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Those gosh-darn Westboro Baptist people
Published: 3/2/2011 11:54 AM
Last Modified: 3/2/2011 11:54 AM


Shirley Phelps shouts during a demonstration by the Westboro Baptist Church in McAlester on Dec. 10, 2010. The flat tire on her sign alludes to the last time the group protested in McAlester and had their vehicle's tires slashed. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

When I first heard that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 today that the Westboro Baptist Church can keep staging their hate-filled anti-gay protests at funerals of military members, I was livid. Actually, I'm still kinda ticked; but the Constitution-acknowledging journalist in me was like, "Hello, freedom of speech" -- not remotely said like "Hello, chicken fry!" like they used to scream at Nelson's Buffeteria when it was downtown. Sigh ... I miss my walking-distance proximity to fried things smothered in gravy, followed by slabs of homemade pie. Mmmm, obesity ...

But back to the Supreme Court. Well, not so much them as the alleged Christians who go out of their way to inflict more pain on grieving families. Were I more livid and less rational, I'd probably say something like, "Those freaks need to be run over slowly and repeatedly by a Winnebago packed with every contestant from 'The Biggest Loser' during their first weeks on the show." But that wouldn't be very Christian. The visual flutters through my mind frequently, but then I remember that turn-the-other-cheek philosophy from Sunday School and calm down. A little, anyway.

What happened to Fred Phelps as a kid to hate as much as he does? Must've been tragic. Seriously, it makes me sad. It's the only thing I can think of that would make a person act in such a militantly cruel fashion. Whatever, it may be his right and the right of his "church" to continue doing what they do, but it's no more than an abuse of the freedom they're granted. No one should have the right to hurt others. In a sense, though, that's what the Supreme Court had to uphold.

On a happier note, most of those Westboro folks are rather homely, so there's that!

Peace, love and tolerance ... XOXO


Reader Comments 2 Total
Danomite Dandy Dan (last year)
Jason,
I'm far more into fishing than fashion,
but I'll join you in saying,
"Something tragic has happened to all those loonies."
Their leader looks like one embittered and unhappy kook.
If there is a hell, he'll be good tinder.
anm1135 (last year)
I can only imagine what the circus will be like when one of these "church" member die. What kind of signs, celebrations, etc. will occur at that funeral.

I'm just ashamed they call themselves a "church". It really sets back all the real churches that participate in community programs and helping military families.
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Living Wright

While other kids were watching "The Smurfs," Scene Writer Jason Ashley Wright was tuned in to "Style with Elsa Klensch." By fourth grade, he knew he wanted to write, and spent almost three years publishing a weekly teen-oriented magazine, Teen-Zine -- circulation: 2. After earning a degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, he became the medical reporter and teen board coordinator for the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American, a Gannett newspaper. Eight months later, with visions of Elsa dancing in his head, he applied for the fashion writer position at the Tulsa World, where he began working on Aug. 3, 1998. He is now a general assignment reporter for Scene.

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