This nutjob rightwing Christian group should be making the Republicans real proud, it's their voting "base".

These Kansas people are sick, sick, sick and more sick. Hmmm, them or the Loony Left Kooks: while on opposite sides of the fence, the two groups are the worst mankind has to offer.

These people are totally nuts.
However, our constitution grants us the right to express our insanity, as long as we are not causing anyone physical harm to their person or property.

This nutjob rightwing Christian group should be making the Republicans real proud, it's their voting "base".

Posted by: John E | December 6, 2007 2:19 PM

You just don't get it do you-
These nutjobs are not rightwing, christian or republican-not sure what they are but these "people" are using tactics closer to the code pinkers, move on crowd than any christian, rightwing or republican group I know..

Can't this church (family) get some gainful employment? Some drugs? They lay out the best reason to reopen state mental institutions.

Nice comment, John D. Or should I say John D-Phelps?

Johnny:

How DARE you compare these people to liberals!!!! When was the last time YOU saw liberals picketing at a funeral for a dead soldier?? What has ANY liberal group done that can compare to them?????

You, sir (and I use that term lightly) have finally gone over the edge. I suggest you talk to Jerry White's psychiatrist - maybe you can get a 2 for 1 deal with them.

These Kansas people are sick, sick, sick and more sick. Hmmm, them or the Loony Left Kooks: while on opposite sides of the fence, the two groups are the worst mankind has to offer.

Posted by: John D | December 6, 2007 2:26 PM

Um, JohnnyDee, you have much more in common with these folks than I am sure you are willing to deal with, so give it a rest.

No, Johnnny E., these weirdos are more up your demented alley. They are not the base, just off-base. Pretty much like you.

John E:

It’s already bad enough that these nuts from Kansas could spout such hateful, angry legalism and self-righteousness in the name of Christianity. We don’t need you to add insult to injury by suggesting that Republicans could or should be proud of them. As a conservative and a Christian, I can tell you that I am neither proud of these Pharisees, nor in agreement with their message. Furthermore, no Republican or Christian I know has anything good to say about these people and their message. [Note John D.’s response above.]

Please consider the possibility that it is only your narrow-mindedness that leads you to believe that Republicans, Christians and conservatives (which are not all the same) represent such a monolithic bloc that they would either agree with or tolerate such a fringe group. But, then again, your narrow-mindedness about those with whom you disagree isn’t surprising, is it?

It's nice to see another rightwing fundie group that is so supportive of our troops. I guess the RR thought doing that yellow bumper sticker thing was just a waste of time.

"Shirley Phelps-Roper is part of a Topeka, Kan. church that contends God is punishing the United States for permitting homosexuality by killing soldiers."

Kinda like what all the John D's were saying after Katrina; "God punished New Orleans for Mardi Gras."

"While on opposite sides of the fence, the two groups are the worst mankind has to offer."

Prrrphhh...And where would you be? Straddling the fence I suppose.

This is really ridiculous, why do we allow judges to go against every decent part of american life. The fallen deserve respect, love, and admiration, and our complete support.These radicals have no right to protest,the burial of our war dead this is a private service and should be reserved for the family and friends of the deceased."My country right or wrong" My country"

heartburn,

Interesting that you would try to compare these folks from Kansas with any type of liberal group.

This is the same state that gave us all of the right to life folks who go around picketing abortion clinics AND they are using the same type of intimidation type techniques. AND they are a fundamentalist, authoritarian, Christian group. Not exactly flaming liberals.

These Kansas people are sick, sick, sick and more sick. Hmmm, them or the Loony Left Kooks: while on opposite sides of the fence, the two groups are the worst mankind has to offer.

Posted by: John D | December 6, 2007 2:26 PM

heartburn,

I notice that you don't seem to have a problem with John D comparing these nuts to "Loony Left Kooks".
These nuts are YOUR fundamentalist rightwing lunitic fringe Republicans, waterboy.

Take a pill, heartburn.

[Note John D.’s response above.]

