Revealing photo

[Trab]

Recently I've noticed a photo attached to the signature of one of the esteemed members of this forum. I didn't really look at it too closely, but one day I stopped to take give it some more scrutiny.

Notice that they seem to be in front of a church. Talk about in bizarre place to protest. I also see one of them is trampling the US flag. Way to go there asshole. Notice in the background that there is a whole group of guys, all hanging out together, not protesting at all. They are laughing, and that's a sure sign of sincerity, isn't it? Lastly, the guy in the back with the red shirt seems to have, from the shadows created, a pretty decent package dangling down in his right pantleg. Commando today, I'd guess. Lastly, there is only one sign being held up about God hating fags. The rest seem to be aimed at anyone that comes by "You", "You're".

BTW, I have no idea what IEDs are. InExplicableDumbShits?

[Tragic Rabbit]

I pulled that from the godhatesamerica.com website itself, an adjunct to godhatesfags.com, and it's from a 2006 Missouri protest, I think. Westboro Church actually protests at a lot of (other) churches, funerals and GLBT religious or political events, my own church has been picketed by various Christ-like organizations such as Phelps'. It's not uncommon, check out their websites for more information if you have a strong stomach. I don't think this one was one of the military funeral protests but those get the same treatment at present.

People in the photo who are not protesting may be attending the actual event, protesting the protesters or with a news agency, that latter being the raison d'etre of Phelps' protests. There are often folk hanging around watching when protests are happening, esp if there are opposing camps in evidence. All the pictured signs are aimed at decrying America going to Hell because it tolerates and celebrates fagdom, etc, etc, hence the trampled American flag. Hurricane Katrina was one of America's punishments for this pro-fag attitude, btw.

I juxtaposed it with the OutProud logo and links to their site, along with my own 'Reject the Hate', btw. I did not link any of the Phelps' sites...

TR

[Trab]

I have to say that I cannot understand ANY of these people who hate, despise, and otherwise reject. Sure, there are a few things I abhor, like abusing children or other helpless or hapless beings (or animals) but I'm not even sure I could say I hate those who do that. I think I merely feel sick of and sad about them.

[colinian]

BTW, I have no idea what IEDs are. InExplicableDumbShits?

I looked up IED and the most common definition is: "Improvised explosive device, an explosive device often used in unconventional warfare" (from Wikipedia).

THANK GOD for IEDs??? WTF is THAT? Sounds like a threat to me. Someone should get a bunch of lawers to go after these spawn of the devil "christian nazis" before they do what they promise on their signs!

And look how they've appropriated the rainbow for their hate posters!

If you think I'm pissed, you're right! I'M PISSED!

Colin

[Tragic Rabbit]

THANK GOD for IEDs??? WTF is THAT?

"We're thankful for the IEDs that kill the fruit of this nation, because he thereby demonstrates that he's giving fair warning to all the other 300 million Americans to Repent or Perish... It's a grotesque sin against God to not be thankful for IEDs."

The saints of the Most High God thank Him for using 'Improvised Explosive Devices' to punish a nation laden with sin!

et cetera...

From: http://www.thesignsofthetimes.net/tgfi.html and http://www.godhatesamerica.org/

[Josiah Jacobus-Parker]

Lastly, the guy in the back with the red shirt seems to have, from the shadows created, a pretty decent package dangling down in his right pantleg. Commando today, I'd guess.

I'm pretty sure that's not a dude actually... Which makes the bulge in her pants even more worrysome. Maybe she has one of those IED's in her pants to surprise any homo who mistakes her for a man and tries to get in her pants... It seems she'll only have luck with the blind ones though, as her boobs are a little bit of a give away. That and her va-jay-jay.

As for the one on the right... if that is a guy, then he's just about the most effeminite phobe I've ever seen. He might think about tallying up his own "male values" before launching into a tirade.

On that note, I really want to see this photoshopped to show those two Bel Ami angels doing each other on the ground in front of them. There's nothing quite like a littel devine comedy.

