A petition to get the Westboro Baptist Church labeled a hate group has become the biggest campaign ever on the White House’s “We the People” platform.
The petition was originally submitted on December 14, the day of the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It grew substantially after WBC announced plans to picket the funerals of slain students.
To date, it’s gotten more than 278,000 signees—well past the 25,000 needed to prompt a response from the White House.
While it’s nice to see so many are outraged by the Phelps’ antics, the government actually doesn’t keep lists of hate groups. President Obama can call them out as haters in a speech, but there’s no official dishonor roll. The Southern Poverty Law Center has one, and it slapped the Phelps cult as “arguably the most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America” years ago.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
We’re more enthusiastic about two other petitions seeking to revoke WBC’s tax-exempt status. That’s something we’d like to see the IRS get behind.
doug105
Revoke WBC’s tax-exempt status
Why stop there.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/end-tax-exempt-status-all-religious-institutions-allow-tax-exempt-status-only-charitable-portion/h7jQgGsj?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl
Rock Star
Hate Speech is not religious freedom.
Lefty
There’s a duplicity going on here.
The WBC thrive on attention. The most effective response is to deprive them of the oxygen of publicity by just ignoring them. Treat them as though they don’t exist. They aren’t a threat, they’re a nuisance at best.
The problem is, sites like this, media outlets and other individuals and organisations also feed on the publicity they can generate through idiots like the WBC (ie. publishing articles about every little thing they do = more hits, more ad revenue etc).
The WBC and media feed off each other.
Charles175
Pretty much all of their income is via making a public ass out of themselves. They make the visual noise and get a reaction. Then with the reaction comes their money making lawsuits.
MickeyP.
@Lefty: I agree. Ignoring them will kill them! I’m all for it!
rinkymo
In August three members of Pussy Riot (a Russian feminist punk-rock collective) were sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for religious hatred. Why can’t Obama take the same action action against WBC? Why is there freedom to hate in America?
gaypainter
These people demonstrate how awful people can be. We as gay people must always, always be aware of that. To paraphrase Merle Miller, a faggot is that nice gay man who just left the room.
Billysees
These kinds of people, and those similar with more subtle commentary, are the reason why religion, and Christianity in particular, is hated so much.
What a shame.
2eo
@gaypainter: Indeed, what’s worse is the amount of christians who absolutely refuse to condemn what they say.
There is no moral difference between them people [Fox news] and the people the right hate [moderate muslims] who won’t speak out against extremism, they are literally the same thing.
Billysees
@rinkymo: 6
There’s hate in America cause hate exists.
Hate should be shown around the world to inform and educate the inhabitants how pathetic and bad it is.
Even that won’t stop it.
Billysees
@2eo: 9
I do wonder why seemingly nobody, either Christian or secular, with any national level influence or clout don’t stand up and rebuke these ass-h**es.
The reasons are at least two.
1. Technically, they are Christians no matter how badly they say and do things. The Book says that “there is no condemnation for those that believe”. I find it very hard to accept the simplicity of such a comment and think that some kind of rebuke or condemnation is in order, even if it’s some good old fashion name calling…lol….lol. I would say that many in the christian community probably take a comment like that literally and so they don’t do anything.
2. The secular or unbelieving community is much smarter than they’re given credit for and they simply don’t want to give these types any more attention than what they get already.
There’s also something in the Book that says, “don’t answer fools according their asininity and foolishness, or else you’ll wind up looking stupid yourself.
Thanks to the media, the whole community gets a chance to see how sorrowful and pathetic some believers can be.
It good for the public to know and be aware of these things.
Your basic assertion that there is something wrong with NOT speaking up against extremism is very true. Maybe what I said above helps explain this situation.
Freddie27
I agree completely with Lefty. WBC live on the oxygen of attention. Believe me they are loving this hate group petition, more airtime and press attention for them and for their hateful views. I wish the entire human race could agree to ignore them, walk past their pickets as if they didn’t even exist.
It’s rinkymo’s opinion that terrifies me. The jailing of Pussy Riot for their free expression is something to be condemned, not celebrated and emulated. And yes, freedom of speech and religion allows for hate speech. To revoke their tax exempt status would be the government punishing a religious organisation because it didn’t like their views, essentially. No, you either remove ALL churches’ tax exempt status, or none. The government cannot legislate against someone solely on the basis that it doesn’t like their views.
Billysees
@Freddie27: 12
Well said.
But we mustn’t blame any mature-minded churches for the “asinine” behavior of a very very very small few.