User Comments

1. 

   6/04/09

   Floormodel

   I've heard of them and the venom they spew. It's a shame that they put so much into hate and so little into caring and compassion. THe God I believe in doesn't want me to spread hate so I try to combat people like Fred Phelps by treating all the people around me with kindness and respect (whenever possible and merited)

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2. 

   6/04/09

   Friday13

   I don't think sending a bunch of e-mails to them will do anything.

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3. 

   6/04/09

   intarso

   I think people like him are best ignored. Their tactics don't really win too many people to their side.
   
   That's pretty obvious since his church only has 11 members who aren't related to him.
   
   He makes a lot of noise, but is a nobody in the scheme of things.

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4. 

   6/04/09

   greencurmudgeon

   Phelps is banned from the UK, which is a relief.
   
   However, he and his sect are such utter weirdos that I wonder if we're not helping him by paying attention to his activities. He strikes me as the screaming toddler type that feeds off of attention.

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   1. 

      6/04/09

      intarso

      bingo. he uses shock tactics to get in the news.
      
      petitions, emails, and protests will not make him go away.
      
      People like him are hurt the most when they are ignored.
5. 

   6/04/09

   amrhima

   That man is religious but he proves evolution is true....apes must have evolved from the likes of him

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6. 

   6/04/09

   jafabrit

   I would NEVER send them emails, absolute waste of time, no!!!!!!!!!!! Better to send emails and support the groups who find legal ways to go after them.

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7. 

   6/04/09

   cuteptaguy

   If they can protest at the funerals of soldiers and gay people who died due to gay bushing's, I think we can e-mail them. They are only about +/-100 members. Let's show them we out number them with our e-mails.
   
   You'd be surprised at what can be achieved if people stand together. Never think that the actions of one person can't make a difference. If that were the truth most of our greatest battles in history would have been lost.

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   1. 

      6/04/09

      jafabrit

      You dont' get it, they already know they are outnumbered and they don't care. They are outnumbered at funerals and other events, and challenged and they don't care. They are ridiculed and I bet already get a lot of hate mail, and they don't care.
      
      randallc.newsvine.com/_news/2009/03/31/2622514-hundreds-turn-out-against-5-...
      
      Why on earth do you think your emails will have more impact than actual real life protests against them. Even when confronted by hundreds, they don't care.
      
      Much better to support programs to fight them legally and counter protest programs.
      
      www.chicagomaroon.com/2009/3/10/westboro-church-protest-meets-students-mock...
      
      Or send a donation to those groups fighting westboro church
      novatownhall.com/2009/03/29/counter-protest-fundraising-against-westboro-ba...
   2. 

      6/04/09

      noetic

      I'm not a big fan of e-mails, or actual mails that have complaints.
      
      I prefer when people DO something. This is why I was bothered with the tea parties. People will go to an event and say "I'M ANGRY", but they won't vote on community elections. They won't run for local government. They don't write laws or propose revisions to existing laws. They talk about what's wrong without trying to fix it.
      
      I'm not going to write someone an e-mail that says "I don't like you." Instead, I'm going to write e-mails to people that have positive effects on me to encourage them to continue what they are doing. Myself, I benefit from these types of correspondences tremendously.
8. 

   6/04/09

   cuteptaguy

   From a GLBT perspective burdening them with e-mails is phase I after that we can go the legal route!

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   1. 

      6/04/09

      intarso

      emails are not a burden. It's not like physical mail where it actually fills up a mailbox. It's virtual and can be deleted without ever being read, as it most likely is.
      
      Online petitions and emails to people who disagree fundamentally with you achieves nothing.
      
      From any perspective, these people are nobodies - they don't affect public opinion or political opinion. Even those who oppose gay marriage wouldn't associate with these people. They are just making noise. There are many far more important causes in the gay community to champion than trying to putting a stop to the legal free (hate)speech of a bunch of morons.
   2. 

      6/04/09

      jafabrit

      I highly doubt emails are going to burden them! don't you think they will already have filters on their emails, or just junk them. OR you may get an automated response citing the bible and their right to their beliefs. Frankly I would not want them to have MY email address.
      I understand why you want to do that, but I see it having little to no impact.
9. 

   6/04/09

   bettieblogger

   @intarso I wouldn't say that they aren't affecting anyone's opinion .. Agreed, they spew out nothing but uneducated bull$hit. But the fact that it's even being discussed here shows that it indeed, does affect opinion and IS out there or this thread would not exist in the first place..
   
   Let's just hope that no one of any substantial power backs people like this .. that's when it can really get out of control.

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10. 

    6/05/09

    surveygirl46

    I didn't know that descendents of the original Big Headed banjo boys were allowed to be pastors in churches. (I'll do whatever i can:))

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