High school graduation-I felt bad for these two kids

[Inner_Stickler]

@Mahaloth

Are they wealthy or something? Does it work?

They’re almost all lawyers and have a lucrative side business suing people who get aggravated by their protesting and react physically.

[Shoeless]

I’m wondering, do the Phelpses carry their protest signs wherever they go, like the grocery store or Wal-Mart? My wife and I were in Topeka last fall for a funeral for one of her uncles, and on the way from the church to the cemetery I noticed a couple of Phelpses with their picket signs just walking down a residential street. I don’t know where they were coming from or going to, but I couldn’t imagine where they might have picketing at 11am in the middle of the week. Of course, they’ll obviously picket anywhere if it’ll get them some free publicity, but I wondered if they just carry the signs around with them everywhere, like a badge of (dis)honor.

[Ferret_Herder]

@septimus

I’m so out of touch, I had to Google “Phelps Westboro.” godhatesfags.com showed up … is that the Haters’ site, or a parody of it?

That, sadly, is the real thing. The Phelpses seem to think that God hates all of us humans for being such giant fuckups, but mostly because many of us try to treat gay people decently.

[Annie-Xmas]

@t-bonham@scc.net

The leader Fred Phelps himself doesn’t appear much any more as spokesperson for the church (he’s 84 years old, after all). His daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper seems to be the heir apparent – she is the public face of the church most often lately. (How they reconcile that with the bible verse “Women, be submissive…” I don’t know.)

Not to mention her illegitmate son Samuel. According to their belief system, Shirley is a whore who will burn in hell.

[KneadToKnow]

Whenever I think about the Phelpses and their ilk, I always wind up thinking, “You know what this country doesn’t have enough of? Freelance snipers.”

[Katriona]

@rachelellogram

I feel bad for the kids being born into a family with a shitty brainwashing dictator at the head of it. But at some point they cross the line from kid to adult, and at their age they’re probably protesting with The Family, too. I can’t wait for the patriarch to pass away, as I’m curious to see if anyone will defect.

Some already have, but I think, like the focus of this article, most are in it for the long haul.

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/19/3275645/megan-phelps-roper-an-heir-to.html#storylink=misearch

[Capt_Kirk]

@KneadToKnow

Whenever I think about the Phelpses and their ilk, I always wind up thinking, “You know what this country doesn’t have enough of? Freelance snipers.”

Just waiting for a cash deposit:D

[Baker]

@Shoeless

I’m wondering, do the Phelpses carry their protest signs wherever they go, like the grocery store or Wal-Mart? My wife and I were in Topeka last fall for a funeral for one of her uncles, and on the way from the church to the cemetery I noticed a couple of Phelpses with their picket signs just walking down a residential street. I don’t know where they were coming from or going to, but I couldn’t imagine where they might have picketing at 11am in the middle of the week. Of course, they’ll obviously picket anywhere if it’ll get them some free publicity, but I wondered if they just carry the signs around with them everywhere, like a badge of (dis)honor.

Can you let me know what part of town you saw them in? I’m not sure how well you know Topeka. There are several churches and businesses that are near residential areas. And since most places won’t let them use their parking they have to park on streets and walk to their destination.

I’ve seen them in the grocery store and they had not signs. Probably can’t take them in due to the sticks they are attached to. Awkward you know. I passed Jonathon Phelps, he’s about my age, mid-fifties, in a grocery store and he recognized me from counter-picketing I did, so he did start spouting off about my being a church whore and how he might contact the Health Department about the place I worked. See, since I was sympathetic to the cause of equal rights I am obviously unsanitary in my habit s.

[Shoeless]

@Baker

Can you let me know what part of town you saw them in? I’m not sure how well you know Topeka. There are several churches and businesses that are near residential areas. And since most places won’t let them use their parking they have to park on streets and walk to their destination.

I’ve seen them in the grocery store and they had not signs. Probably can’t take them in due to the sticks they are attached to. Awkward you know. I passed Jonathon Phelps, he’s about my age, mid-fifties, in a grocery store and he recognized me from counter-picketing I did, so he did start spouting off about my being a church whore and how he might contact the Health Department about the place I worked. See, since I was sympathetic to the cause of equal rights I am obviously unsanitary in my habit s.

We were driving north on Gage between 17th and 10th, and I saw them off to my right.

Oh hey, look what I found on Google Maps on 12th St just about a block east of Gage! I guess that explains it. :smack:

[Baker]

But if you’d been just a little further north on Gage, right at the 17th street intersection, there’s two churches on opposite corners. One of those, St. David’s Episcopal, is arguably the first church the WBC picketed.

So you saw the actual WBC compound, huh?

In 1993 an informal group I was a part of at the time hosted a rally called Sunday in the Park Without Fred. We sent invitations to every church in town, and I think only three showed up. Folks from St. David’s not only showed up, but wore their softball t-shirts, identifying their congregation.

So guess where the WBC showed up next Sunday? I used to help the members of St. David’s hold their counter-picketing signs.

[Shoeless]

@Baker

So you saw the actual WBC compound, huh?

No - but I didn’t realize we were that close to WBC until I saw it on Google Maps. The couple of folks I saw with the signs were probably walking down either 12th or 13th, possibly headed from WBC to their picket du jour.