# Would you picket Fred Phelps' funeral? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2014, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993 "2014-03-18T12:00:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/1 "2014-03-18T12:00:59Z")
As you may be aware, noted asshat and one-time patriarch of the Westboro Baptist Church is on death’s door (there’s a [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=718448) in the BBQ pit about him). You probably also know that they love to protest funerals - including those of military personnel killed in action, usually with anti-gay slogans. Make two assumptions - firstly, that physically getting to the funeral wouldn’t be a problem, it’s not out of your way. Second, that you’ve got the time on your hands - some time off work. Would you go to give them a taste of their own medicine? Or would you not even give them time of day? If you did go, what placards would you display? Is it exactly what the old grumpyboots would have wanted or something that he had coming? ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/2 "2014-03-18T12:06:18Z")
No. I think it would be better if the whole world boycotted (or just ignored) the whole event. Phred and his followers are attention whores - real-life trolls. Why feed them? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/3 "2014-03-18T12:08:26Z")
They’ve received far too much media attention already. I plan on ignoring it. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/4 "2014-03-18T12:19:24Z")
I would ignore it. I am however, mildly curious at what the churches plans are. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/5 "2014-03-18T12:19:32Z")
Nope, not worth a moment of my time. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/6 "2014-03-18T12:23:04Z")
> [@DrumBum](#): > > I would ignore it. I am however, mildly curious at what the churches plans are. Maybe install a urinal instead of a headstone? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/7 "2014-03-18T12:30:03Z")
No. More important things to do with my remaining time. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/8 "2014-03-18T12:31:05Z")
Let the bastard die alone and forgotten. They’ve been attention-seeking for decades now… why reward that behavior? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/9 "2014-03-18T12:32:10Z")
Personally, I wouldn’t bother my arse; more out of laziness than morals. Would you hold it against anyone who did go with a “God hates Fred” banner? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19adc/32.png) [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/10 "2014-03-18T12:37:46Z")
As amusing as it would be to watch, I hope nobody does it for three reasons: 1). The scumbag family would take it as validation, and so you probably wouldn’t even upset them very much. 2). Thanks to the anti funeral picketing laws which were brought in to protect decent families from these nutters, you probably wouldn’t even be able to get that close to them anyway. 3). Fuck that guy. Take that day off and do something nice for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/11 "2014-03-18T12:38:09Z")
When a gunman killed those Amish school children, the Amish attended the funeral of the killer. It would be interesting if people of all backgrounds showed up en masse to respectfully send off a lost soul, showing people how you should treat others. Personally, I’d like to become gay just to have sex on his grave, but I’m sure the church would love the attention, so I’m gonna say no, I wouldn’t protest. Plus, the whole “stooping down to their level” thing comes to mind. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/12 "2014-03-18T12:40:27Z")
Nope. Let the world turn its eyes elsewhere, let his family mourn and then let he and they be forgotten utterly. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/13 "2014-03-18T12:41:05Z")
I wouldn’t blame people doing it if his family had harmed them via their insults and protests. As someone who loathes his “church” and actions but hasn’t been personally affected, I can’t be bothered to do anything more than shrug. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/14 "2014-03-18T13:27:38Z")
I’d make a donation to a gay rights advocacy group in his name and then forget he ever existed. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/15 "2014-03-18T13:39:59Z")
He’ll be dead so it won’t matter to him. Apparently the family kicked him out of the church for some reason so they won’t care. I don’t like going to funerals of people I like so why would I want to be at his? I’m not a protesty kind of guy. So no. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/16 "2014-03-18T13:47:16Z")
I want him dead so there’s nothing to protest. There’s no way to cause his family the pain they tried to inflict on others. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/17 "2014-03-18T13:51:57Z")
No. Let them bury their dead. We are better than they. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/18 "2014-03-18T14:07:44Z")
They are almost certainly _expecting_ people to show up to protest. It would validate them in their own minds. How would they feel if no one shows? No one cares enough about their message to even bother? _Nobody_ showing up would be psychologically devastating to them. Unfortunately, I suspect plenty of people will. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/19 "2014-03-18T14:18:02Z")
> [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#): > > 3). Fuck that guy. Take that day off and do something nice for yourself. Necrophilia! What an excellent idea! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993/20 "2014-03-18T14:21:34Z")
You know, I think I’ve figured out their plan for world domination - I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier. Install a couple of Dance-Dance Revolution game mats on the grave. Charge a few bucks, sell t-shirts ‘I danced on Fred’s grave and all I got was this lousy t-shirt’. We know how much the gays love dancing. Soon they’ll be richer than Bill Gates. @ **Cheshire Human** ; That would certainly be the more amusing scenario, absolutely nobody taking any interest whatsoever. A nice little dent to the ego, there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-picket-fred-phelps-funeral/683993.md?page=2)