I noted. So he's either straddling the fence, or afraid to come to our side. (Sorry guys) We do champion homosexuality right? We can't stand for that. Should we because of free speech fine? Yet, I think making a funeral a podium to make a point infringes on the right of others to berry their dead in peace. It not like there's any bodily injury to talk of when your dead...right? There's only your "right" to be berried in peace. (Not a right but as an individualist I think there should be one.) How far away is she picketing???

Lefty Loons, I'll try to keep this as simple as possible. These Phelpsers are Loons to the Max. The Kooks on the Far Left are Loons to the Max. You see, in the real world and on the political spectrum, even the far left of communism and the far right of fascism basically meet in the spectrum. The Phelpers are sick, demented loons. You Kooky Lefties are sick, demented Loons. Hence, one and the same.

IN addition, while these folks protest their filth at soldier's funerals, Lefty Loons have spat at returning servicemen, called them names. Hmmm, seems to me a few weeks ago, weinerlessbrain did just that in the Swamp here. Oh, and let's not forget the movies like Redacted in which Hollywood Lefty Loons portray our troops as murderous, rapist thugs.
Got it? Two peas of the same pod.

"Interesting that you would try to compare these folks from Kansas with any type of liberal group."

Dawg,

What ❤♨ and John D are saying is this; it's the liberals that are picketing the abortion clinics, the GI funerals, and demonstrating against gay marriage.

The Phelps gang are liberals!

These Kansas people are sick, sick, sick and more sick. Hmmm, them or the Loony Left Kooks: while on opposite sides of the fence, the two groups are the worst mankind has to offer.

Posted by: John D | December 6, 2007 2:26 PM

heartburn,

I notice that you don't seem to have a problem with John D comparing these nuts to "Loony Left Kooks".
These nuts are YOUR fundamentalist rightwing lunitic fringe Republicans, waterboy.

Take a pill, heartburn.

Posted by: John E | December 6, 2007 5:05 PM

again- you have a problem with the details son-

John D's response was critical of the fringes on both sides of the fence- .

Your reponse did not show this objectivity- you were associating the group solely with right wing, republican and christian groups.

BTW- the " he is worse than me" argument is really immature- grow up and try to communicate like an adult.

heartburn,

Interesting that you would try to compare these folks from Kansas with any type of liberal group.

This is the same state that gave us all of the right to life folks who go around picketing abortion clinics AND they are using the same type of intimidation type techniques. AND they are a fundamentalist, authoritarian, Christian group. Not exactly flaming liberals.

Posted by: dogjudge | December 6, 2007 5:02 PM

really?- ALL of the folks that picket abortion clinics are from Kansas?

And ALL right to life folks use these intimidation techniques?

Hmmm Hmmm Interesting logic-...

I guess you will make your point in a future post?

I know I should have re read my post before sending. I think you guys still get my point. "Berry the dead" priceless.

"IN addition, while these folks protest their filth at soldier's funerals, Lefty Loons have spat at returning servicemen, called them names. Hmmm, seems to me a few weeks ago, weinerlessbrain did just that in the Swamp here. Oh, and let's not forget the movies like Redacted in which Hollywood Lefty Loons portray our troops as murderous, rapist thugs.Got it? Two peas of the same pod."

John D heartburn has something to say to you.

"BTW- the " he is worse than me" argument is really immature- grow up and try to communicate like an adult."

"Lefty Loons have spat at returning servicemen, called them names."

Once again the John D. Fantasy Machine churns out nuggets of priceless myth. This is the same line some said happened to the Vietnam vets, and was historically proven NEVER to have happened, and if it did was never documented at the time and MIGHT be the recollections much later, which should never be trusted.

So, if the troops have been spat on, prove it, or shut the hell up you Neo-Con Neo-Nazi.

The Master

What really bugs me about the protesters is that it is not the soldiers fault that we are in an illegal was in Iraq.

You want to protest, go to the White House, the Pentagon, a 4 star general, an admiral, but for God sakes, anything under Colonel had nothing to do with planning this war.