[RMiller]

It makes me sick every time I see that picture. I know people who are really that hateful and I can?t stand being around them. I know a guy who, in high school, would take his buddies and gang up on a boy with an earring and rip it out of his ear because that was too close to being gay. They never bothered taking the back off the earring, either.

Some people need fire and brimstone more than others, but who are we to call it down upon them?

[JamesSavik]

The Westburo mob are the kind of @ssholes that napalm was designed for.

Just a dab will do ya.

[Tanuki Racoon]

The Westburo mob are the kind of @ssholes that napalm was designed for.

Just a dab will do ya.

Let's make an exception and use the whole container.

[Trab]

I think maybe the "little dab" was to point out how little substance there is too these morons that only a little dab is necessary.

[colinian]

A friend of mine sent me an email tonight. This part of the email makes perfcet sense to him and to me:

I was watching a black comedienne on HBO tonight and she did a bit about gay marriage. She said if you're against it, then simply don't do it. She said the way to save marriage isn't to deny it to gays, it's to ban divorce. Gays getting married doesn't destroy marriage, divorce does. Makes perfect sense to me.

Colin

[Tanuki Racoon]

A friend of mine sent me an email tonight. This part of the email makes perfcet sense to him and to me

Wanda Sykes is her name.

[colinian]

Wanda Sykes is her name.

Thanks, WBM!

Colin

[The Pecman]

Sirius Radio's Howard Stern used to feature the "God Hates Fags" woman on his show every so often, just as an example of how bad over-the-top hatred can be, but even he had his fill a week or two ago. He had her on to explain why her group was planning to picket the recent funeral of the Amish children that were murdered at school.

About halfway through her tirade, Stern basically said, "you know, I've had enough of this," and threw her off the phone. This woman is so nutty, she's actually picketed funerals of men who died in Iraq, using signs that say, "You Deserved to Die" and stuff like that. She's not just nutty against gay people; she's nutty against tons of minorities and innocent people.

She'd be on my short list if I ever won De Lotto, and had the time and money to devote to fighting for justice in my own very special way.

[dude]

Sirius Radio's Howard Stern used to feature the "God Hates Fags" woman on his show every so often, just as an example of how bad over-the-top hatred can be, but even he had his fill a week or two ago. He had her on to explain why her group was planning to picket the recent funeral of the Amish children that were murdered at school.

Ah...that would be Shirley Phelps Roper... Fred's daughter. I think I have a pic of her... yeah here it is:

She's the lovely, petite thing holding the "Thank God for AIDS' sign ... that's her daddy Fred in the white cowboy hat and red/blue jacket.

Snapped with my own little Olympus across the street from our GAYBC Studios when they came to protest our pioneer gay Internet radio station. Of course about 2,000 local gays and lesbians marched from Downtown Seattle and between (says proudly) -my big sis- Col. Grethe Cammermeyer's speech and the singing and cheering of the crowd... the little group from Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church was scarcely heard.

[The Pecman]

Yeah, that's her -- Shirley. You know, I generally am against violence against even bad people, but I think I'll make an exception for her. Shirley deserves to burn in the deepst pits of sulfur someday. Good god, what a nut!

[colinian]

Yeah, that's her -- Shirley. You know, I generally am against violence against even bad people, but I think I'll make an exception for her. Shirley deserves to burn in the deepst pits of sulfur someday. Good god, what a nut!

Here's what I'd tell them:

The devil loves and preserves people who hate. You, Fred Phelps Roper and Shirley Phelps Roper, and all of your vile anti-Christ anti-Christian followers, are pawns of the devil, and will burn in hell for eternity. REPENT!

Colin

[blue]

Hatred is still hate, whether it's out in the open or hidden behind insincere smiles. Hatred tries to diminish those it targets and those who use it.

Hatred's biggest lie is that its wins are permanent. They are only temporary and mortal wins.

It can misdirect, lie, lead astray or turn others away, it can claim it's "right" or "Godly" or "natural" or "scientific," and it can harm or kill.

