# Latest on Fred Phelps **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782 "2006-02-03T03:15:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/21 "2006-02-05T21:03:34Z")
> [@First Amendment](#): > > Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof\*\*;\*\* or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press\*\*;\*\* or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Each right is seperated by semicolons. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/22 "2006-02-05T22:05:57Z")
Remember, most cemetaries are _private property_. The exact wording of the law is also important. It might be quite appropriate to create a stronger law to protect cemetaries from tresspassers (people who come there for another purpose than to honor the passing of the dead) & to prevent people from disturbing the peace to disrupt a religious ceremony (Freedom of Religion is **also** guarenteed, & a funeral is a religious ritual). ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/23 "2006-02-05T22:16:28Z")
Great point. No right to assemble is granted on private property. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/24 "2006-02-06T06:11:44Z")
> [@Linty Fresh](#): > > This is not your decision to make. A hamburger is no place for salmonella. A burlesque house is no place for a 10 year old. A funeral is no place for a protest. I stand by my previous assertion. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/25 "2006-02-06T20:12:17Z")
Governmental entities here locally are scared of the Phelps because the federal courts have been so willing to side with them and award them attorneys fees when they sue. I’m not sure that tough new anti-picketing legislation is worth it if the courts are just going to overturn it and award them another $200,000 or more in attorneys fees. As an aside, there’s a recent interview with Phelps and footage of his church by a local TV station here: [http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/2252792.html](http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/2252792.html) ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/26 "2006-02-06T23:06:47Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > A hamburger is no place for salmonella. Non-sequitor. This has nothing to do with legalities. > [@](#): > > A burlesque house is no place for a 10 year old. Another non-sequitor. Those legalities here deal with child-endangerment and prostitution. > [@](#): > > A funeral is no place for a protest. I agree. Phelps does not. The law, as far as I can tell, sides with Phelps. > [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Remember, most cemetaries are private property. The exact wording of the law is also important. It might be quite appropriate to create a stronger law to protect cemetaries from tresspassers (people who come there for another purpose than to honor the passing of the dead) & to prevent people from disturbing the peace to disrupt a religious ceremony (Freedom of Religion is also guarenteed, & a funeral is a religious ritual). OK, I’m with you on that. So if Phred and his phucked up little phamily venture into a cemetary, or any other private property, then yes, I’d be all for hauling them in on a trespassing charge. Then again, from what I can see of the photos and videos of his site, they tend to congregate in parks and sidewalks after getting permits to do so. Private property doesn’t apply. Don’t forget, quite a few family members are practicing lawyers, and I’m pretty sure they have knowledge from both books and experience about what they are and are not allowed to do, which, I imagine, separates them from most of the cretins who pull this shit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/27 "2006-02-07T04:08:44Z")
> [@Linty Fresh](#): > > Just don’t trash the constitution for the sake of a warrior who died while sworn to protect it. When we’ve had similar laws pass in other cases, not to mention other debates going on in this country, I can’t interpret this proposal as the one that’ll trash the Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/28 "2006-02-07T05:32:25Z")
Why not rig a fake funeral. Make it a gay soldier that died or some such stuff. Make it near Topeka, so Freddy boy and his hate mongers cannot resist. Have hidden cameras at every angle and pro actors as mourner ( or just get professional mourners.) Just when Freddy gets his nonsense spewing, have the casket top open up to reveal an animated robotic zombie flipping off Phelps while shouting, “Punk’d!” Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/29 "2006-02-07T06:38:47Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Why not rig a fake funeral. Make it a gay soldier that died or some such stuff. > > Make it near Topeka, so Freddy boy and his hate mongers cannot resist. > > Have hidden cameras at every angle and pro actors as mourner ( or just get professional mourners.) > > Just when Freddy gets his nonsense spewing, have the casket top open up to reveal an animated robotic zombie flipping off Phelps while shouting, “Punk’d!” > > Just a thought. I’m ready to pitch in for this. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/30 "2006-02-07T09:45:01Z")