My grandfather, who fought in WWII and Korea used to remind me of how he signed up after Pearl Harbor and was doing what he thought was the right thing to do. Ask any of the soldiers now, they'll say nearly the same thing: just doing what they think is right, they may not always agree, but when you put on the uniform, you don't get much of a choice in what you will and will not fight for. When your time is up, if you don't agree, you resign and go back to civilian life.

I will never question a soldier's reasons for joining the military (I might have a great deal more sympathy for a soldier who was drafted, after all it wasn't his choice)

I never joined the military, there are other ways of serving your nation, but it is still a personal choice to join, and that can never be questioned.

Pray for the soldier, their family, and their friends they leave behind. Blame the leadership for leading us into a war we should never have fought

I think all of you missed the real question this article brings up. What, if any, are the constitutional rights of this group to picket these soldiers funeral? Sure you could make the argument to the right of free speech but what about the family of the fallen soldier’s right to a peaceful assembly. I wonder if they this group has the guts to pull this type of stunt at Arlington national cemetery

You guys are cracking me up. What a lot of blather! You are working WAY too hard at this. Simplicity is my name and serving God is my game! Your God has made a covenant with his people - if you OBEY his commandments, he will bless you and if you will NOT OBEY his commandments, he will curse you. A dead child -in the form of a soldier or otherwise is NOT a blessing! This is a filthy nation of rebels against their God and you have NO cause. Carrying on and complaining about our faithful service to our God, for the good of YOUR never-dying soul is NOT going to change any of this!! If you would not have brought the wrath of God down upon your heads, you would never have heard of me or any of the faithful servants of God at Westboro Baptist Church!!

Now - all you need to do is shut your mouths, get a Bible, CRACK IT - READ IT - OBEY YOUR GOD and HE will stop killing your children and WE will hold our peace!

Try it - you might like it! OR - you can demonize, vilify and marginalize us and stiffen your resolve to be disobedient perverts - swapping your spouses and sex partners MORE often than you change your nasty under garments and murdering your babies and teaching your children that God is a liar, and HE will keep his promises to you - that he will dash your children to pieces before your eyes and other good things that are fitting for such a nation as this!

Your best friend!

Shirley Phelps-Roper
Thankful servant of God in these very last days of all!

IN addition, while these folks protest their filth at soldier's funerals, Lefty Loons have spat at returning servicemen, called them names.
Posted by: John D | December 6, 2007 5:24 PM

And then the 'conservative' Repubs take away their veteran's healthcare benefits and call them cowards for speaking up.

You're hardly one to cast a stone about name-calling.

There's JohnnyDingbat lying again. It's an urban myth that lefties spat on returning soldiers. You really are a two-bit trade rag journalist aren't you!

Interesting thing is that the Phelps family are lifelong Democrats.

"Interesting thing is that the Phelps family are lifelong Democrats."

Your nome de plume says it all. Care to offer any proof, Republic?

"Shirley Phelps-Roper
Thankful servant of God in these very last days of all!"

Shorter Shirley: I enjoy roasting puppies and kittens on an open grill while I worship Ba'al! Pay no attention to my earlier drunken post!

BTW- the " he is worse than me" argument is really immature- grow up and try to communicate like an adult.

Posted by: heartburn | December 6, 2007 5:53 PM

Shucks, heartburn-phelps. That's the only argument you guys have. Hmmm.

And ALL right to life folks use these intimidation techniques?
Hmmm Hmmm Interesting logic-...
I guess you will make your point in a future post?

Posted by: heartburn | December 6, 2007 6:00 PM

WaterBoy,
These are rightwing lunitic fringe fundie Christians, aka the Republican 24% base, now take that pill and go lay down.

Your best friend!

Shirley Phelps-Roper
Thankful servant of God in these very last days of all!

Posted by: Shirley Phelps-Roper | December 6, 2007 7:14 PM

I'm glad your nutty group is loosly associated with the Republican Party because you're all going to get your sorry arses kicked out of power in 08 and hopfully you'll never be seen or heard from again after that.