Yet it cannot change the truth or what is good.

[DesDownunder]

Ah...that would be Shirley Phelps Roper... Fred's daughter. I think I have a pic of her... yeah here it is:

She's the lovely, petite thing holding the "Thank God for AIDS' sign ... that's her daddy Fred in the white cowboy hat and red/blue jacket.

Snapped with my own little Olympus ...

Seems like the whole group lacks good sense, common sense and fashion sense. Even the letters on their signs don't color coordinate. And what's with those awful sunglasses? Do these people have no shame?

Dude, I Hope the Olympus camera lens didn't crack.

[Trab]

What strikes me most, each time I read about this type of hatred, is that the target is basically the concept, and not an individual or individuals. Whether it is religious, racial, orientation, or whatever, the primary way those who hate operate is by first considering the targets as something other than human. Then, because the targets are not human, these full of hate people can feel, within themselves, justified in their attacks. That's how a religious person can turn around and literally kill, or condone the killing of, someone of another religion, race, orientation, or whatever they cannot accept. While it seems bizarre to me, that some could profess to follow the Ten Commandments and yet break them, they can justify it by thinking that they aren't doing anything wrong because they aren't doing it to a fellow human being.

Some of those TV shows, like the Oprah show on The Challenge and some of the recent Dr. Phil shows in which he guides in changing perceptions of people by giving them makeup that lets them experience the other person's life for a short while, are a good thing, but they don't go anywhere near far enough to humanize us all, regardless of our minority.

Sadly, it is also obvious to me that there is a certain amount (lots and lots) of bullying in their tactics. You will notice that those zealots never attack (verbally, physically, emotionally) groups which are larger than them. You will not see them making anti-semitic protests in Israel, nor anti-black protests in Africa. One can only assume they hate themselves, that on some fundamental subconscious level they know they are inferior, warped, inadequate, unloved, and, like any bully, are out there picking on someone, or some smaller segment of society, in order to feel elevated by comparison.

In a way they remind me of a feral cat, or dog. If you've never met any of those, be happy. They look fine, until you are close to them. Then they snarl, lash out, and become the most hateful of creatures, truly to be feared. But they are doing it out of their OWN fear. They sense that they want to approach. They've felt love in their past, but it is gone from their lives and they do not know how to behave to get it back. It is rather pathetic.

I offer this, not as an excuse for those who are so vicious in their attacks and language, but to hopefully let you see that they too are hurting and fearful, and that they, while dangerous to us and other minorities, are also victims of something that has made them this way. Someone who feels truly loved, for who they are, will not, and cannot, act this way, therefore I know that they truly feel unloved, in the core of their very beings. I fear them, and I pity them, and, if the truth be known, I wish I could help them.

[DesDownunder]

Yes, I think you are on the right path Trab.

I would add self-loathing to the mix of fear and hatred of the unknown, but I also think that these are all instigated or encouraged by people having been subjected to a doctrine of guilt somewhere in their lives.

This guilt can be instilled by others or can created by our own minds for no other reason than just being alive.

Many people feel guilty over the joy that the sexual act brings them. This brings them to try to impose their guilt on others so that they are not alone in thinking this way. If others feel guilty for the same reason as them, then the guilt is justified and self-generating. Many religions actively use this to control their congregations.

It is important to accept life and say "yes" to it everyday without any feelings of remorse for just being alive.

Look hard enough for goodness in yourself and you will find it.

I fear them, and I pity them, and, if the truth be known, I wish I could help them.

Now that statement is probably one of the most humane, truthful, compassionate and liberating ones I have seen for a long time.

Thank you Trab.

[Camy]

Some people are genetically predisposed to complain, and it really doesn't matter what it is they're complaining about provided they can really get down and dirty with it.

Fair game includes:

Sexuality - whatever they're not

Religion - ditto

Politics - ditto

Cogent argument doesn't dissuade them either.

It takes all types to populate a dying planet.