Religious Right homophobes ordered to pay $11 million to dead soldier's father

From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

$11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

Funeral protests

By ALEX DOMINGUEZ | Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE -

Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

protesting at military funerals.

Members promised to picket future funerals with placards bearing such

slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

"Absolutely, don't you understand this was an act in futility?" said

Shirley Phelps-Roper, whose father founded the Westboro Baptist

Church.

The group believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for

the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

They say they are entitled to protest at funerals under the First

Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

Albert Snyder sued the Topeka, Kan., church after a protest last year

at the funeral of his son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was

killed in Iraq.

He claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private

ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

A jury agreed.

On Wednesday, the church and three of its leaders -- Fred Phelps and

his two daughters, Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis -- were found

liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional

distress.

Jurors awarded Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $8

million in punitive damages.

Snyder, of York, Pa., said he hoped other families would consider

suing.

"The goal wasn't about the money, it was to set a precedent so other

people could do the same thing," he said.

Appearing on NBC's "Today" show Thursday, Sndyer said that while his

son was fighting for freedom for Iraqis, "my son did not fight for

hate speech.

"And that's basically what it is," he said of the church's protest.

"Everybody's under the impression that the First Amendment gives them

the right to do anything, say anything any where, any time. And along

with the First Amendment also comes responsibility."

__________________________________________________

Nice

Harry

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:16:11 -0400, Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>

wrote:

>From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

>http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

>

>$11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

>Funeral protests

>

>By ALEX DOMINGUEZ | Associated Press Writer

>BALTIMORE -

>

>Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

>million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

>the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

>protesting at military funerals.

>

>Members promised to picket future funerals with placards bearing such

>slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

>

>"Absolutely, don't you understand this was an act in futility?" said

>Shirley Phelps-Roper, whose father founded the Westboro Baptist

>Church.

>

>The group believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for

>the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

>

>They say they are entitled to protest at funerals under the First

>Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

This has been a very weird case ... and a real stickie-wickie

so far as 1st-amendment rights go. Frankly, the State cannot

acknowledge the 'sanctity' of funerals and, if the funeral

is in a public cemetery, I don't think they really CAN bar

these clowns from making asses of themselves.

This seems to be a case where you've just gotta put up with

someone elses rights even IF it makes you nuts. That's where

the Bill-o-Rights really counts ... not for stuff everybody

approves of, but the stuff pretty much everybody HATES.

Does the annoyed father get to sue ? No. Not anymore than a

conservative can sue a liberal because he was "forced" to

listen to his garbage in a public place.

So, this case should be appealed and the verdict reversed.

It may be one of those exceptional cases where "street

justice" is the best solution. I note there exists a

veterans-biker group that will run these twits off the

cemetery grounds. The value of the 1st amendment simply

precluded the State from acting against the protesters

no matter how much they may "deserve" it.

Now a PRIVATE cemetery ... then the owner/manager gets

to throw them out and the cops can enforce that treaspass

warning. Different ball-o-wax.

Oh, and what the nutter babe said ... the verdict IS

utterly futile. They ain't got ten megabucks and they

are on a jihad ... so they don't mind martyring

themselves. Take away all their cash and posessions

and they'll dress in sackcloth and STILL show up

at funerals.

"Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message

news:pdrji3lkjssegmv62tjeach21tdnqok7i4@4ax.com...

>

> From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

> http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

>

> $11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

> Funeral protests

>

> By ALEX DOMINGUEZ | Associated Press Writer

>

> BALTIMORE -

>

> Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

> million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

> the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

> protesting at military funerals.

>

> Members promised to picket future funerals with placards bearing such

> slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

>

> "Absolutely, don't you understand this was an act in futility?" said

> Shirley Phelps-Roper, whose father founded the Westboro Baptist

> Church.

>

> The group believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for

> the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

>

Somebody needs to fix these folks up a batch of Kool Aid......

"John" <nyob@justspam.com> wrote in message

news:472b430c$0$25165$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

|

| "Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message

| news:pdrji3lkjssegmv62tjeach21tdnqok7i4@4ax.com...

| >

| > From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

| >

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

| >

| > $11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

| > Funeral protests

| >

| > By ALEX DOMINGUEZ | Associated Press Writer

| >

| > BALTIMORE -

| >

| > Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

| > million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

| > the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

| > protesting at military funerals.

| >

| > Members promised to picket future funerals with placards bearing such

| > slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

| >

| > "Absolutely, don't you understand this was an act in futility?" said

| > Shirley Phelps-Roper, whose father founded the Westboro Baptist

| > Church.

| >

| > The group believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for

| > the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

| >

|

| Somebody needs to fix these folks up a batch of Kool Aid......

