Westboro church members have tires slashed in McAlester

[zstyles]

While I don't approve of the message they are protesting or preaching if you will, I find that they have a right to do so if they wish. Anyone who vandalizes their van is basically vandalizing freedom of speech IMO. This is America after all..right? Again I don't approve of their message but they should be allowed to do it and not get their tires slashed.

[guido911]

While I don't approve of the message they are protesting or preaching if you will, I find that they have a right to do so if they wish. Anyone who vandalizes their van is basically vandalizing freedom of speech IMO. This is America after all..right? Again I don't approve of their message but they should be allowed to do it and not get their tires slashed.

Jeez, overreact much? In my opinion, those people are by no means trying to exercise their first amendment rights like every day citizens. They are deliberately trying to hurt the feelings of the grieving families of American heroes.

[Conan71]

Fred Phelps thrives on controversy.  Ostensibly he keeps himself and his flock (made up of the rest of the Phelps clan) flush by filing lawsuit after lawsuit springing from his controverisal views and provocations.  If there was ever someone fitting of the title "dooshbag" it's Phelps.  I think George Takei needs to take him on in one of his videos.

[custosnox]

Giving attention to these people only serves to feed their illness. 

They need to be ignored. . .utterly!

Let them become untouchable, invisible, and lend them no quarter.

The only problem with that is it's hard to ignore them when they are standing outside your son's/father's/brother's/sister's/mother's/daughter's/husband's/wife's funeral with their hate. 

[nathanm]

While I don't approve of the message they are protesting or preaching if you will, I find that they have a right to do so if they wish. Anyone who vandalizes their van is basically vandalizing freedom of speech IMO. This is America after all..right? Again I don't approve of their message but they should be allowed to do it and not get their tires slashed.

Phelps' scumbag nature goes far, far beyond his "protests". I posted a link a long while back about it. The guy should be in prison.

[Conan71]

Phelps' scumbag nature goes far, far beyond his "protests". I posted a link a long while back about it. The guy should be in prison.

That was a scary read.  Wife-beater, child-abuser, and I'd be willing to bet a sexual predator as well.  I hope there really is a pineapple treatment in Hell.

[dbacks fan]

They are probably covered under the first amendment, as were the marches in Phoenix over the weekend.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Tear-gas-used-to-break-up-neo-Nazi-107801469.html

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2010/11/13/20101113neo-nazi-protesters.html

Just my $.02 I think that something similar to what happened in the 60's is brewing now. You have the argument between the Rep. and the Dem., we are involved in a conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have a conflict in our own gov't, we have issues over our own border between the US and Mexico, and all of the issues around that (drugs & human smuggling) and issues of states rights versus the federal rights. I just feel that America is headed for a major change.

[Conan71]

I HATE Illinois Nazis!

[dbacks fan]

I HATE Illinois Nazis!

Thanks Conan, I appreciate that.

[dbacks fan]

I HATE Illinois Nazis!

Yes and this is my adress

http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/wrigle.htm

[nathanm]

They are probably covered under the first amendment, as were the marches in Phoenix over the weekend.

Just my $.02 I think that something similar to what happened in the 60's is brewing now. You have the argument between the Rep. and the Dem., we are involved in a conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have a conflict in our own gov't, we have issues over our own border between the US and Mexico, and all of the issues around that (drugs & human smuggling) and issues of states rights versus the federal rights. I just feel that America is headed for a major change.

I don't know. I wasn't around for the 60s, but it seems like today it's more of an issue of media-fueled (and a little help from the Koch brothers and their Tea Party monster) artificial division.

It's pretty funny that 85% of Republicans were reelected in the midterms, despite having a generic approval rating lower than the generic Democrat. How did this happen? High favorables for the Tea Party brand and a bunch of Republicans wrapping themselves in the Tea Party flag. Public Relations (prior to WWII unironically known as propaganda) is grand.

If you look at opinion polls, you'll notice that when ideas and values are described in neutral terms, we all have the same concerns and there's agreement on almost everything. Well over 70% of the public wanted "health care reform". Under 20% wants "death panels." When you break it down further, everything except the individual mandate polled with over 50% favorability, despite the overall bill being pretty lame.

We saw similar results in the financial regulation bill. We see similar agreement on our foreign adventures. We even see some agreement regarding saving banks from going under when it's described with any word other than "bailout." That last one is more controversial, as it should be. There aren't a lot of firm answers on that one, so significant division is only natural.

The marketers have turned most of us into Pavlov's dogs. The little bell gets rung and we froth based on the code word. Describe things without the code words, and suddenly we return to being reasonable. It's surreal.

[heironymouspasparagus]

We have a little ways to go yet.  They still haven't put the National Guard back on campus's to kill students.  Yet.

[Quinton]

I can think of several things I would rather do to them. None legal .

[guido911]

I can think of several things I would rather do to them. None legal .

Uh-oh. The big bad post critic will be coming for you.

[Townsend]

http://www.ktul.com/Global/story.asp?S=13520403&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Funeral Protesters Now Targeting Oklahoma Children's Funerals