# Westboro vs. Anonymous (re: Sandy Hook shooting) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 17, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321 "2012-12-17T17:30:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/1 "2012-12-17T17:30:35Z")
I love it when the forces of anarchy collide. [Westboro Baptist Church to picket Sandy Hook Elementary School, incurs wrath of Anonymous](http://gawker.com/5969003/westboro-baptist-church-plans-to-picket-sandy-hook-elementary-school-incurs-wrath-of-anonymous) > [@](#): > > After prominent Westboro Baptist Church member/professional troll/mother of illegitimate son Shirley Phelps-Roper announced her group’s intention to picket Sandy Hook Elementary School “to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgment,” the wrath came quickly. > > An anonymous offshoot promptly launched #OpWestboro with the intention of “destroying” the church and its members. > > Within hours the group began posting personal contact info and credit card numbers of WBC congregants, and hacking the church’s various online properties. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/2 "2012-12-17T17:33:29Z")
I’m trying really hard to feel bad about this, but… nope, can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/3 "2012-12-17T17:42:23Z")
Unless anonymous starts using guns they are not “destroying” anyone. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/4 "2012-12-17T17:46:49Z")
Considering WBC thrives on pissing off people and collecting as much vitriol and calumny as they can, I doubt this will have much of an effect. Unlike other targets of Anonymous, WBC is not hiding behind much of anything - except maybe their status as a church (which I wish the IRS would investigate and yank). So, while it gives me a warm fuzzy to think of these . . . individuals reaping a little of what they’ve sown, I strongly doubt they will change their MO. ---
**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:** [December 17, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/5 "2012-12-17T17:53:38Z")
Getting all their credit cards hacked might slow down their access to airline tickets. Maybe even get them listed on a TSA watch-list and strip-searched when they try to board. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/6 "2012-12-17T17:59:59Z")
They have started a [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) petition to have their IRS status revoked. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/7 "2012-12-17T18:21:13Z")
I don’t approve of vigilantism, virtual or otherwise. So that makes me, in this case, a big damned hypocrite. I’m not going to lose much sleep over it though. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/8 "2012-12-17T18:33:45Z")
I’d like to see them sprayed with a hose whenever they picket funerals. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/9 "2012-12-17T18:38:27Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > So that makes me, in this case, a big damned hypocrite. I don’t think it does. We have the right to be assholes in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/10 "2012-12-17T18:41:05Z")
I like to think of Jesus standing just inside the gates, smacking one fist into the other palm, waiting for WBC members to come strolling through. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/11 "2012-12-17T19:02:29Z")
I’m not against well-deserved revenge anyway, so I don’t feel a bit hypocritical to enjoy this. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/12 "2012-12-17T21:50:39Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > They have started a [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) petition to have their IRS status revoked. nice - hope it happens. and if it does it could be the camel’s nose under the tent 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/13 "2012-12-17T22:52:46Z")
Westboro is not a “church”. They are not ‘of God’ or doing his work. They are **professional legal trolls**. Nothing more. Everything they do is designed to create situations in which they can find opportunities to sue the crap out of people. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/14 "2012-12-17T22:56:35Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > They have started a [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) petition to have their IRS status revoked. Holy ambiguous pronouns, Batman! ---
**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:** [December 17, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/15 "2012-12-17T22:59:48Z")
\ I thought it was just me! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/16 "2012-12-17T23:01:37Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Considering WBC thrives on pissing off people and collecting as much vitriol and calumny as they can, I doubt this will have much of an effect. Unlike other targets of Anonymous, WBC is not hiding behind much of anything - except maybe their status as a church (which I wish the IRS would investigate and yank). I agree. That said, I feel no pity for them and I feel no guilt about enjoying this. > [@Chimera](#): > > They are **professional legal trolls**. Nothing more. Everything they do is designed to create situations in which they can find opportunities to sue the crap out of people. I’ve never seen any real evidence to support this theory, and I have a feeling it persists because people find it easier to accept the notion that the WBC is merely greedy and ethically barren but they couldn’t really believe the disgusting stuff they profess. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/17 "2012-12-23T07:26:07Z")
Update: Remember the days when the church was supposed to be the good guys and the bikers were the bad guys? [Hell’s Angels and others form human shield between Westboro and the Sandy Hook funeral](http://gothamist.com/2012/12/20/video_motorcyclists_fdny_and_others.php). > [@](#): > > In the end, although Westboro members were confirmed to be in town, none tried to attend the funeral of 47-year-old principal Dawn Hochsprung. But Anonymous say the group is still planning protests, pointing to alleged emails in which Westboro says they’ll protest on Friday or Saturday; they continued their attacks on Westboro today as well. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/18 "2012-12-23T16:19:32Z")
Ya’ know, if you’re a psycho and you got a hanker’n to go on a shooting spree… And if ya’ rather go down a hero instead of in infamy… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/19 "2012-12-23T16:30:39Z")
Or if you’re just a nice guy with a brain tumor that is resisting treatment… ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321/20 "2012-12-23T17:34:51Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > They have started a [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) petition to have their IRS status revoked. I’m sure it will be just as successful as the [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) petition to begin construction on a death star. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/westboro-vs-anonymous-re-sandy-hook-shooting/644321.md?page=2)