%%%% Be my guest!

Can't you feel them circling, honey? Can't you feel 'em schooling around?

You've got fins to the left, fins to the right, and you're the only bait in

town. -- Fins, Jimmy Buffett

|

|

|

|

"David Moffitt" <dmoffitt@stompingweasels.org> wrote in message

news:13infa6qqg0f531@corp.supernews.com...

>

> "John" <nyob@justspam.com> wrote in message

> news:472b430c$0$25165$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

> |

> | "Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message

> | news:pdrji3lkjssegmv62tjeach21tdnqok7i4@4ax.com...

> | >

> | > From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

> | >

> http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

> | >

> | > $11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

> | > Funeral protests

> | >

> | > By ALEX DOMINGUEZ | Associated Press Writer

> | >

> | > BALTIMORE -

> | >

> | > Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

> | > million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

> | > the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

> | > protesting at military funerals.

> | >

> | > Members promised to picket future funerals with placards bearing such

> | > slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

> | >

> | > "Absolutely, don't you understand this was an act in futility?" said

> | > Shirley Phelps-Roper, whose father founded the Westboro Baptist

> | > Church.

> | >

> | > The group believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for

> | > the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

> | >

> |

> | Somebody needs to fix these folks up a batch of Kool Aid......

>

> %%%% Be my guest!

God knows you're stocked up on the Bush Junta Kool Aid, Muffin.

>> My dick is bigger than yours. So are my tits.---- David Moffitt,

>> December 19, 2006, 6:00am

B1ackwater wrote:

>

> This has been a very weird case ... and a real stickie-wickie

> so far as 1st-amendment rights go. Frankly, the State cannot

> acknowledge the 'sanctity' of funerals and, if the funeral

> is in a public cemetery, I don't think they really CAN bar

> these clowns from making asses of themselves.

>

Fred Phelps seems to be loving this and obviously thinks that this will

be overturned on appeal. I think he's probably right unless they can be

shown to have actually interfered with the funeral service itself. This

is America, and you can protest anything no matter how truly disgusting

the protest is. Is there any way to reverse the verdict but take a two

by four to their heads?

--

"Throw me that lipstick, darling, I wanna redo my stigmata."

+-Jennifer Saunders, "Absolutely Fabulous"

> Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

> million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

> the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

> protesting at military funerals.

Sorry, but you're mistaken in a key point: Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr.

(pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church) is not a member of the

religious right. He's a Blue Dog democrat, supporting both Bill

Clinton and Al Gore during their presidential runs.

Frankly, when it comes to liberal causes, Phelps is the real deal - a

lefty who walks the walk. Some of the lawsuits he filed include:

Phelps took cases on behalf of African American clients alleging

discrimination by school systems, and a predominately black American

Legion post which had been raided by police, alleging racially-based

police abuse.

Phelps also sued then-President Ronald Reagan over Reagan's

appointment of a U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, alleging this

violated separation of church and state.

Phelps' law firm, staffed by himself and family members also

represented non-white Kansans in discrimination actions against Kansas

Power and Light, Southwestern Bell, and the Topeka City Attorney.

Plelps represented two female professors alleging discrimination in

Kansas universities

He also has rock solid credentials in the Democrat party. Phelps has

run in various Kansas Democratic Party primaries five times, but has

never won. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998,

receiving about 15% of the vote in 1998. In the 1992 Democratic Party

primary for U.S. Senate, Phelps received 31% of the vote Phelps ran

for mayor of Topeka in 1993 and 1997.

Phelps also hates President Bush and Jerry Fawell.

Harry Hope wrote:

> From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

> http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

>

> $11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

> Funeral protests

First things first. I spent over a month debating Phelps and his ilk

through emails. They know their stuff and they're very smart. They're

also the biggest hypocrites you'll ever come across, even worse than

republicans.

