# Well, well well, look at what funeral Fred Phelps and Co. plan to picket next? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 6, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556 "2008-11-06T23:50:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/61 "2008-11-07T16:06:34Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > IIRC, during Mister Rogers’s funeral, a crowd gathered around them and sang songs from _Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood_. Sorry, no cite at this time. ☹ I’ll see what I can do. That was less to protect Mr. Rogers’ family from the site than to protect the Phelps themselves I’d imagine. Daniel Striped Tiger can be reasonable and King Friday is an impotent old figurehead, but Lady Elaine Fairchild- that old lesbo is like Luca Brazi, nobody could have called her off. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/62 "2008-11-09T06:14:09Z")
> [@rockle](#): > > …their [picket schedule](http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html) is a veritable treasure trove of _comedy gold_… My favorite part so far, “We will be in Washington, DC anyway so why NOT picket the Sweden Embassy.” ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/63 "2008-11-11T06:05:48Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > They have the right to demonstrate in whatever cause they wish, in whatever public space they wish, so long as they do not interfere with traffic flows or public safety. That’s what our First Amendment is about - it doesn’t mean a damn thing if it only protects popular speech, or even _tolerable_ speech. It is when people engage in wildly _unpopular_ speech that they need the First Amendment most dearly. And we, in turn, need people to be able to engage in unpopular speech - abolition, women’s rights, the Civil Rights Movement, gay rights, etc, etc were all once wildly unpopular causes, after all. They prevailed in the marketplace of ideas because the First Amendment gave them that space, and we’re better off for it. > > Of course, the ideas of the Phelps clan are loathesome beyond belief - let there be no mistake about that. But there will almost certainly be some other group, in the future, with wildly unpopular ideas that turn out to have real value for our society. We’ll want _them_ to be able to speak then - and so we must allow the Phelps group to speak today. > > I hate everything the Westboro Baptists Church stands for, but I hope their demonstration proceeds unhindered. Not for their sake, but for ours. Well said. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/64 "2008-11-11T07:19:39Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > That was less to protect Mr. Rogers’ family from the site than to protect the Phelps themselves I’d imagine. Daniel Striped Tiger can be reasonable and King Friday is an impotent old figurehead, but Lady Elaine Fairchild- that old lesbo is like Luca Brazi, nobody could have called her off. cant. stop. laughing. omg its starting to hurt. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/65 "2008-11-11T08:02:31Z")
What on EARTH did Mr. Rogers ever do to annoy the Phelps clan? Mr. Rogers is made of awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/66 "2008-11-11T08:09:35Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ll admit I opened this thread wondering if they were going to picket Michael Crichton’s funeral. Whaaa!? Michael Crichton died??? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/67 "2008-11-11T08:09:50Z")
> [@anya\_marie](#): > > What on EARTH did Mr. Rogers ever do to annoy the Phelps clan? Mr. Rogers is made of awesome. He didn’t tell the little children to hate fags. (Damned preacher, believin’ all that stuff in the Bible about loving your fellow man.) ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/68 "2008-11-11T08:44:44Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Whaaa!? > > Michael Crichton died??? :eek: _Back from MCs Wikipedia entry._ Damn… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/69 "2008-11-11T19:08:12Z")
Members of the Phelps’ church have stated that they _expect_ to be hated by the corrupt and condemned sinners and consider our response as a sign of Gods’ approval of them. The more the wicked hate them the better they feel about themselves. Therefore, I submit that when they seek out people in the extremes of personal grief and emotional turmoil they are seeking personal gratification at the expense of another. This is not a first ammendment right. They are welcome to preah their faith, print a newsletter, run their website, have a TV show, sell books, go door to door, petition the government, make a movie, endorse a candidate, but not this. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/70 "2008-11-11T19:15:43Z")
I know **Ale**. It’s like you go to the bathroom or take a nap or something, and the rest of the world just keeps on spinning. I’ve tried writing memos, sending mass e-mails, buying lots of network time, etc. to let everyone know that I’ll be busy and other events should be curtailed until I get back, but do they listen? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/71 "2008-11-11T19:26:22Z")
You know, somebody needs to call Phelps’ attention to the famously dissolute, immoral, unChristian lifestyles of the Hells Angels and the Biker Outlaws. **Their** funerals need some Category 5 picketing, man! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/72 "2008-11-11T19:31:31Z")
They also could’ve picketed the funeral of Chris Benoit. “And Phelps gets a pew to the head! Folks, that’s got to hurt!” ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/73 "2008-11-11T20:18:35Z")
As much as I hate it, I agree that these people should be allowed to have their little demonstrations. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t fucking cheer if they were filled with Secret Service lead. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/74 "2008-11-11T20:44:11Z")
See? I’m always saying, “Why don’t we just kill them?” and you guys always reply, “No, Skaldimus! We’ll just make martyrs out of them! Kill one, and you make two more!” Then I say, “But I’ve got freaking the freaking Brotherhood of Evil on speed-dial, and I’ve even got a credit on my account from the thing with Howard Dean,” and everybody says “Stop being so evil! Murder is wrong, damn it!” And then crap like this happens. I blame all you guys. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/75 "2008-11-11T23:04:04Z")
> [@kitemaker\_chuck](#): > > …Insane Church Posse… BAND NAME!!! (What do I win?) ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/76 "2008-11-11T23:10:34Z")
> [@MadPansy64](#): > > I’m in! > > I’m a bit fuzzy on asking Pele to be bitchy proper prayer protocol - would it be better to sacrifice my Repulican neighbor’s ewe, or four of her chickens? Do I need to specify aa aa or pahoehoe? As long as we make proper offerings, I’d be content to let Madame Pele decide exactly how to do it. She is, after all, the expert in such things 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/77 "2008-11-11T23:40:14Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > I hate everything the Westboro Baptists Church stands for, but I hope their demonstration proceeds unhindered. Not for their sake, but for ours. I get what you mean, but I conclude by hoping they fall down a mineshaft, instead. ---
**Author:** ![kitemaker\_chuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kitemaker\_chuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitemaker_chuck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/78 "2008-11-11T23:43:11Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > BAND NAME!!! > (What do I win?) I think the band name was Insane Clown Posse. ---
**Author:** ![geniios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@geniios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geniios)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/79 "2008-11-12T05:34:11Z")
Its not like you could conclude, that then they might gain martyrdom status for their cause because no one gives a fuck if they have a cause, considering their fucked up methods! I say let the snipers have em. I’m just saying… > [@Mangetout](#): > > I get what you mean, but I conclude by hoping they fall down a mineshaft, instead. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556/80 "2008-11-12T05:50:27Z")
I hereby announce my intention to picket Fred Phelps’ funeral. Next week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-well-well-look-at-what-funeral-fred-phelps-and-co-plan-to-picket-next/471556.md?page=5)