# Mississippi hands Westboro it's ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 28, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986 "2011-04-28T01:43:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/1 "2011-04-28T01:43:05Z")
[This](http://www.retirelikeme.com/2011/04/21/mississippi-town-destroys-westboro-baptist-plans/) is cool. The thread title says it all. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/2 "2011-04-28T01:46:32Z")
As much as I despise the Phelpses, I really donā€™t want to see vigilante justice and the police abusing their authority. That sort of thing has a tendency of turning on itā€™s supporters. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/3 "2011-04-28T01:50:25Z")
Spoil sport. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/4 "2011-04-28T02:24:50Z")
\ ***Inspector Kemp:** A riot is an ungly thingā€¦ undt, I tink, that it is chust about time ve had vun. \* The police should be punished. I suggest that the officers involved be lined up and treated to shots. As for vigilante justiceā€¦I didnā€™t see anything. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/5 "2011-04-28T02:34:03Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > As for vigilante justiceā€¦I didnā€™t see anything. Well, the guys at the gas station did kinda sorta beat up one of them. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/6 "2011-04-28T02:36:56Z")
Prove it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/7 "2011-04-28T02:39:57Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Prove it. Nope. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/8 "2011-04-28T03:55:47Z")
This sort of reeks of an urban legend in the making. Plus the phrasing - I grew up in and around Brandon. ā€œgot his arse waxedā€? Aw, hell naw, nobody at Ole Miss talks this way. Not to say beating up Phelpses is a bad thing butā€¦I just canā€™t think this is true as presented. Itā€™s just too good to be true. Actual news article, anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/9 "2011-04-28T04:22:10Z")
This is one of those things that I start to say how much I hate the abuse of power here and the willed blind eye to justice people are turning - but then I have a very hard time mustering up the required outrage. Iā€™d like to say my principles are strong enough to withstand an assault on my moral sensitivity by the likes of the Phelps. In this case, I must admit, it just isnā€™t. Right or wrong, I did smile when I read this. I even hoped it was true. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/10 "2011-04-28T04:28:32Z")
If it was real, this is exactly what the WBC wants. They make their money off of assault lawsuits and similar, and generally thrive on being the martyrs of the American political/religious scene. Therefore, Iā€™m going to doubt these stories until I hear of the WBC initiating legal proceedings. Even if it was real, Iā€™m opposed to people taking the law into their own hands unless someone in specific is being threatened with violence. Responding to insults with violence is just political correctness taken to an extreme; it can only make everyone who is at least somewhat unpopular that much less secure in their persons. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/11 "2011-04-28T04:32:11Z")
No real surprise here. Rural Mississippi simply is not going to tolerate intentional disruption of a soldierā€™s funeral. The Phelps crowd would be well advised to avoid the state in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/12 "2011-04-28T04:33:30Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > Not to say beating up Phelpses is a bad thing butā€¦I just canā€™t think this is true as presented. Itā€™s just too good to be true. Actual news article, anywhere? Exactly. No one was beaten up. He must have fallen down. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/13 "2011-04-28T05:58:10Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > This sort of reeks of an urban legend in the making. Plus the phrasing - I grew up in and around Brandon. ā€œgot his arse waxedā€? Aw, hell naw, nobody at Ole Miss talks this way. You mean, youā€™re not familiar with the considerable British population that is living in Mississippi? I have to say, Iā€™m surprised. Down there, itā€™s all ā€œGuvnah, why donā€™t we head up to Jackson for a spot of tea?ā€ and ā€œI say, old chap, we should attend the American football contest that will be taking place this afternoon.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/14 "2011-04-28T06:00:59Z")
Yeah, this does sound fake, and in the original article the author wrote about how Phelps was a Democrat activist. So yeah, he has something to sell. Iā€™m conflicted. Places like Mississippi have a bad history with taking the law into their own hands, otoh, those fuckers deserve everything bad that happens to them. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/15 "2011-04-28T09:14:28Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > Down there, itā€™s all ā€œGuvnah, why donā€™t we head up to Jackson for a spot of tea?ā€ and [Anthropology lesson] Youā€™re mixing your classes up. Any individual Brit could say ā€œGuvnah, why donā€™t we head up to Jackson for a cuppa?ā€ or ā€œMy dear chap, why donā€™t we head up to Jackson for a spot of tea?ā€ but what you wrote is an unholy union that will drive the souls of men mad. In other words, William Hague.[/AL] ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/16 "2011-04-28T09:18:42Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > If it was real, this is exactly what the WBC wants. They make their money off of assault lawsuits and similar, and generally thrive on being the martyrs of the American political/religious scene. Therefore, Iā€™m going to doubt these stories until I hear of the WBC initiating legal proceedings. > > Even if it was real, Iā€™m opposed to people taking the law into their own hands unless someone in specific is being threatened with violence. Responding to insults with violence is just political correctness taken to an extreme; it can only make everyone who is at least somewhat unpopular that much less secure in their persons. yeah, I agree. If thereā€™s another thing the Phelpsā€™s are, itā€™s lawyers. _Good_ ones. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/17 "2011-04-28T11:19:36Z")
Just more evidence no one should bother going to Mississippi no matter how backwater and disgusting you are. In Mississippi youā€™ll find people even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/18 "2011-04-28T11:29:38Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > As much as I despise the Phelpses, I really donā€™t want to see vigilante justice and the police abusing their authority. > > That sort of thing has a tendency of turning on itā€™s supporters. I have to say that I agree with you, including the loathing of the Phelpses. Nothing good ever comes of the law taking sides. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/19 "2011-04-28T11:52:05Z")
Well, there were two kinds of vigilantism in that Mississippi town. One was a Phelps being beaten up, and thatā€™s not something the law should tolerate for anyone, no matter how despicable. The other was cars with Kansas plates being blocked in at the motel for a few hours. Of course, thatā€™s illegal, but I can understand the local police having more important matters to deal with during that time, like maintaining order at the marineā€™s funeral. The people being blocked in can note the number plates of the cars blocking them, and sue for the value of the inconvenience if they wish to. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986/20 "2011-04-28T12:05:14Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Yeah, this does sound fake, and in the original article the author wrote about how Phelps was a Democrat activist. So yeah, he has something to sell. > > Iā€™m conflicted. Places like Mississippi have a bad history with taking the law into their own hands, otoh, those fuckers deserve everything bad that happens to them. The tactics used in the article were tactics they have practice in. Intimidation. Holding people for ā€œquestioningā€ during protest activities. Conspiracy and collusion. Those tactics got Mississippi their arse handed to them in the 1960s. And since, as was said, the Phelps are lawyers, and darn good ones, all they did was fund future Phelps trips. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-hands-westboro-its-ass/579986.md?page=2)