[quote]
Lefty Loons have spat at returning servicemen

Posted by: John D | December 6, 2007 5:24 PM
[/quote]

Geographically Challenged Dumb Dumb Little Johnnie D, "the Joseph Stalin of Streamwoos", this lie has been proven to be false years ago, yet mental midgets like you keep regurgitating it because you're desperate to keep lying to support the worst president that this country has seen in over a century.

IF YOU CAN PROVIDE PROOF THAT ANY SOLDIER RETURNING FROM THE GULF WAR OR CURRENT WAR IN IRAQ WAS SPAT UPON, POST THE LINK HERE AND NOW!

Either that or admit that you've been caught BSing the Swamp again. Just like when you totally refused to provide proof that John Edwards pays as much for his suits as Bush does, yet insist that you know it for a "fact".

Now - all you need to do is shut your mouths, get a Bible, CRACK IT - READ IT - OBEY YOUR GOD and HE will stop killing your children and WE will hold our peace!

Shirley Phelps-Roper
Thankful servant of God in these very last days of all!

Posted by: Shirley Phelps-Roper | December 6, 2007 7:14 PM

Hey Shirley,

God told me that he want's you to gather up all of your radical rightwing fundie Christian whackjob friends (also take that heartburn boy and Johnny D who are on here defending you), find the highest cliff that you can find and jump off it.

You see, God thinks you nuts are wasting space and oxygen here on earth that could be better used by people who don't have mental disorders and psychotic dillusions...

Couple of points.
First, I have looked and cannot find any evangelical Christian group that has codemned these people. Until they do, condemnations of these folks as evangelical Christian bigots is fair game.
Second, this is not the only example of this. Iowa polls are showing the righwing Christians refuse to voite for Romeny noit beacuse they disagree with any of his poilicy positions but because they cannot vote for someone who is not a "christian." This is such a profound violation of both Christian and American values that you would think every patriotic preacher would be in their pulpit condemning it. Not a whisper.
Neochristians appear to me to have fundamental disrespect for core American values and the Republican Party has embraced these folks. They should pay the price for this stomping on the flag and the Constitution.

I applaud the decision as a fairly obvious and proper application of First Amendment law. The Westboro crew have every right to protest and those who abhor them have every right to counterprotest or ignore them as they see fit. That's what "freedom" is all about, Republofascists.

The Christianity issue is irrelevant except for the complete amusement I get from seeing religious zombies talking about who has the better communication line to Mr. God. Guess what: you're all wandering around in fantasy land. You're all right and you're all wrong, depending on who's doing the evaluating.

I applaud the Westboro Church for (unwittingly) highlighting the inherent evil of religion.

Shirley Phelps-Roper:

I have read my Bible, and it doesn’t agree with what you said just now, much less with any of the hateful things you have been saying to torment many people in their time of grief.

In particular, I note the absence of any mention of Jesus Christ in your message. One might normally find that omission a strange one, considering that you and your associates call yourselves “Christians.” I, however, find it rather unsurprising that you would omit any mention of Jesus, the author and finisher of the Christian faith, because Jesus, himself, is a stumbling block to the message of hate that you spew.

Contrary to what you wrote here on the blog, the Christian covenant does not consist of commandments which are to be kept in a legalistic manner. If you have any doubts about that, I commend you to the entire letter of Paul to the Galatians – which I trust you have completely ignored. Paul makes it clear that no one is justified in the eyes of God through works of the law. (Galartians 3:10-13.; Ephesians 2:8-9.) It is, instead, faith in Jesus which brings us the Spirit of God by which we shall walk and live. (Galatians 3:2, 4:6, 5:5-25.) It is that Spirit that guides us to obey Jesus’ commandments (John 15:26, 16:12-14.), including his admonition for us to love our enemies, bless those that curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us. (Matthew 5:44-47; Luke 6:27-36.) Why? Because this is what demonstrates we have become the “children of the Highest; for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” Therefore, Jesus commands us to “ be . . . merciful, as [our] Father is also merciful.” (Id at 6:35-36.)

