 2:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

It's funny that the church defines morals. Yet hates on people for having "other" beliefs




It would make sense, since those are their morals and the others are not practicing those.

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