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Westboro Meets Its Match: Thousands Sign Retaliatory Petitions

Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast

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I will admit something: I am not entirely rational on the subject of Westboro. I want them STOPPED. I am likely to view any halfway reasonable means as justified by the ends.
 
So long as the KKK is walking around, I think this is null. My right to free speech is protected even against the will of the majority.


However, I think I should have an equal right to bust those chode smokers in the face when they do things like march on funerals.
 
Goshin said:
Just more proof that there is truly ONE THING that can unite us ALL..... ONE thing we really can all agree on .... we all hate Westboro.
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I always thought it'd be funny to catch a Westboro Baptist Church person smoking and tell them, "I thought you hated fags!"
 
Wow! Amazing.

I don't know about stopping them. Its a tough call. Using the tax shield of god is always perplexing to me. While some churches and religions are very sincere and do good works, a lot of them just build a cozy (and crazy) tax free life for themselves and god doesn't really get much attention.

As for their rights to be assholes, yes, they have that right. If assholisim were illegal, our prisons would overflow.

The KKK as the moderatesa. Who would have thunk it:roll:


megaprogman said:
Westboro Meets Its Match: Thousands Sign Retaliatory Petitions | fox4kc.com



What say you? Legitimate action or suppression of free speech?
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megaprogman said:
Westboro Meets Its Match: Thousands Sign Retaliatory Petitions | fox4kc.com



What say you? Legitimate action or suppression of free speech?
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It's not free speech I'm worried about.

Rather, it's tax exempt status of religious institutions.

I have no problem with the Westboro Baptists, or anybody for that matter, protesting on public property. But I do wonder about rescinding tax exempt status of religious institutions because they are considered a "hate" group.

Perhaps do the inverse, and have it so that any religious institution get a certain number of signatures in a state in order to gain a tax exempt status rather than have it by default would be better.
 
specklebang said:
Wow! Amazing.

I don't know about stopping them. Its a tough call. Using the tax shield of god is always perplexing to me. While some churches and religions are very sincere and do good works, a lot of them just build a cozy (and crazy) tax free life for themselves and god doesn't really get much attention.

As for their rights to be assholes, yes, they have that right. If assholisim were illegal, our prisons would overflow.

The KKK as the moderatesa. Who would have thunk it:roll:
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The reason I ask is because there are those on the forum, like zimmer or j-mac who content that society not supporting speech is the same thing as suppressing free speech. I am curious about their take on this.
 
Well, I don’t think any church should have tax free status unless they meet the same conditions as other non-profit organizations. Such as having to give back a specified percentage back to the community. I find it hard to believe WBBC does that. So strip the f**kers.
 
I'd cheer if an 18 wheeler veered off the road and squished the lot of them.


Really. I would.


I might even Futterwanken... vigorously.
 
Goshin said:
I will admit something: I am not entirely rational on the subject of Westboro. I want them STOPPED. I am likely to view any halfway reasonable means as justified by the ends.
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I can't stand the WBC, but I cannot see any real dividing line here between this group and many churches when it comes to treatment under the law. I can understand the argument that in general such groups should/shouldn't be tax exempt, but when one starts to pick and choose based on repulsiveness of the messenger, I can't sign on to that.

I know I am going to be in the minority on this one.
 
Goshin said:
I'd cheer if an 18 wheeler veered off the road and squished the lot of them.


Really. I would.


I might even Futterwanken... vigorously.
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My favorite was when they came out of their hotel.and they were parked in.

Totally worth a tow fee.
 
RepublicanMcDuc said:
I can't stand the WBC, but I cannot see any real dividing line here between this group and many churches when it comes to treatment under the law. I can understand the argument that in general such groups should/shouldn't be tax exempt, but when one starts to pick and choose based on repulsiveness of the messenger, I can't sign on to that.

I know I am going to be in the minority on this one.
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To me, a lot of things other churches say and do are repulsive, they just don't paint their repulsiveness on neon signs and protest the funerals of children. There are plenty of churches/leaders who treat or think of gay people as repulsively as WBC. There are plenty of churches/leaders who think that tragedies like this shooting and Hurricane Sandy are punishment from God. Hell, I'm pretty sure Mike Huckabee blamed this on "taking God out of the schools." Westboro just takes what many others do a step farther. If it should be deemed a hate group, then so should all those other churches.
 
So now a petition is started? So now Anonymous does their crap to them? They're all douchebags, this should have been happening a long time ago when they were doing this to grieving families burying servicemen!!
 
i'm not sure why they should be tax exempt. i'm also somewhat shocked that they are still able to call themselves Baptists. there are many Baptist churches out there which actually work to help their communities. one would think they would unite to put pressure on this hate group to stop using the term "Baptist" as part of its identity.
 
Wiggen said:
How in the hell would this constitute a 'suppression of free speech'?
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Ask the people who agree with this view. Not saying that I agree, but I view it as an interesting question.
 
RepublicanMcDuc said:
How can one justify removing this church's status, but not that of other churches?
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Because calling yourself a church doesn't make you a church. If it does, I hereby declare the Church of Me, and expect not to pay any taxes next year.:lamo
 
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