When we heard that the Ku Klux Klan refused to support the “God Hates Fags” folks at the Westboro Baptist Church, we thought, “Man, the WBC has really hit rock bottom.” But then we learned that our government hired them to teach a class to FBI agents—D’OH!
… the FBI recently invited leaders of the fundamentalist church to the Quantico Marine base in Virginia to talk to FBI agents as part of the bureau’s counterterrorism training program…
[WBC leader Timothy Phelps] said the program was designed to teach agents “how to stay measured when they are speaking with a witness or a suspect with whom they have a strong, visceral disagreement.”
Law enforcement officials who attended the session said it was focused on domestic terrorism. They were told that the FBI invited Westboro members to the class so police officers and agents could see extremists up close and understand what makes them tick…
Wow. And here we thought the WBC was good for nothing. Joke’s on us—they’re good for teaching the FBI how to deal with total whack jobs.
Interestingly, the FBI had also previously invited the KKK to speak to their agents (just another thing the WBC and the KKK have in common). But the WBC says they got no money for their FBI gig. But even still, some FBI heads had a problem with the WBC teaching agents.
How about we take this to the next level?
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According to NPR, the FBI couldn’t have chosen a worse time to have the WBC teach classes at a military base, especially since the WBC had a case pending in the Supreme Court for picketing soldiers’ funerals.
The top brass at the FBI only found out about the Westboro invitations after more than 200 officers and agents had attended the sessions. Almost immediately afterward, the officers and agents sent memos asking why the group had been invited…
A memo from the assistant director of the FBI’s Training Division, Thomas Brown, put an end to Westboro’s partnership with the FBI. It was one line long: the FBI, it said, is not to invite Westboro to any of its training sessions again.
Damn. We bet a class run by the WBC is wilder than a boxful of rabid poodles on crank. Maybe the FBI can get them to teach electives or run the glee club.
Dan
Is there a typo in the headline?
Daniel Villarreal
@Dan: Damn. Thanks for catching that. That’s what happens when you edit just after snorting coffee grounds.
Dan
Trust me, I know, I do it all the time! Typos, I mean.
jay_max
There’s a difference between participating and teaching. From what other news outlets are reporting, it was the former, not the latter. I, for one, have no issue with this. Better for the FBI to see and hear these crazies up front to lean how to effectively deal with them in the future.
TMikel
Jay_max – fine, YOU invite them to YOUR next function! Our government and its agencies have no business hobnobbing with terrorist hate groups for ANY reason or in ANY fashion. What is wrong with you? The top brass of the FBI only found out about this after 200+ officers and agents took part in the sessions and then immediately put a stop to it. THEY could see the inappropriateness of the sessions but you cannot? I am quite certain the FBI has been watching these people for some time and already know what they are and what they stand for and do not need to actually fraternize with them. Ye Gods, man, did you think before you wrote that post?
Bronxite
Fred Phelps used to be a big Civil Rights leader. Strange man.
jay_max
@TMikel: Wow. Off your meds today? – alot of anger in that post. I just think this fits in the “keep your friends close, your enemies closer” box. Plenty of other news outlets were reporting this much different that Queerty – that the FBI knew they folks were crazy but wanted to see/hear them face-to-face so the FBI can adjust their tactics to better counter them.
Pointer1
Bronxite: Phelps took black clients because he could sue, and force large settlements. They were only a meal ticket. One of his (ex) daughters says Phelps said terrible things about his black clients when they were out of the room. He’s a bottom feeder, not a Civil Rights leader
Bronxite
Pointer : That might be true, but I guess that’s debatable, because as late as the 1980’s he was receiving awards from black organizations for his work, including from one branch of the NAACP.
Shannon1981
More proof that the country has gone to hell in a hand basket. Did they really think people would be ok with these nutjobs hanging out with the FBI? The WBC is CRAZY. Fucking whacko. I am beginning to wonder about the sanity of the FBI agents too. One too many knocks to the head or something? I cannot believe this.
the crustybastard
@Bronxite:
It is Fred Phelps’ own contention he was a civil rights leader. I have never seen any evidence to support it. Unless you possess some evidence this is true, please stop perpetuating this nonsense.
(It is however true that Fred Phelps used to be a bigtime Democrat. There’s a picture of him shaking Al Gore’s hand. That’s some pretty high-level access. It is also true that many members of the Westboro Baptist Church are Kansas State employees.)
Bronxite
Then look it up yourself, Crusty. He got those awards.