Tagging along with the Phelps-Roper family of the Westboro Baptist Church as they do God’s work protesting various things (like “fag-lover” Walter Cronkite’s funeral) all over America is an exercise is wondering … how does this American family still afford to travel?
Richard in DC
Despite the amount of time they spend in the media spotlight, believe it or not the whole family is comprised of practicing lawyers, or so I’ve been made to believe.
epluribusunumjk
Like Richard said, I think it has a lot to do with the fact that they are lawyers (somehow, they were able to capitalize upon some sense of logic to take both the lsats and state bar examinations).
I also think that they pool their money together – but I am not certain. I watched a documentary on the BBC about then a year or so ago – and that was the impression I got.
me
they’re irl trolls
they are doing us a service (perhaps intentionally)
glen
one of the placards reads “god’s rod” –
Andrew
I’m a practicing lawyer and I can’t imagine doing the work I do -and- supporting phelps and his cadre of nuts. I realize the bar comprises lawyers of all political/religious stripes, but this guy is over the top. I look forward to the day when something takes him and his “church” down.
prissysissy
Love ’em. Their nuttiness is a great tool in shaming mainstream people into supporting gay rights!
M Shane
No. 6 · prissysissy, I think that you’re optimistic. That right wing christian bunch are by and large idiots. They are the type of people who read those crazy papers etc. They need faith so that they don’t have to think..
Dick Mills
I am of the opinion that those in the gay rights movement are the ones providing most of the support to them. Or, at least we should be. The morons on the far to middle right in the radical religious regime, are never going to change their opinions about us.
The only ones that we can hope to sway toward our side are those whose minds are not already warped by religion. And, those loonies at WBC go a long way toward swinging that “movable middle” over toward our side. They see these crackpot hatemongering homophobes for exactly what they are, and that only helps us. We should have been running “Phelps Ads” 24/7 during the Prop H8 campaign – and we probably would have won.
Cam
It would be interesting to find out if they are being supported by outside groups. As a non-profit church, aren’t their records open for examination if people are donating to them to support their “Mission”?
Mike
Thankfully the British Government banned these “persons” from entering the UK.
Can’t you wait till they go abroad somewhere and then ban them from coming back into the USA?
KyleR
@Mike:
SO did Australia. They booked like 7 flights or something to fly and protest at Heath Ledgers funeral for Brokeback Mountain. And no where else would take them. Wait! They can go to Russia! They’d fit right in there.
AlwaysGay
Westboro has affliate groups across the country that hold protests all the time. Remember that anti-gay protest outside the American Idol concert in San Diego? Those protesters are apart of an affliate group in San Diego.
anony
im glad they got banned from comeing to the UK. Didnt they get hit with some 11 million dollar lawsuit? Anyone knows what happened there? I hope thig group gets bankrolled.
RainaWeather
More homophobia from the white community. Not surprising. Interesting that Queerty neglected to mention the race of these bigots.
galefan2004
After they started their whole 9-11 spiel, the entire nation started realizing exactly how ape shit crazy this group was. Now, they do less harm than good to the gay rights movement. Now we can point at them as an example of a bigot and get understanding. The gay rights movement will happen regardless of Fred Phelps and his pack of crazy asshats.
schlukitz
@anony:
I too remember hearing something about a huge lawsuit that was leveled against them and how they were teetering on the verge of bankruptcy?
I did a Google and found the following link which sheds some light on the issue.
http://www.marylandaccidentlawblog.com/2008/02/maryland_judge_says_westboro_b.html
Apparently, the Phelps Clan had a 10.9 million dollar lawsuit against them until, that is, a Maryland Judge reduced it to approximately half. Why, I don’t know.
No doubt, the MD Judge also gave them an “Easy-payment” plan of $50. bucks a week until it is paid off, which probably explains why these creeps still have duckats left to travel with.
Who ever said justice was swift…or fair?
j
@RainaWeather: Whoa fuck. I can’t believe I just heard that. Wouldn’t singling out the race of these people when their race has nothing to do with their politics against the “gay agenda” be…um, racist? What if they were black, would you expect their race to be mentioned as a determining factor in their bigotry? It’s people like you, not fred phelps that set us back.
galefan2004
@j: Haven’t you heard? Black people get a pass on all the racism they want to spew out because only white people can be racist.
