Where's Your "Liberal Media" Now?

[mykevermin]

ID: Phelps Plans to Protest Soldier's Funeral

By CHUCK OXLEY
Associated Press writer

BOISE, Idaho -- A Kansas preacher and gay rights foe whose congregation is protesting military funerals around the country said he's coming to Idaho on today to picket the memorial for an Idaho National Guard soldier killed in Iraq.

A flier on the Web site of Pastor Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church claims God killed Cpl. Carrie French with an improvised explosive device in retaliation against the United States for a bombing at Phelps' church six years ago.

"We're coming," Phelps said Monday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Westboro Baptist either has protested or is planning protests of other public funerals of soldiers from Michigan, Alabama, Minnesota, Virginia and Colorado. A protest is planned for July 11 at Dover Air Force Base, the military base where war dead are transported before being sent on to their home states.

Phelps gained national notoriety in 1998 when he picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, the gay college student beaten to death in Wyoming.

Since then, Phelps said his church has been the target of hateful words and actions, including a bomb attack six years ago.

Phelps' church has picketed the funerals of AIDS victims for more than a decade.

French, 19, was a Caldwell High School graduate and varsity cheerleader. She was killed June 5 in the northern city of Kirkuk. French served as an ammunition specialist with the 116th Brigade Combat Team's 145th Support Battalion.

Phelps said the fact that French led an all-American life gives him all the more reason to picket her final public tribute.

"An all-American girl from a society of all-American heretics," he said.

"Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime," Phelps said.

Caldwell Police Chief Bob Sobba said he cannot bar Phelps from going to the public funeral, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Albertson College of Idaho in that city.

"While we respect Mr. Phelps' right to protest, we would hope that he would respect the family and friends of this young person by not disrupting the memorial," Sobba said.

Idaho Air National Guard Lt. Tony Vincelli, acting as spokesman for French's family, said there were no plans to change the funeral arrangements.

The Rev. Brian Fischer, pastor of Boise's Community Church of the Valley, and himself a past target of protest by the Westboro Baptist Church, decried Phelps' plan.

"What Phelps is doing is a reprehensible thing, to take a funeral and turn it into a photo op for his hate cause," Fischer said. "We hope everyone will ignore Phelps' group."

In 2003, Phelps demanded that he be allowed to erect an anti-gay monument in a Boise public park. To avoid a lawsuit from his group, city officials voted in 2004 that a Ten Commandments monument be moved out of the park to a private setting.
(from Associated Press via http://www.queery.com/sybfusion.cgi?templ=q-item2.tpl&category=News&idx=96820)

Who hates the troops?

Who hates America?

Who hates freedom?

Who celebrates the deaths of Americans and the failures in Iraq?

Why hasn't the "MSM" featured this guy more often? If it's so damned left, this guy would be all over the news, would he not?

I want Fred Phelps, and his followers, drawn and quartered on Pay Per View.

myke.

EDIT: Here's a schedule of upcoming appearances (http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/Picket_Information.html). Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

 

[alonzomourning23]

I saw that guy speek once, he's a nutcase. Everyone (well, one person seemed to like him) was either laughing at him or shouting at him. When he finished 2 cops had to escort him off the stage since not only were people shouting at him, his followers were antoginizing the people even more, so there was a risk of someone starting a fight.

Though I never knew his church was bombed, too bad he wasn't in it.

 

[David85]

One town over is protesting a funderal here. They have those "God hates fags" posters. I want to go with "God hates strimp" posters but the thunderstorms are bad. Thy are saying that the people in Iraq are dieing because of gay rights in America and god being pissed. So my thught is if god is really pissed at gays then why doesn't that er kill me?! All powerful my ass.

 

[Derwood43]

[quote name='David85']One town over is protesting a funderal here. They have those "God hates fags" posters. I want to go with "God hates strimp" posters but the thunderstorms are bad. Thy are saying that the people in Iraq are dieing because of gay rights in America and god being pissed. So my thught is if god is really pissed at gays then why doesn't that er kill me?! All powerful my ass.[/QUOTE]

I feel compelled to respond.

First off, this is my viewpoint. Know that I respect your right to disagree.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Hate the sin, not the sinner"? I believe that this is true for God and man. As a christian, my charge is to love my brother. Jesus told us that the greatest attribute is love. The statement, "God hates fags" is sickeningly false. This "preacher's" viglante against our soldiers is also wrong. Our soldiers are dying, not becuase God hates someone, but because we are at war. (reasons for which are still in heated debates)

To make a long thought shorter;
God does not hate you, anyone on this board, any gay or straight individual, color, or religion. Please don't let this minority thought that God hates fags speak for what I believe to be the majority. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. America is not the left and right you see in the media, it's the quiet middle guys like us that make up America. They just happen to be on TV.

