12/11/2008
Westboro Baptist Wants Santa-Hating Sign in Washington Capitol
You may have heard about the atheist sign that was granted a permit, displayed, and then stolen from the Washington state capitol building earlier this year, for which Governor Christine Gregoire has been criticized.
MSNBC: A Gregoire spokesman said the office at one point was getting about 200 calls an hour, as well as e-mails, about the display. The governor and state attorney general's office then issued this statement: 'The U.S. Supreme Court has been consistent and clear that, under the Constitution's First Amendment, once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of nonbelievers.' With a nod to the winter solstice in late December, the placard reads, in part: 'There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.' The foundation's co-president, Dan Barker, said it was important for atheists to offer their viewpoint alongside the overtly religious Nativity scene and a Christmas-style holiday tree at the Capitol Rotunda."
Now, the gay-hating, America-hating, everyone-hating Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas wants in on the action:
"The sign claims that 'God's hate' is to blame for the weak economy, that Santa is a child molester, and that the deaths of U.S. troops are somehow the fault of Santa."
For some reason, gays are left out of this one, although given their twisted logic, to the Phelps clan Santa is likely gay.
Said Steve Valandra, a spokesman for Washington's Department of General Administration, when e-mailed the text: "Holy cow. I guess we'll consider it like all the other requests."
I've posted a portion of the WBC's sign above. You can see the rest, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 11:47 AM EST by Andy Towle in Fred Phelps, News, Shirley Phelps-Roper, Washington | Permalink
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Several years ago, I was at Creating Change when it was in Dallas. Of course, the Phelpses showed up to protest our hotel. My friends and I ran up to our rooms to get our cameras, but by the time we got back down from the 23rd floor, Freddie and the fam were gone.
I really wanted a picture with Fred.
He didn't show up in Cambridge for the first night of marriage here in MA, but parts of the clan did. Ten thousand people threw a happy party, and there were no confrontations. Without being confronted, their whole reason for being there was defeated, and they left very early in the evening.
Point and laugh.
Posted by: MAJeff | Dec 11, 2008 4:18:49 PM
They have officially jumped the shark with this one.
Posted by: GM | Dec 11, 2008 5:41:10 PM
"innocent expression of religious freedom"
Seriously? There is absolutely NOTHING innocent about the Phelps Phuckers! NOTHING! And as crazy as this shit is, I can't believe that anyone on here would even begin to suggest some kind of monetary flow to these crazy's! These bitches get much of their money from law suits that they file against people who have attacked them. Even tho they themselves instigated the violence. The Phelps clan are nothing but the lowest of the low and deserve nothing less then being stoned to death.
Posted by: Mr. E | Dec 11, 2008 7:13:19 PM