Whup-ass Master
I would invite these people to any and every event. They are great publicity, and if they’re against something everyone else will be for it.
Oh, and @rainaweather: um, are you retarded?
Joanaroo
Phelps and his clan are a bunch of looney toons. When I heard about this bunch I thought they were a piece of satirical fiction, then I find out they are “real people”. What a bunch of morons!
Joanaroo
Thanx for the link, Schlukitz! I can’t believe this group is able to do this “protesting” and get away with it. It’s disgusting. I’d seen a report on a group of veteran bikers that try to keep Phelps’ group away from the funeral as far back as they can.
schlukitz
@Joanaroo:
You are more than welcome, Joanaroo.
Like you, I can’t believe this group is able to do this “protesting” and get away with it…and then have a audacity to call it free speech.
As I just said to a poster on another thread, imagine if you will, putting up a site on the Internet like Fred Phelp’s infamous site called “God Hates Fags” and substitute the “N” word for Fags and see what happens?
Free speech would get a quick flush down the crapper.
TikiHead
“how does this American family still afford to travel?”
My guess is they keep kidnapped female hitchhikers in their basements, impregnate them, and sell the babies.
TANK
@TikiHead:
Harvest the organs and sell ’em on the black market. Faster and easier.
youcanthandlethetruth
I have no patience with the Phelps family and their hateful vitriol.
However, can you see a parallel with NoOn8 supporters in California vandalising churches, invading church services, staging protests outside of Mormon Temples, harassing an old lady in Palm Springs, boycotting hotels, getting Yeson8 supporters fired from their jobs and chasing Christian singers out of the Castro district?
Compared to that the Phelps’ look like little angels.
TANK
@youcanthandlethetruth:
You’re no different. Fuck off, jim.
youcanthandlethetruth
@TANK: I’m not Jim.
But thanks for your intelligent, tolerant, carefully thought-out reply. You are a credit to homosexual activists everywhere.
TANK
@youcanthandlethetruth:
As opposed to your intelligent thought out comparisons of homosexuality to pedophiles and polygamists? Fuck off, you idiot. And yes, you’re jim…just another mor[m]on.
youcanthandlethetruth
@TANK: The comparison between homosexuality, pedophilia and polygamy is very obvious. They are all examples of deviant sexual behaviour.
TANK
@youcanthandlethetruth:
That’s not an argument. “the comparison to mormons and pedophiles and polygamists is very obvious. They are all examples of deviant sexual behavior.”
Jaroslaw
I’m going to chime in here too – Rainaweather – get a grip. Black pastors do plenty of damage too regarding homophobia. Or perhaps that is news to you? Lets not turn everything into a race war.
Not only that, why is Queerty required to report on the race of Westboro? You would have to be sleeping under a rock not to know by this time. They’ve been protesting since Sept. 11th – which they claim was God punishing America (at least in part) for tolerating homosexuality. 9 years is quite a while to be in the spotlight, don’t you think?
RainaWeather
@j: But you see, that’s exactly my point! When the homophobe is black, they DO get singled out for being black. Surely anyone who frequents this site realizes that. Like the article on the owner of BET, Queerty called her out for being homophobic and black, even though the fact that she was black had nothing to do with anything. When black people are homophobic, people use it as evidence that all blacks are homophobic, when whites are homophobic, people just look at them as individuals. I’m only trying to point out the differences in people’s perceptions.
What if they were black, would you expect their race to be mentioned as a determining factor in their bigotry?
Of course not, but have you read the articles and comments on this site? Many people subscribe to this idea. Funny how it’s only okay to stereotype peolple when they’re black.
Jaroslaw
Rainaweather (a) which article are you speaking of on Queerty (b) are we speaking only of Queerty or the media in general? in which case I’ll qualify – for what I think is the occasional incident – you don’t see the admittedly unsavory irony in a group of oppressed people (Blacks) oppressing another group (Gays)? and (c) you ignored my question – do you think it is necessary to identify Westboro since they have been in the public eye incessantly for 9 years?