 

[David85]

Thank you for that lovely preaching, if I gave a I would go to church on Sunday.

 

[mykevermin]

[quote name='Derwood43']I feel compelled to respond.

First off, this is my viewpoint. Know that I respect your right to disagree.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Hate the sin, not the sinner"? I believe that this is true for God and man. As a christian, my charge is to love my brother. Jesus told us that the greatest attribute is love. The statement, "God hates fags" is sickeningly false. This "preacher's" viglante against our soldiers is also wrong. Our soldiers are dying, not becuase God hates someone, but because we are at war. (reasons for which are still in heated debates)

To make a long thought shorter;
God does not hate you, anyone on this board, any gay or straight individual, color, or religion. Please don't let this minority thought that God hates fags speak for what I believe to be the majority. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. America is not the left and right you see in the media, it's the quiet middle guys like us that make up America. They just happen to be on TV.[/QUOTE]

I'm aware of the extremism of the Westboro Baptist Church.

I'm also aware that conservatives seem to think that our media is disturbingly liberal in what it portrays. They also seem to think that liberals endanger our troops through nonsupport, they hate America, they hate "freedom," and they consider the war on terror to be a bad idea.

Despite the fact that all of these stereotypes are demonstrably false, they persist, even in our media.

Now, let's play a little "if-then," shall we?

IF the media is liberal,
THEN they will do anything to make liberals and liberal perspectives look good.

IF the media will do anything to make liberals and liberal perspectives look good,
THEN they will also do anything to make conservatives and other opponents of liberalism look bad.

IF they will do anything to make conservatives and other opponents of liberalism look bad, then why the do I have to look for this kind of news, and only find it (keep in mind that it's an AP article) in queer papers and the Casper ing Wyoming Gazette?

I'm aware that Phelps and his ilk are not representative of most Christians; this is not to say they don't have power or influence, and it's also not the point I'm trying to make.

myke.

 

[Derwood43]

[quote name='mykevermin']I'm aware of the extremism of the Westboro Baptist Church.

I'm also aware that conservatives seem to think that our media is disturbingly liberal in what it portrays. They also seem to think that liberals endanger our troops through nonsupport, they hate America, they hate "freedom," and they consider the war on terror to be a bad idea.

Despite the fact that all of these stereotypes are demonstrably false, they persist, even in our media.

Now, let's play a little "if-then," shall we?

IF the media is liberal,
THEN they will do anything to make liberals and liberal perspectives look good.

IF the media will do anything to make liberals and liberal perspectives look good,
THEN they will also do anything to make conservatives and other opponents of liberalism look bad.

IF they will do anything to make conservatives and other opponents of liberalism look bad, then why the do I have to look for this kind of news, and only find it (keep in mind that it's an AP article) in queer papers and the Casper ing Wyoming Gazette?

I'm aware that Phelps and his ilk are not representative of most Christians; this is not to say they don't have power or influence, and it's also not the point I'm trying to make.

myke.[/QUOTE]


IF you whitewash conservatives
THEN they will whitewash liberals

IF you say that the media is too conservative
THEN they will say it is too liberal

Are you seeing a pattern? It's amusing to watch you and PAD act genuinely surprised by the other side. "OMFG!!! The middle east hates America!!" "ROFLBBQUMA! Christians belive in God!!!" Journalism is SUPPOSED to be about reporting the news as it happens. It has now turned into sensationalism, and writing a story that will sell. You know that. Don't act so surprised next time.


David, I get it. You're a big boy. We all see how hard-core you are.
con·ver·sa·tion
n.

1. 1. The spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings; talk.
   2. An instance of this: held a long conversation on the subject.

Don't post if you can't bring something intelligent. Other than, GoD iS Teh SuxxoRs!!

 

[mykevermin]

[quote name='Derwood43']Are you seeing a pattern? It's amusing to watch you and PAD act genuinely surprised by the other side. "OMFG!!! The middle east hates America!!" "ROFLBBQUMA! Christians belive in God!!!" Journalism is SUPPOSED to be about reporting the news as it happens. It has now turned into sensationalism, and writing a story that will sell. You know that. Don't act so surprised next time.[/QUOTE]

You should read a short book by Pierre Bourdieu called On Television. He makes much the same argument.

My perspective on the media as too conservative is not an issue here. I'm simply pointing out that our media has a perfectly awesome opportunity to present itself as liberal and portray conservative christians as doofuses (or is that doofi?), and it's one they are missing out on. My question is simply this: why is the media not taking the bait on this asshole, if one assumes that it has a vehement liberal bias?

myke.