I can't see how this verdict will stand. There are two issues; the right

to free speech and the freedom of religion. It's damn hard to infringe

on either of these rights, much less infringe on both. Phelps and his

ilk are very sick people but like the GOP they have a right to spew

endless lies and hate.

What surprises me is that the GOP hates them too. They're exactly the

same. Both the GOP and Westboro Baptist Church hate good people.

--

Impeach Bush

http://zzpat.bravehost.com/

Impeach Search Engine:

http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=012146513885108216046:rzesyut3kmm

zzpat wrote:

>

>

> What surprises me is that the GOP hates them too. They're exactly the

> same. Both the GOP and Westboro Baptist Church hate good people.

>

You really believe that, don't you?

--

"Throw me that lipstick, darling, I wanna redo my stigmata."

+-Jennifer Saunders, "Absolutely Fabulous"

bvallely@aol.com wrote:

>> Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11

>> million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of

>> the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from

>> protesting at military funerals.

>

> Sorry, but you're mistaken in a key point: Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr.

> (pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church) is not a member of the

> religious right. He's a Blue Dog democrat, supporting both Bill

> Clinton and Al Gore during their presidential runs.

>

> Frankly, when it comes to liberal causes, Phelps is the real deal - a

> lefty who walks the walk. Some of the lawsuits he filed include:

>

> Phelps took cases on behalf of African American clients alleging

> discrimination by school systems, and a predominately black American

> Legion post which had been raided by police, alleging racially-based

> police abuse.

>

> Phelps also sued then-President Ronald Reagan over Reagan's

> appointment of a U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, alleging this

> violated separation of church and state.

>

> Phelps' law firm, staffed by himself and family members also

> represented non-white Kansans in discrimination actions against Kansas

> Power and Light, Southwestern Bell, and the Topeka City Attorney.

>

> Plelps represented two female professors alleging discrimination in

> Kansas universities

>

> He also has rock solid credentials in the Democrat party. Phelps has

> run in various Kansas Democratic Party primaries five times, but has

> never won. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998,

> receiving about 15% of the vote in 1998. In the 1992 Democratic Party

> primary for U.S. Senate, Phelps received 31% of the vote Phelps ran

> for mayor of Topeka in 1993 and 1997.

>

> Phelps also hates President Bush and Jerry Fawell.

>

Whatever his political stripes, Phelps is a certainly a religious kook

who claims to be a Christian like other phonies, dare I say saint Billy.

Hope the $11 mil bankrupts the sob.

Ocv

"zzpat" <zzpatrick@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:fgj0qp61q73@enews4.newsguy.com...

> Harry Hope wrote:

>> From The Associated Press, 11/1/07:

>> http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-funeral-protests,0,4485746.story

>>

>> $11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case

>> Funeral protests

>

> First things first. I spent over a month debating Phelps and his ilk

> through emails. They know their stuff and they're very smart. They're

> also the biggest hypocrites you'll ever come across, even worse than

> republicans.

>

> I can't see how this verdict will stand. There are two issues; the right

> to free speech and the freedom of religion. It's damn hard to infringe on

> either of these rights, much less infringe on both. Phelps and his ilk

> are very sick people but like the GOP they have a right to spew endless

> lies and hate.

>

> What surprises me is that the GOP hates them too.

They hate them because they're too out in the open about their hatred and

fanaticism. The GOP are equally hateful and loony, but they prefer to hide

their looniness for the sake of plausible deniability and so they can gain

the trust of the people. In stealth mode, they can get into elected office,

and only then do they allow their looniness to be seen - gradually and

incrementally, like turning up the heat on a frog in a pot of water. The

people thus become slowly accustomed to GOP ideals, which a few years ago

would have been unthinkable and outrageous (such as pre-emptive war,

torture, wiretapping US citizens, banning liquids on airplanes, etc.).

They hate their fellow Phelps GOP-ites because they are blowing their cover.

They are showing the world the true face of the GOP.

--

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Bill Bonde ( 'Hi ho' )" <tributyltinpaint@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message

news:472D5BCA.858E78DD@yahoo.co.uk...

>

>

> zzpat wrote:

>>

>

>

>>

>> What surprises me is that the GOP hates them too. They're exactly the

>> same. Both the GOP and Westboro Baptist Church hate good people.

>>

> You really believe that, don't you?

It's true. The GOP hate good people. The Phelps crowd are the GOP unmasked.

--

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com