# Westboro Baptist pickets a high school play in Michigan **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 22, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959 "2008-11-22T04:15:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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 24, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/21 "2008-11-24T01:10:17Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Here’s a response to that article by Margie Phelps > > > [@margie phelps](#): > > > > …snipped… Thing is, haven’t they over-egged their pudding a bit? I mean, surely - according to them - we’re all as damned as we could possibly be - we’re not going to get _any more damned_, whatever we do, so all their screechy reprimands about having elected Obama, or whatever, are rendered impotent. In fact, it’s quite a bit like the Monty Python _stoning_ skit from _Life Of Brian_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/22 "2008-11-24T03:08:33Z")
Why wasn’t I notified about these things? I LIVE in Michigan. I could have taken a road trip to troll em. Maybe attempt give some the males a hug and kiss on the lips. I think my girlfriend would be okay with it since it’s for the luls. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/23 "2008-11-24T03:26:42Z")
I did not know it was coming either. It just showed up on the local TV news. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/24 "2008-11-24T13:32:18Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Thing is, haven’t they over-egged their pudding a bit? I mean, surely - according to them - we’re all as damned as we could possibly be - we’re not going to get _any more damned_, whatever we do, so all their screechy reprimands about having elected Obama, or whatever, are rendered impotent. I always wonder about this, not only with them, but with all extremist rhetoric. I first noticed this when reading hate screeds from middle eastern malefactors: they’d say “we hate America and will do everything we can to destroy it, God willing!” Then later they’d say “NOW we’re really mad and hate you even more!” then later they’d say “don’t do x or we’ll…” and of course, I’m wondering, “or what? You already hate us as much as is possible. You’ve already sworn to attack us at every opportunity.” Heh. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/25 "2008-11-24T14:08:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Didn’t Jerry Falwell make broadly similar comments about how 9/11 was America’s comeuppance for being too tolerant of homosexuality? Yes, he did. And I believe that even nutbar Falwell condemned Phred. Crazy homophobic lunacy to infinity compared to crazy homophobic lunacy to infinity plus one, and Falwell acknowledged the plus one. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/26 "2008-11-24T17:01:38Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > [QUOTE=Mangetout] > Thing is, haven’t they over-egged their pudding a bit? I mean, surely - according to them - we’re all as damned as we could possibly be - we’re not going to get any more damned, whatever we do, so all their screechy reprimands about having elected Obama, or whatever, are rendered impotent. I always wonder about this, not only with them, but with all extremist rhetoric. I first noticed this when reading hate screeds from middle eastern malefactors: they’d say “we hate America and will do everything we can to destroy it, God willing!” Then later they’d say “NOW we’re really mad and hate you even more!” then later they’d say “don’t do x or we’ll…” and of course, I’m wondering, “or what? You already hate us as much as is possible. You’ve already sworn to attack us at every opportunity.” Heh. [/QUOTE] My WAG is that it has less to do with our damnation — which, as noted, is a foregone conclusion — than their own salvation. They feel that unless they hate the Godless (which makes up the entire human race except them) with every breath they take, with every microgram of their beings, more and more with each passing moment . . . well, the fag-filled Pit awaits. In _I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream_, Harlan Ellison puts it thus (the speaker is a self-aware computer addressing its creators): > [@](#): > > HATE. LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I’VE COME TO HATE YOU SINCE I BEGAN TO LIVE. THERE ARE 387.44 MILLION MILES OF PRINTED CIRCUITS IN WAFER THIN LAYERS THAT FILL MY COMPLEX. IF THE WORD HATE WAS ENGRAVED ON EACH NANOANGSTROM OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF MILES IT WOULD NOT EQUAL ONE ONE-BILLIONTH OF THE HATE I FEEL FOR HUMANS AT THIS MICRO-INSTANT FOR YOU. HATE. HATE. Seems to sum it up pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/27 "2008-11-24T17:26:20Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > My WAG is that it has less to do with our damnation — which, as noted, is a foregone conclusion — than their own salvation. They feel that unless they hate the Godless (which makes up the entire human race except them) with every breath they take, with every microgram of their beings, more and more with each passing moment . . . well, the fag-filled Pit awaits. > > In _I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream_, Harlan Ellison puts it thus (the speaker is a self-aware computer addressing its creators):Seems to sum it up pretty well. Which is why guys should make a habbit of trying to kiss them on the lips when they come out. If every protest results in a gay experience maybe they’ll get the fear of God about going to protests. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/28 "2008-11-24T18:34:49Z")
I really enjoyed this student protest against the protesters that had to leave, because the police couldn’t protect them. [Westboro protest draws student counter protest](http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10494164) ---