I see none of none of God’s mercy in your practice of brutally taunting people with the claim that God has killed their children because of their wickedness and that of the whole nation. What I see, instead, is the wrongful Pharisaical practice of mercilessly judging and condemning people based on a legalistic sense of self-righteousness. (See Matthew 7:1-2; Luke 18:9-14.) Not only do you spit this venom at people to their injury, you actually revel in it. You claim you are happy that God has stricken soldiers and even little children as punishment. Not only is it unbiblical to suggest that children are punished for their parents’ sins – much less for anyone’s sins but their own (Ezekiel 18), the hate that you churn is exactly the opposite of that which is expected of you if you truly are children of God (See 1 Corinthians 13). Indeed, your actions partake of “hatred, strife, [and] . . . anger,” which Paul numbers among “the works of the flesh” that lead to condemnation. (Galatians 5:19-21.)

Nor do you ever use these events to call anyone to repent or to make disciples of men. (See Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 15:2-11.) Thus, there is nothing in your activity which has any redeeming characteristic worthy of the name Christian. You don’t need me or anyone else to marginalize, vilify or demonize you. You do a good job all by yourself. Go read the Bible and learn what Jesus meant when he said, “’I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9: 13.) Behold your stumbling block.

With all these lefty loons,maybe its time to
reinstate the draft.As a
honorably discharge military man I believe that these loons would be straighten out in a hurry.

Geographically- and suit-challenged BC, here is some info on Iraqi War veterans being spat on:

COLMES: You see if we can — oh, we're not talking.

Joining us now, FOX News radio's Griff Jenkins and Iraqi war veteran Joshua Sparling. He took part in a counter protest to the capital weekend. And let me begin with you both.

Sparling, let me begin with you. There was a controversy, as you know, about whether you were spit upon. Can you tell us what happened?

JOSHUA SPARLING, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: Yes. Nice to talk to you, by the way. What we are doing, actually, is doing the anti-protest protest. And we were there with our flags. And all that happened I was — a fellow saw me wear my 82nd Airborne sweater, and I noticed he also had an 82nd patch on his own sleeve.

And he said I was a disgrace, basically, and that I was — that I had blood on my hands and that I had no right wearing the uniform. And he spit at me.

COLMES: And you spit back?

SPARLING: Of course I did not.

COLMES: That's what was reported. So that did not happen?

SPARLING: No, sir, it did not.

Here's an excerpts:
Note: On Thursday night, an antiwar protestor in Milwaukee spit on a returned Iraqi war veteran, Marine Major Jerry Boyle. Boyle is a Republican candidate for Congress in Milwaukee. Boyle served in Operation Iraqi freedom and was posted to Baghdad shortly after the invasion. Although he is an underdog in the race, he has shown up for every campaign forum, where he's won high marks for his civility and willing to face hostile audiences...

More excerpts:
*As Boyle was walking from the stage to the reception, a graduate student from UWM spit on Boyle as he passed by.
*Boyle, restraining himself, went to the restroom to clean up let this incident go.
*I, however, did not.
*After seeing Jerry wipe the spit from his jacket, I asked him what was going on and asked the young man why he spit on him.
*Although it was witnessed by several people (at least five) he denied it and approached me looking for a confrontation. He walked up to me and got right in my face.
*I asked him why he spit on Jerry and he said he didn't but should have because Jerry didn't answer his question to his satisfaction.
*He called me an imperialistic pig and said that I was a puppet for an imperialistic regime. I asked him if that was a new term he had just learned in school and that I was very proud of him for using it in a complete sentence.

