The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult

[El Diablo]

Some of you are probably familiar with these people due to coverage of them protesting funerals of soldiers who died in Iraq or their aggressive anti-gay websites and protests.

Check out this short video with highlights

If that's interesting to you, go check out the 7 part video here (see links below video window)

I've watched the first two so far. The end of part 2 is pretty interesting when he's talking to the teenage girl.

Some articles and more information.

BBC article

Guardian article

Wikipedia entry

(There are a few more links on the videosift page)

Not sure how much there is to discuss here, since I suspect most people will have pretty similar reactions to these people. But I think it's pretty bizarre and fascinating stuff.

Oh, as always, please keep discussion civil and stupid gay jokes to a minimum, thanks.

[kidcolin]

Shirley used to call into the Adam Corolla show every now and then. Complete insanity. How they haven't gotten the crap kicked out of them is beyond me.

[guids]

Thats what happens when you let the scary dude from poltergeist have his own church.

[miajag]

If you guys were Vegas oddsmakers, what line would you put on this all being an act? I.e., how likely do you think it is that these folks have been leveling us all these years?

[-zero-]

These videos make me sad.

[Tree Surgeon]

[ QUOTE ]
If you guys were Vegas oddsmakers, what line would you put on this all being an act? I.e., how likely do you think it is that these folks have been leveling us all these years?

[/ QUOTE ]

Very close to zero, based on the sincere hatred these people spouted when on UofM campus for one of their typical gay-bashing missions.

[Jeff W]

These clowns picketed my high school graduation ceremony.

[-zero-]

[ QUOTE ]
These clowns picketed my high school graduation ceremony.

[/ QUOTE ]

For what ridiculous reason?

[seke2]

El D,
Very interesting stuff. I'd never heard about these guys. I watched the entire thing. Incredibly bizarre. Hard to believe this happens.

[MrMon]

I thought most of the kids were lawyers, and I was right. Then I saw this in the Wiki, and now I'm convinced this is where most of their money comes from:

[ QUOTE ]
All the principals of the Phelps Chartered law firm[2], a firm founded by WBC founder Fred Phelps, are members of WBC. Phelps Chartered handles most of WBC's legal work and has received significant awards of attorney's fees from the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976 when WBC has been improperly prevented from picketing.[10]



[/ QUOTE ]

So basically these guys are nuts, but have figured out a loophole in the law that makes us pay for their activities. Talk about a screwed up system, they make a fortune by being annoying.