On the Westboro Fanatics, a call to peaceful arms

[nadinbrzezinski]

Re: Westboro Baptist protesting Military Burials.

This weekend they showed up at Comic-Con San Diego with the intention of protesting the event. Yesterday they were counter protested en mass and were made fun off, repeatedly. My husband just talked to one of the people in management. They canceled the rest of the protest and left whimpering in the face of hundreds of comic and popular media fans that made fun of them.

The word needs to spread that any funeral they decide to protest needs to be counter protested en mass and making fun of them. This is the only way to protect the fallen.

As a reminder, anybody counter protesting needs to wear civilian clothes, otherwise it could be construed as the military and government squashing their Constitutional Rights.

This is a call to peaceful arms to protect our fallen.

Sincerely yours,

Nadin Abbott.
Thomas E Abbott QMC (SS) USN Ret.

PS Links

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/upload/2010/07/comic-con_reacts_to_fred_phelp/wbc_comiccon1.php

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/07/22/super-heroes-vs-the-westboro-baptist-church#

PPS I hate to use my actual rank...

[w8liftinglady]

1. well-we don't have anything that creative here,dang it...we DO have

The patriot Guard

http://www.pgrstx.com/

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Aparently pointing and laughing works better than

just standing there.

And yes, I AM SORRY I MISSED IT... the counter demonstration that is.

Maybe mobilize geeks who are also vets?

[Old Troop]

3. The only problem with counter-demos is that the funeral becomes

a circus. I'd rather demonstrate on their turf.

[pinboy3niner]

4. The Patriot Guard provides a buffer between the nuts and the mourners

From the stories and photos I've seen, this group does a good job of preventing the Phelps crowd from intruding on funeral services. Patriot Guard members are not counter-protesters--they merely serve as a shield so funerals can proceed with dignity and respect, uninterrupted by the Phelps whackos.

For a brief intro to the Patriot Guard, check out w8liftinglady's link in Post #1.

But I wouldn't discount the value of others doing counter-protests. They've often been effective in causing Phelps and his loonies to pack up and leave early, minimizing the potential for them to disrupt funeral services. The actions of both the Patriot Guard and counter-demonstrators have served to PREVENT the funerals from turning into a circus.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. And while the Phelps whackoes deserve a good

fist in the mouth... just pointing and laughing at them can serve a purpose.