**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:** [November 24, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/29 "2008-11-24T23:47:17Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > I really enjoyed this student protest against the protesters that had to leave, because the police couldn’t protect them. > [Westboro protest draws student counter protest](http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10494164) Yup. Thet thar’s a food fight!😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/30 "2008-11-25T00:18:38Z")
Well, [this worked](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2008/09/way_to_go_matie.aspx). Maybe it will work again. From the link: > [@](#): > > Yep, the cuckoo Phelps hate group walked the plank this morning after a happy bunch dressed like pirates and holding signs saying “God hates shrimp – Leviticus” and “God hates cotton-polyester blends” stood opposite them at the corner of Markham and Scott streets. The group, made up of Central Arkansas Pastafarians, waved swords and growled “Arrghh!” in a manner that would have made Abbie Hoffman proud. The Phelpsites are attention whores. But if you provide a more visually compelling spectacle for the TV cameras, a bunch of people in full pirate regalia for instance, you’ll draw the attention away from them. Hard to compete with a passel of pirates. Don’t get angry. Don’t throw things. _Mock_ them. The one thing a bully cannot stand is mockery. As one of the pirates said: “They had not earned our hatred, only our ridicule and perhaps our contempt.” ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/31 "2008-11-25T02:50:52Z")
> [@GLWasteful](#): > > And battery! Don’t forget that they love to provoke confrontations, then sue the crap outta the poor schnook who takes the fist swing. Deserved as it may have been. WTF happened to the “fighting words” doctrine? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/32 "2008-11-25T03:17:47Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > WTF happened to the “fighting words” doctrine? “Fighting words” applies to criminal law, not civil. You can be innocent of assault because you punched a guy in the face because he insulted your mother, and still civilly liable. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/33 "2008-11-25T05:29:53Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Well, really, they probably wanted to vacation in Michigan, or to visit some relatives there or something. Because they could certainly have found a high school closer to home that is putting on this play – it’s become one of the more popular ones with high school and junior college theatre groups. Not to nitpick, but they _have_ picketed closer by – my high school held the play back in the day and got a little contingent out. I didn’t watch the play, but I got to hear all about the festivities after the fact. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/34 "2008-11-25T11:26:04Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Here’s a response to that article by Margie Phelps > > No comment needed I know (from all my reading about the WBC on the SDMB) that they’re mostly made up of Phelps Phamily Members, but reading glurge like this reinforces to me WHY they can’t seem to convert others to their spiritual path. Damn if they ain’t bent on their own self destruction?? Once upon a time folks used to go to the circus to point and laugh at the sub-human specimens on display. Fred and the WBC have made our job easier…we can do it via the internet now! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/35 "2008-11-25T11:54:03Z")
To sum up: [ul][li]They worship a divine figure of hate and destruction.[/li] [li]They revel in the pain and suffering of others and seek to increase it.[/li] [li]Some members have, at various points, expressed a desire to spend eternity in Hell tormenting others.[/li][/ul] Methinks their Biblical role model isn’t Jesus… ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/36 "2008-11-25T21:40:08Z")
> [@GLWasteful](#): > > “The Laramie Project” is something that they will usually go outta their way to protest. They couldn’t stop the authors, who only have Phred’s character speaking the words that dribbled from his lips, from producing it initially, so they show up to protest it. I’ve seen them at high schools and community theatres, dunno if they bother showing up for more professional productions. They are coming to Boston to protest a professional production of _The Laramie Project_ in about 2 weeks. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/37 "2008-11-25T22:19:55Z")
Did Jesus protest the sinners, or go to where they were and dwell among them? Perhaps, just perhaps, if this church attended the show they might have been able to talk to the people attending on their level, to befriend them, instead of opposing them. We believers are under grace, and that grace is intended not to indulge in sin, but to reach those involved in sin. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/38 "2008-11-25T22:31:12Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > We believers are under grace, and that grace is intended not to indulge in sin, but to reach those involved in sin. What sin do you commit by accepting a role in a high school play, exactly? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/39 "2008-11-25T22:59:58Z")
[QUOTE=RNATB] What sin do you commit by accepting a role in a high school play, exactly? [/QUOTE] It would depend on what is required in the play, but the OP was talking about protesting the play, instead I believe it would have been more productive for they to attend the play if there is opportunity to talk to the others attending. This would depend on the person however as the subject of the play may cause problems for some, and cause them to sin, maybe through anger at the subject expressed. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959/40 "2008-11-26T00:34:45Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > It would depend on what is required in the play, but the OP was talking about protesting the play, instead I believe it would have been \*\*more productive \*\*for they to attend the play if there is opportunity to talk to the others attending. This would depend on the person however as the subject of the play may cause problems for some, and cause them to sin, maybe through anger at the subject expressed. You are implying that they want to be productive. Nobody from WBC is trying to be productive. Their sole purpose is to rile people up and get on the news. > [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Which is why guys should make a habbit of trying to kiss them on the lips when they come out. If every protest results in a gay experience maybe they’ll get the fear of God about going to protests. This. And if they tried to sue for battery you can insist they charge you with sexual harassment. Imagine the fun the media would have with a male WBC member trying to sue another male for groping and kissing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-baptist-pickets-a-high-school-play-in-michigan/473959.md?page=3)