And, BC, just for you and unfortunately the rest of the more saner bloggers here, are three links again (including your Encyclapedia Britannica about Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico:

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/gulfofmexico/
And the first paragraph from that link:
The Gulf of Mexico is a large oceanic basin that borders five U.S. states — Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida — to the north, and Mexico’s eastern shoreline and the Yucatán Peninsula to the south. To the east it is bordered by the island of Cuba that covers part of the entrance to the Gulf, creating a swirl of in- and out-flowing ocean currents.
Bordered by the island of Cuba!!! See that, Blithering Idiot?
Another link:
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9109733/Gulf-of-Mexico
And the first sentence from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
"Golfo de México partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Straits of Florida, running between the peninsula of Florida and the island of Cuba,"
And the island of Cuba, it says, you Blithering Idiot!
Here is another (maybe this educational site for children is easier for you:
http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/g/gu/gulf_of_mexico.html
And from that site, comes this:
The Gulf of Mexico is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America.
The gulf's eastern, northern, and northwestern shores lie within the United States of America (specifically, the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas); its southwestern and southern shores lie within Mexico (specifically, the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo); on the southeast it is bordered by Cuba. It connects with the Atlantic Ocean via the Florida Straits between the U.S. and Cuba, and with the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba.

Do you need anything else, BC? (By the way, BC, that's rhetorical, and anyway, we all know you NEED lots of help!)

DJH:

For your information, the Southern Baptist Convention – a fundamentalist group – has denounced Fred Phelps and his hate-mongering group. See

http://www.rickross.com/reference/westboro/westboro34.html

- and,

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071102/NATION/111020083/1002

- as have individual Baptist Churches and ministers, see:

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050609/NEWS01/106090029

- as have individual fundamentalist Christians, too numerous to count. See, e.g.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:PzMxbKGmNHsJ:www.kevinstilley.com/2006/07/god-hates-westboro-church.html

and,

http://www.petitiononline.com/truth06/petition.html

It didn’t take me very long to find all of the above, in which case we can conclude that you haven’t looked very hard at all. Have you? You are just in a big hurry to condemn all fundamentalists by associating them with Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. How very disingenuous of you.

Weinerdog,

A simple web search on Fred Phelps will show you that he has run for public office multiple times AS A DEMOCRAT and even campaigned for Al Gore in his 1988 presidential run. Phelps is not now, nor has he ever been a Republican.

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=184

gives ALL the details about Fred Phelps (D-KS). Or is the Southern Poverty Law Center too "right wing" for you?

Interesting thing is that the Phelps family are lifelong Democrats.
Posted by: dick
-
That may be because they have known all along what the rest of us are now coming to realize, that all repubs are closeted gays.

It's OK to come out of the closet now, gents. Homophobes only make up 25% of the population now.

Chris, wow, I'm impressed. A Republic that actually knows how to use a citation. Not that it proves anything, but still. Your citation does clearly show that Phelps is a nutty dirtball who just happens to espouse a platform remarkably similar to the Republics, not the Dems. Nice try though.

weinerlessbrain, have YOU ever cited anything in any of your posts?

Nice that you just ignore all the evidence that proves you and your worthless brethren wrong.

By the way, weinerless brain and Bruce Y (is that another John E moniker?), in addition to all the links provided of Christians denouncing Phelps and his gang, I have denounced him in the Swamp as has John W. How about you folks showing us ANY Christian who has supported the moron sand his band of idiots?

With all these lefty loons,maybe its time to
reinstate the draft.As a
honorably discharge military man I believe that these loons would be straighten out in a hurry.

Posted by: Paul Jaeger | December 7, 2007 9:23 AM

The college Republicans have been dying to do more for the war effort.

I went to the Fox news page to see this "evidence" my self and there are 2 reasons why it can not be trusted:

1. The Transcript states that it is a "partial, edited transcript", anything edited or partial can not be trusted

2. There is no videotaped evidence, although the transcript states that there was tape rolling, it stopped before the "Spit Interview"

Link: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,248706,00.html

The other related piece is that there was a study done a number of years ago and proved that Vietnam vets being spat on was a myth. Follow Link:

http://www.slate.com/id/1005224/

Now, that is not to say that a Vet may have been spat on, its just there is not enough proof. The other problem is that people's memories change over time, being SPAT AT becomes SPAT on.