RainaWeather
@Jaroslaw:
a) I think I mentioned the article. It was about the owner of BET, I just can’t remember the woman’s name, But I’ll look for it. It was only posted a few days ago.
b)I’m specifically talking about Queerty, the site and more so the commentators. I do see the irony (or rather, hypocrisy), but I also see the irony in constantly labeling blacks homophobic, but not doing the same for whites. It’s also ironic that there are so many homophobic women when they’ve been so oppressed, yet I can’t recall anyone ever pointing that out on this site, although there are certainly articles about female homophobes.
c) No. I don’t think it’s necessary for anyone’s race to be called out when race isn’t related to the subject at hand. I was simply making my first comment to see how people would react to it and if any of them would realize their own hypocrisy. For instance, galefan constantly uses any excuse to label all blacks homophobic or just be racist in general. But now she’s offended at my comment although I only mimicked the kind of comments she makes.
anony
@ schlukitz
Thanks for the response and the info. That is absolutely shocking that they can get such low monthly payments. Looks like they have some sympathizers in the court room.
On the plus side, WBC just may be the biggest spokes-group for gay rights. When people see what loones they are, it will be easier to associate anti gay bigots with other looney hate filled groups. Good way to take the “holy god” out the debate.
schlukitz
@anony:
Actually Anony, the only part of my post that was factual, was the reduction of of the award to a little less than 50% of the original settlement.
http://www.silha.umn.edu/Winter%202008%20Bulletin/U.S.%20District%20Court%20Rules%20against%20Funeral%20Protesters.html
The part about the weekly payment of $50. was tongue-in-cheek and indicative of my disgust for a judge who favored these homophobic pricks by ruling against the plaintiff.
Jaroslaw
Rainaweather – goodness! I meant everyone knows the Westboro gang is white unless they’ve been in a coma for 9 years.
It sounds good to say “don’t point out the race unless it is pertinent” but I think it is in some cases.
Waiting on the BET link to say more obviously.
DICK MILLS #8 – wow what a great idea! I always said the lunatic fringe is doing us a favor, but you raise a super point. What if Fred Phelps & company ads were played during the campaign against PROP 8 in California! Well, it might have moved the sympathetic but it might also have eneregized more nutballs. I don’t know now that I think about it.
RainaWeather
@Jaroslaw: Well, in this case (and most cases) it isn’t
http://www.queerty.com/why-is-one-of-americas-richest-women-backing-a-bigot-for-virgina-governor-20090722/
dnuts
they prostitute themselves
Fitz
Well, for one thing– they don’t have to pay any of their legal fees, what with the ACLU championing them.
El Brucio
When Fred first started getting attention for his diatribes, I originally thought he was a stain on creation. In retrospect, I think he’s done more good for gays than many of our own political lobbyists.
He gets media attention for gay events that otherwise would have gone unnoticed by the general population, as well as forcing moderates/fence sitters to take a stand rather than face being seen as intolerant bigots.
I have to admit, over time I’ve wondered if it’s really all an act, and he’s some kind of religious version of Stephen Colbert, only no-one else is in on the joke.
It wouldn’t surprise me if both religious zealots *and* gays have been mailing him money so he can continue his life’s work.
philip
There is something seriously wrong with this clan, they are not practicing at all the word of God, this documentary shows me the lack of faith in the Lord, they have interpreted the bible in their own way, they have violated the principles of the bible, I dare to say that they have changed the meaning of the word of God, there are some very few points that they go according to rules or commandments of the bible but they are the very few. The statements of some of the members gave in the documentary were outrageous, the priest or whoever was the old person had the most unfriendly attitude and if Jesus was in the same room with him, well Jesus would have felt ashamed of him, they treated the reporter like dirt, a real follower of God wouldn’t treat the people like that, they are always about the gospel, what do they know about the gospel?, they are talking about obey the Lord, well show me where or when or what they obey. I’m afraid I can’t see it, to be a follower of God, they need to obey the commandments and I am not saying only the 10 commandments but the 600 of them. God is love and understanding and misericordy and they are not showing it at all.
Alex
I went to an awful evangelical christian high school and they hated WBC more than anyone. Getting cons to admit that WBC is a crock of shit is the incredibly easy first step on the track to changing someone’s mind about us homos.