 

[Derwood43]

[quote name='mykevermin']You should read a short book by Pierre Bourdieu called On Television. He makes much the same argument.

My perspective on the media as too conservative is not an issue here. I'm simply pointing out that our media has a perfectly awesome opportunity to present itself as liberal and portray conservative christians as doofuses (or is that doofi?), and it's one they are missing out on. My question is simply this: why is the media not taking the bait on this asshole, if one assumes that it has a vehement liberal bias?

myke.[/QUOTE]

I think that, for once, even this guy is too crazy to report on. It becomes tabloid material if it's too far fetched, as I believe this situation is.

 

[Quillion]

[quote name='mykevermin']You should read a short book by Pierre Bourdieu called On Television. He makes much the same argument.

My perspective on the media as too conservative is not an issue here. I'm simply pointing out that our media has a perfectly awesome opportunity to present itself as liberal and portray conservative christians as doofuses (or is that doofi?), and it's one they are missing out on. My question is simply this: why is the media not taking the bait on this asshole, if one assumes that it has a vehement liberal bias?

myke.[/QUOTE]

I'd like to think they're taking the high ground. But more likely they're simply afraid that christians (primary audience) wont like to being portrayed in a negative light.

 

[mykevermin]

...Both explanations negate the idea of a liberal media, which is my precise point.

 

[alonzomourning23]

[quote name='David85']One town over is protesting a funderal here. They have those "God hates fags" posters. I want to go with "God hates strimp" posters but the thunderstorms are bad. Thy are saying that the people in Iraq are dieing because of gay rights in America and god being pissed. So my thught is if god is really pissed at gays then why doesn't that er kill me?! All powerful my ass.[/QUOTE]

I wish someone told me about that, I love watching protests, especially wacko ones.

 

[alonzomourning23]

Though they shouldn't report on this guy, his small claim to fame and notoriety would be nonexistent if the media didn't report it at mathew sheppards funeral.

 

[mykevermin]

[quote name='alonzomourning23']Though they shouldn't report on this guy, his small claim to fame and notoriety would be nonexistent if the media didn't report it at mathew sheppards funeral.[/QUOTE]

He's been active for years, though. On the other hand, I have a lot of friends who are activists who have had to deal with him for years. The local bar I go to is owned by two guys who ended up standing next to him during a protest in Cincinnati years ago. The police barricaded areas for Phelps and his ilk, and the other protestors, and both groups were far away from each other. My friends were dressed up in papier mache costumes of Satan and the Pope, and couldn't see a damn thing. The next thing they know, the police are pushing them one way, and they hear Phelps screaming about how homosexuals are burning in hell right next to them.

I regrettably forget how the story ends, but needless to say, Phelps lived.

myke.
...but good times were had by all.

 

[evilmregg]

I have to say, as a liberal, that I don't think Fred Phelps is representative of typical conservatives. I live in a very conservative area, and I honestly don't know a single person who is as hate-filled and vicious as that man. I tend to agree that the media shouldn't waste time covering him because more publicity would only encourage him. I think he just needs a good therapist and some valium. I also think that if he shows up and protests at a funeral, the family of the person being buried should have the legal right to beat him within an inch of his life.

 

[alonzomourning23]

[quote name='mykevermin']He's been active for years, though. On the other hand, I have a lot of friends who are activists who have had to deal with him for years. The local bar I go to is owned by two guys who ended up standing next to him during a protest in Cincinnati years ago. The police barricaded areas for Phelps and his ilk, and the other protestors, and both groups were far away from each other. My friends were dressed up in papier mache costumes of Satan and the Pope, and couldn't see a damn thing. The next thing they know, the police are pushing them one way, and they hear Phelps screaming about how homosexuals are burning in hell right next to them.

I regrettably forget how the story ends, but needless to say, Phelps lived.

myke.
...but good times were had by all.[/QUOTE]

It occured in 98, phelps has been famous since. He may have been active before, but he was simply another unknown bigot.

 

[PittsburghAfterDark]

There's kooks everywhere. It's just that Democrats put theirs next to President Carter at their conventions.

 

[mykevermin]

[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']There's kooks everywhere. It's just that Democrats put theirs next to President Carter at their conventions.[/QUOTE]

Unlike the Republicans, who steal OUR kooks to use as keynote speakers.

'tis not the point of this thread, though.

 

[Trancendental]

[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']There's kooks everywhere. It's just that Democrats put theirs next to President Carter at their conventions.[/QUOTE]

And the Republicans just let theirs dictate presidential policy.