As a historian, a 2nd or 3rd hand story is not to be trusted, and really needs to verified beyond a shadow of a doubt. LACK OF EVIDENCE DOES NOT MAKE SOMETHING TRUE, no matter how much we want it to be.

(Sorry if this was posted before, not sure if it went through)

Do you need anything else, BC? (By the way, BC, that's rhetorical, and anyway, we all know you NEED lots of help!)

Posted by: John D | December 7, 2007 9:34 AM

BC,

Did you notice that Little Johnny D'Buttpicker has rolled out Fox News and a REGISTERED REPUBLICAN VETERAN to defend his "spiting on a vet" lies with?....this "vet" already got busted for lying.

These people would NEVER lie because they're fair and balanced......hahahahohohahaha!!!

John W, Thank you for the excellent posts. You'd think these so-called Christians would have some clue what Jesus was trying to teach us. I'm not as well versed (it's been a while since sunday school), but I was pretty certain that Jesus never said, "torment grieving families". Maybe Shirley can tell us where to find that in the new testament.

I recently read an article about a funeral in Seattle where people from many different backgrounds united for a counter-protest when the Phelps gang showed up. I wanted to include a link, but I haven't been able to find it again. I'd like to think that the swampers here could put away the petty insults for a day and do the same if these despicable people ended up in our neighborhood.

How Christian Is Gay Bashing?
By Chris Mooney
from Yaleherald.com

I was visitor 440,359 to the website www.godhatesfags.com, a web inferno packed with GIFs of devils marching gays into flames, terrifying Bible quotations, and sound-bites like "All who say it's okay to be gay have the blood of Matthew [Shepard] and millions more on their hands."

I stumbled on Internet Hell trying to investigate the Westboro Baptist Church, a Topeka-based, far-rightwing ministry that protests around 40 funerals for homosexuals a week. I guess the attractive URL gets them more hits. Indeed, the church has recently attracted national media attention for its decision to picket the funeral of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old openly gay University of Wyoming student who was killed Mon., Oct. 12, by being pistol-whipped and tied to a fence in near-freezing temperatures outside Laramie.

Sadly, despite its antediluvian intolerance, the Westboro Baptist Church cannot easily be dismissed as "fringe." Since the rise of the Religious Right, gay bashing in the name of God has become legitimate--even mainstream. Christian Coalition President Pat Robertson recently raved that gay rights demonstrators risked God's wrath in the form of "terrorist bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." Whatever world he lives in, Robertson has millions of zealous followers in our own.

Indeed, anti-gay sentiment pervades the GOP and hence both houses of Congress. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) has called homosexuality a "sin" and likened it to alcoholism and kleptomania. Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) has publicly dubbed his openly-gay fellow Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) "Barney Fag." Hating gays, it seems, has become at least as American as the Republican party.

When pressed, our current plague of religious homophobes draws a seemingly humane distinction between loving

Full story here:
http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxvi/10.23.98/opinion/gay.html

Yep, just as I suspected, this group is a far far far rightwing luntic fringe group, they even make Johnny D sound somewhat sane.

Buckley all transcipts to any show have the caveat, mostly because the the transcribers cannot always make out what is being said or may make an error.

I have seen Joshua Sparling interviewed several times and each time he insisted he was spat on. I'll take his word for it.

In the other case, it is Marine Maj. Jerry Boyle who also claims he was spat on. I'll take the major's word as well.

Also, while you discredit Fox, you provide a link to the slate, which is a far left news outlet. Hardly, reputable and without bias.

You also say folks may forget if they were spat on or spat at? Are you trying to do a "it depends on the meaning of is" thing here? So, if someone spits at someone and it lands two inches from them or hits the person next to them, that makes it OK to spit at a veteran?

I see a LOT of people here are under the false impression this is a 'rightwing group'.. on the contrary, Phelps is a marxist who has campaigned for Al Gore and several other prominant Democrats. Phelps is a lefty, filled with, as you can tell, wonderful lefty love.

