Well, I love bagpipes and bagpipe music, so I don’t consider it to be an ill wind. 
A-fucking-men. When true evil presents itself (such as Phelps), it is our duty to protect each other from this sickness. Whoever takes him out for good, if he doesn’t go by natural causes, should get the Nobel Peace Prize. He deserves a nice spot next to Hitler getting pineapples shoved up his ass in a French Maid uniform.
My own personal belief is that since he throws around the “fag” thing so much is that he has a very dark secret. I would not be surprised one single bit if he has molested every single boy in his family/congregation/cult. He has something (besides killing his son’s wife) very sinister he’s hiding. This . . . thing (he is not a man in my eyes) is pure, vile, putrid evil.
Ivylass
Oh you see I was … er … just … um … quoting what someone once said about bagpipes… ::: wipes sweat from brow :::
I think we all can agree that bagpipes are the finest accompinament for Fred Phelps and his feculent filth.
Well I’m back. I’m still a little weepy, so please forgive my ramblings.
Good news- no protesters. I heard some old veterans outside talking; one said, “Yup, we scared them sons of bitches off!” The other said, “You don’t mess with someone from the city of Bakersfield.” 
This next part is a lil’ MPSIMS, but I don’t want to start a new thread and I know there are a few of you that were wondering how it went.
The funeral was beautiful and packed- people were standing in the aisles and out the doors. The local motorcycle club came out (all several hundred of them) and lined the streets outside the church. Soldiers were lining the sidewalks. The only time I saw Amanda break down was when she followed in the casket- the soldiers (paul barers) turned and saluted, she broke down (more than understandable). The service was in Spanish and done very nicely.
The most amazing part: the church is about 4 miles from the cemetary. As we pulled out of the church, we saw ana amazing sight: both sides of the road were LINED by people waving flags and signs. The entire way to the cemetary was a non-stop line of people. It was amazing.
The burial was packed, but there were two poignant moments. The first was when the husband and wife’s old forensics coach came up and spoke about them. She said that the a few months after Ramon met Amanda, he came up to the teacher and said they were each other’s destiny and were going to be together for the rest of their lives-- and they were. The other moment was when the flag was given to Amanda-- the way she clutched it was heartbreaking. She held it like it was the only thing she had left from her husband. They also awarded him the Broze Star and Purple Heart.
I’m glad this farewell was not marred by nasty protestors. The wife was able to say goodbye with dignity and all her heart.
Please extend my condolences to her and her family.
Did Arnold show up?
No, Arnold was not to be found.
But my nemesis was…Senator Roy Ashburn. CURSES! 
(He hates me, too-- so this isn’t just a one sided thing).
I think Phelps took it up the ass at some point and liked it.
I personally have the opinion that Fred Phelps has a lot in common with Dennis Rader. (BTK killer.) That is just my opinion, YMMV.
I’m slightly disappointed that Phelps’ band of lunatics had the sense to stay away. It would have beautiful to see the Army, a biker gang, and a bunch of farmers get together to administer a beatdown.
That’s just what always strikes me about this bunch. How can anyone manage to maintain such a fixation? Surely the sheer energy that it takes to hate so much, all the time, must wear you out and leave so little time and energy for anything good about life?
It really must warp their personalities (supposing they have any) and priorities in life. They are very, very strange and unpleasant people.
No, we can’t.
(wiping away a tear, both figuratively and, having read Diosa’s report, in reality) That’s what I mean by “community.”
Percussion section, all the way. Especially the guy in the percussion section with the nine-iron. What a sweet sound.
I believe one could make the argument that a piccolo and kazoo band would be effective also.
According to their schedule, they’re doing two protests in Ohio today and tomorrow. Maybe the Ohio National Guard can pull another Kent State here.
Amazing Grace sung in opera voice maybe? 
I just noticed that people were still posting in this thread. I really want to thank all of you. You know, we were talking about community in the local areas, but the extended community is an important part in overcoming this idiocy. I think the fact that complete strangers can come together, near and far, to help someone shows the real values of…well, of humanity in general.
I agree that Phelps and his clan (klan?) members are absolutely sick people. We all can’t agree on the politics of the war or the tactics of the military, but I’m pretty damn sure that we can agree that a pregnant woman (child, really) is suffering through something horrible that none of us would wish upon our enemies. Most NORMAL people have the compassion to be considerate and go beyond what is necessary for her- which was shown by the thousands of people lining the streets. Even though they didn’t show, they fact that they called Mandy shows that Phelps is a sick, sick person. I’m not even sure that it is fair to refer to him as a person. It goes to: there is still evil in this world.
I find solace in the fact that, for every idiot like Phelps- there are a ten thousand people willing to support what is right (honestly, probably much more than that).
sturmhauke- agreed. When those bikers (all two or three hundred of them) pulled up and parked next to the SWAT team, everyone just smiled. The streets were lined with active duty soldiers and even old veterans (I mean OLD…WW2 veterans) stood guard at the doors. It was simply amazing. As much crap as Bakersfield gets, this really is a wonderful place.
dropzone A-men.
Oh, I should mention that there were bagpipes. First, that one song (I can’t remember the name) was played on the bugle, the Amazing grace was played on the bag pipes-- as they folded up the flag and handed it to her.
I sound like such a dork in this post, but honestly- my faith in humanity is completely restored. The outreach of people was simply amazing. When we were driving in the procession from the church to the graveyard, we were crying and yelling “thank you” to those standing on the side of the road, out the windows of the car.
I can’t get passed how beautiful it was. So, even with the ugliness of Phelps, there is something much bigger and much better in the background.
Preview is my friend.
Preview is my friend.
Preview is my friend.
…lather, rinse, repeat.
Just pretend the spelling/grammar errors are nonexistant.
Glad to hear it went off ok. It is too bad that it takes someone like Phelps to get people all together like this, but we all have seen the good that can come out of tragedy and evil. I also think it is a credit to our nation that we do tolerate insects like Phelps in the name of freedom, but that the vast majority of us do not choose to turn to that kind of hate. There will always be someone out there who is the lowest of the low, but the fact that out of all the diversity and differing views in our country that he can only scrounge up a handful of followers…well, I think that speaks volumes.
(I think it is Taps that they play on the bugle, BTW.)
We will be thinking about your friend as she continues her pregnancy and at the birth of her child. It will be a bittersweet moment, I am sure.
I don’t know if this is a hijack, but has anyone ever formed a anti-Phelps Defense Fund to protect the victims of the few cases that an idiot judge decides has a bit of merit?
Diosa, I’m glad to see that everything is all right, and that your friend got the peace to say goodbye to her love. As much as I too would have loved to see that bastard get stomped into the ground, I suppose it wasn’t the right time for it…but I bet their time will come, sooner or later.