> [@Linty Fresh](#): > > Non-sequitor. This has nothing to do with legalities. Right - my mentioning of FSZ was legal-ish. The rest of my post wasn’t. As for the proposal being legal, I’m with **Marley23**. If it passed, it’s not like it would be the first thing that was arguably “unconstitutional”. (See FSZ, for one). > [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > I’m ready to pitch in for this. Can I get the DVD? 😃 Oh oh! And I just found out that [God Hates Canada](http://www.godhatescanada.com/), which makes me feel just a bit better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/31 "2006-02-07T10:19:26Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > Oh oh! And I just found out that [God Hates Canada](http://www.godhatescanada.com/), which makes me feel just a bit better. 🙂 Their website also has a link about how “God Hates Sweden” too. AT their church the American flag flies upside down. Sometimes it’s below the Candadian maple leaf flag, and sometimes below the Swedish flag. They fly those upside down too, but with the Swedish flag you can’t really tell. And each time I drive by the WBC compound there’s a banner on it proclaiming “God Hates America” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/32 "2006-02-07T12:55:40Z")
Thank god (sic) God is omnipotent, because it must be a hell (sic) of a challenge to keep track of all the people, countries, etc., whom He hates. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/33 "2006-02-07T16:20:08Z")
It’s no trouble at all. Phred and Co. hate _everybody_ but themselves. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/34 "2006-02-07T17:48:08Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > It’s no trouble at all. Phred and Co. hate _everybody_ but themselves. I’m not even convinced about _that_. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/35 "2006-02-07T18:03:09Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Why not rig a fake funeral. Make it a gay soldier that died or some such stuff. > > Make it near Topeka, so Freddy boy and his hate mongers cannot resist. > > Have hidden cameras at every angle and pro actors as mourner ( or just get professional mourners.) > > Just when Freddy gets his nonsense spewing, have the casket top open up to reveal an animated robotic zombie flipping off Phelps while shouting, “Punk’d!” > > Just a thought. Or “Gotcha Ya”? ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/36 "2006-02-07T18:37:51Z")
**Shirley Ujest** : You are a genius. If anyone were to really arrange something like that, I’d _have_ to find a way to participate. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/37 "2006-02-07T19:29:56Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Their website also has a link about how “God Hates Sweden” too. Bork bork godless sodomy bork bork bork. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/38 "2006-02-07T19:42:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Bork bork godless sodomy bork bork bork. Thanks so much for sending me into a helpless fit of the giggles just as my boss walked by… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/39 "2006-02-08T02:48:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > When we’ve had similar laws pass in other cases, not to mention other debates going on in this country, I can’t interpret this proposal as the one that’ll trash the Constitution. Constitutional rights don’t get trashed all at once, **Marley**. It happens a little bit at a time. You pick a real hot button issue, and you get folks fired up enough about it until they don’t really have the inclination to think it through, and you just chip away at it. It doesn’t just happen with the first amendment, you know. Don’t forget about [“the drug exception to the fourth amendment.”](http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment04/01.html) . But let’s stay on topic. Let’s talk about free speech zones, for example. **Nanoda** neglected to mention the class action suit brought by the ACLU, not to mention other protests by civil libertarians, so it’s not exactly a forgone conclusion that they’re here to stay, but even if it was, is this a good thing? Should we use the existence of free speech zones to justify further screwing around with the constitution? I mean, I read things like: > [@nanoda](#): > > Right - my mentioning of FSZ was legal-ish. The rest of my post wasn’t. As for the proposal being legal, I’m with Marley23. If it passed, it’s not like it would be the first thing that was arguably “unconstitutional”. (See FSZ, for one). and I think to myself, "Wait a minute. **nanoda** doesn’t even _like_ FSZ’s, and s/he’s using them as a valid precedent against Phelps. What is a person who actually supports FSZ’s going to think about it? What’s to stop [CFA](http://www.cfa-inc.org/) from getting the flag amendment passed on the basis that burning flags hurts those poor vets who fought for it over in Iraq and Afghanistan? Three examples I gave above, Larry Flynt, Margaret Sanger, and assorted flag burners, have something in common: They were arrested for exercising their right to free speech. They have something else in common: None of them were particularly likable. Flag burners are commonly regarded as scumbags, even by the people who support their right to burn. Margaret Sanger was a virulent racist who supported enforced eugenics, and Larry Flynt? Well, did _you_ see [The People Vs.Larry Flynt](http://imdb.com/title/tt0117318/) ? Even _that_ movie painted him as a total sleaze. When you support curbing free speech to save the feelings of others, you’re not walking down a slippery slope. You’re flying down it on a souped up Yamaha 800 snowmobile, and there’s a nasty little surprise waiting for you at the bottom. No matter how you slice it, this is censorship. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782/40 "2006-02-08T03:31:41Z")
> [@Linty Fresh](#): > > No matter how you slice it, this is censorship. Of course! I must’ve just missed the 11th Amendment, which states that citizens shall have the right to traipse about freely on private property doing whatever they please. I suggest you use that legal argument when the cops arrive mid-stream while you’re urinating on the counter at McDonald’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-on-fred-phelps/342782.md?page=3)