Westboro church members have tires slashed in McAlester

[custosnox]

"Thank God For More Dead Children In Oklahoma!".

Okay, enough is enough.  Something needs to be done.

[Townsend]

Okay, enough is enough.  Something needs to be done.

You'd figure someone'd be smited wouldn't you?

[Gaspar]

Some insight from a friend of mine:

The group is tied to several attorneys. What you are seeing is their business model. This is their livelyhood, how they pay their for their food, mortgages, cars etc... They deliberately provoke people into assaults, etc... and then they file civil suits for actual and punitive damages. They have obtained many court judgments and many out of court settlements. Their so called ideology is a mask for the "scam." They do this because they profit from it. It is a sick abuse of our system but to them, the effort/reward ratio is positive.

[swake]

Some insight from a friend of mine:

The group is tied to several attorneys. What you are seeing is their business model. This is their livelyhood, how they pay their for their food, mortgages, cars etc... They deliberately provoke people into assaults, etc... and then they file civil suits for actual and punitive damages. They have obtained many court judgments and many out of court settlements. Their so called ideology is a mask for the "scam." They do this because they profit from it. It is a sick abuse of our system but to them, the effort/reward ratio is positive.

They aren't tied to attorneys, most of them ARE attorneys.

[guido911]

They aren't tied to attorneys, most of them ARE attorneys.

Yep.

Shirley Phelps-Roper is an attorney (and quite a looker)

[custosnox]

Yep.

Shirley Phelps-Roper is an attorney (and quite a looker)

you scare me at times

[guido911]

you scare me at times

You want to know what's really scary? She has numerous children so someone actually tapped that hag.

And no, it was not this Mr. Roper:

[Townsend]

You want to know what's really scary? She has numerous children so someone actually tapped that hag.

And no, it was not this Mr. Roper:

The resemblance is...strange

[Conan71]

IIRC, Phelps himself has a law degree. Something makes me think he was disbarred years ago though.

[custosnox]

IIRC, Phelps himself has a law degree. Something makes me think he was disbarred years ago though.

he was disbarred, and I believe for ethical reasons.  So he takes as many federal cases as he can, since he can still practice there.

[guido911]

he was disbarred, and I believe for ethical reasons.  So he takes as many federal cases as he can, since he can still practice there.

Here's the wiki story on Fred's disbarment

Disbarment

A formal complaint was filed against Phelps on November 8, 1977, by the Kansas State Board of Law Examiners for his conduct during a lawsuit against a court reporter named Carolene Brady. Brady had failed to have a court transcript ready for Phelps on the day he asked for it; though it did not affect the outcome of the case for which Phelps had requested the transcript, Phelps still requested $22,000 in damages from her.[citation needed] In the ensuing trial, Phelps called Brady to the stand, declared her a hostile witness, and then cross-examined her for nearly a week, during which he accused her of being a "slut", tried to introduce testimony from former boyfriends whom Phelps wanted to subpoena, and accused her of a variety of perverse sexual acts, ultimately reducing her to tears on the stand.[15] Phelps lost the case; according to the Kansas Supreme Court:

    The trial became an exhibition of a personal vendetta by Phelps against Carolene Brady. His examination was replete with repetition, badgering, innuendo, belligerence, irrelevant and immaterial matter, evidencing only a desire to hurt and destroy the defendant. The jury verdict didn't stop the onslaught of Phelps. He was not satisfied with the hurt, pain, and damage he had visited on Carolene Brady.[15]

In an appeal, Phelps prepared affidavits swearing to the court that he had eight witnesses whose testimony would convince the court to rule in his favor. Brady, in turn, obtained sworn, signed affidavits from the eight people in question, all of whom said that Phelps had never contacted them and that they had no reason to testify against Brady. Phelps had committed perjury.[15]

On July 20, 1979, Phelps was permanently disbarred from practicing law in the state of Kansas,[15] though he continued to practice in Federal courts.

In 1985, nine Federal judges filed a disciplinary complaint against Phelps and five of his children, alleging false accusations against the judges. In 1989, the complaint was settled; Phelps agreed to stop practicing law in Federal court permanently, and two of his children were suspended for periods of six months and one year.[16]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps

[Smokinokie]

What is really needed is group activities in Topeka at the seat of this disgusting bunch of maggots.  Do EXACTLY the same to them that they are doing - signs, slogans, chanting, yelling, etc at every "church service" they have.

I thought someone earlier had mentioned making their own signs but I can't locate the post. They are scheduled to protest in Owasso this week or next, at a young girls funeral. I can't access their site or schedule from work.
I have what I feel is a simple yet elegant solution. We make our own signs. 4 feet wide by 8 feet tall. It should only take 20 to 30 people to totally surround the scum to the point where they can't be seen nor see anything.
I wonder, what would be the legal issues with this? Could you block them behind a barracade of signs? Could the "crowd" block their egress spontaneously? It could also be effective in shielding them from seeing their van converted into a "gay pride" float as mentioned.......

For your viewing pleasure. The 30 best Anti-westboro protest signs.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-3o-best-anti-westboro-baptist-church-protest-s

[nathanm]

If you surround them and don't let them out, that could be an issue. But nonthreateningly surrounding them ought to be fine, so long as they are free to walk past at any time and there are no threats made. Were it up to me, I'd just keep them encircled all the way back to their vehicle. Step as they step and all that. They can go anywhere they like, just with a bunch of people holding derogatory signs surrounding them at all times.

[Smokinokie]

If you surround them and don't let them out, that could be an issue. But nonthreateningly surrounding them ought to be fine, so long as they are free to walk past at any time and there are no threats made. Were it up to me, I'd just keep them encircled all the way back to their vehicle. Step as they step and all that. They can go anywhere they like, just with a bunch of people holding derogatory signs surrounding them at all times.

To bad. I do plan on attending the event with my own signs. I have two 4X8 sheets of plywood that I intend to make signs from.

I do like the "God hates signs" sign.

[heironymouspasparagus]

An effective method that would likely never work would be to have as large a group as possible (with the 4 x 8 signs!) that would gather but maintain absolute silence regardless of what they say or provocations.  It is uncanny how eerie silence can be after just a very short time.

Move to allow their movement, then fill in around them again when they stop.  Keep them completely ringed and not a sound, no matter what.  Humans hate a "noise vacuum" and they will make plenty, no doubt.

And make absolute total eye contact.  Maybe even some signs that explain it as 'speaking' through signs for those who can't - meaning the subject of the funerals.

No, this is not an original idea - I have seen it from time to time over the last 40 years+, (like gatherings that happen from time to time) but I think it could be effective.  Yelling or even talking to these people will only play their game.