An inconvenient truth:

Fred Phelps provided office space and other support for Al Gore's 1988 campaign and was a Gore delegate at the DNC convention that year. Al and Tipper attended a fund-raiser hosted by Phelps at his son's home. The gay activist group Log Cabin Republicans has the pictures and the dirt:
http://www.lcrga.com/archive/200010251159.shtml

Whatever else he is, Phelps is not a Republican.

He is however a disbarred lawyer and nine of his thirteen children are lawyers, at least two of whom work for the state of Kansas.

His group is in fact a lawyer power-cult, which is probably why judges are willing to grant them more consideration than they would give other hate-mongers.

Yes Phelps sadly ran as a Democrat in elections in Kansas years ago and was indeed with friends with the Gore family back in the 1980s.

And after reading the comments here, no wonder we live in BRAWLtimore.

Rev. Fred Phelps, the founder and patriarch of the Group is a Democrat and was a Gore delegate in the 88 Democratic
convention. See URL

http://www.lcrga.com/archive/200010251159.shtml

The Courts have lost sight of the Constitution....

Phelps and family represent not God but their own private false prophet....

If they don't find Justice in this world, I am sure they will come Judgement Day....

I would suspect that some wacko will someday take judgement into his own hands....then we'll have to contend with the Gun Grabbers....

Us "Normal" people can't win in today's world.

Common sense and decency have been stolen from us by the extremists on both sides. And, they have been aided and abetted by the courts and the media.

To call this group a right wing Christian church is akin to thinking the DNC supports our troops. Nether is true.

Sorry but my public education is showing. If I had a clue as to what I was writing about I might be dangerous.

Phelps is not a Christian, troops have been spit on and my prozac is running low. I'm sorry for being such an idiot.

I served in Vietnam: 68-70 as a helicopter door gunner with the 240th AHC, and proud of it. My wife and I also attend a fundamental Baptist church near Kenosha,WI, and we are very Patriotic with many good combat Veterans in our church who thing those Kansas nuts are whack-o and evil! If they came to one of my Veteran buddies funerals- I would go to jail for breaking their bones. Please don't judge all conservative Christians are being so goofy as the "Kansas Group."
tschuckman@aol.com
Visit: 'Old Soldier Tom's Journal.'

Phelps is hardly a conservative or Republican.

From Wikipedia:

Phelps has run in various Kansas Democratic Party primaries five times, but has never won. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998, receiving about 15% of the vote in 1998.[34] In the 1992 Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senate, Phelps received 31% of the vote [35] Phelps ran for mayor of Topeka in 1993 [36] and 1997. [37]

Support for Al Gore

Phelps supported Al Gore in the 1988 Democratic Party primary election.[38] In his 1984 Senate race, Gore opposed a "gay bill of rights" and stated that homosexuality was not something that "society should affirm".[39] Phelps has stated that he supported Gore because of these earlier comments.[40] According to Phelps, members of the Westboro Baptist Church helped run Gore's 1988 campaign in Kansas. Phelps' son, Fred Phelps Jr., hosted a Gore fundraiser, which Al and Tipper Gore attended, at his home in Topeka.[10][40] Fred Phelps, Jr. served as a Gore delegate to the 1988 Democratic National Convention.[40][41] Gore spokesman Dag Vega declined to comment; "We are not dignifying those stories with a response."[42]

Regarding John D.'s comments, "This nutjob rightwing Christian group should be making the Republicans real proud, it's their voting "base"."

Fred Phelps, who heads this group, is a long-time friend of Vice President Al Gore, and a Democratic contributor.

So you decide: Is Fred Phelps typical of the anti-war, Democrat Left? Or is he a liberal posing as a conservative to discredit the right?

I don't know, but I do know:

Fred Phelps is a DEMOCRAT.

Apparently you people missed the fact that in the 90s all the right-wing, anti-gay types switched parties, just like the racist Southerns did in the 60s.