Fred Phelps, Sr. Claims He's the Victim of a Hate Crime.

[JackBeck]

From the Department of "You can't make this shit up":

Fred Phelps, in a letter written to AG Mukasey, alleges that the fire (which is still under investigation) was arson perpetrated by...well by this point, anyone from the military to the homos...and was a HATE CRIME!

Yes, the man who continues to fight to exclude the LGBT community from equal protection under existing Hate Crimes Laws, turns to the SAME law for retribution.

"There is evidence that hatred of our religion was the motivation, in part at least," states a "Civil Rights Hate Crime Complaint" written by pastor Fred Phelps Sr. to Attorney General Michael Mukasey. In a recently released YouTube presentation, Phelps also blames law enforcement, judges, and the "filthy, fag-riddled military" for what he considers an assault on his First Amendment rights.

http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/westboro080408.html

[marmar]

1. When they rename the San Fran sewage treatment plant after Bush.....

.... Can Phelps be the first piece of excrement to get processed?

[JackBeck]

16. No amount of processing

can even begin to remove the presence of fecal matter from that man.

Maybe San Fran should rename a gay bar in honor of Phelps.

[madamesilverspurs]

71. Let's not insult excrement, okay?

After all, some of it (unlike Phelps) serves some useful purposes. . .

[bluestateguy]

2. Hate gets a bad rap

Some people deserve to be hated. Hate can be a very positive force.

[JackBeck]

23. A major perpetrator of hate, that hates Hate Crimes...

Registers a complaint with the Attorney General that someone committed a Hate Crime against him.

Didn't Alanis Morissette write a song about this?

[saltpoint]

3. What Phelps and his gang do is done to provoke outrage.

If he encounters resistance and ridicule, it's because he lit the match to start with.

The Constitution gives those others the right to object to his deliberately hateful public remarks, even as it sanctions his right to behave like a monster.

He picked a fight. He got one.

[JackBeck]

26. We all share that Constitutional right.

And I think that pisses him off, which is why his family touts the "God hates America" meme.

I'm a steadfast believer in non-violent political action, which is why this would disappoint me if someone who disagrees with him torched his garage.

Then again, I also have my own theories on how this all went down...

[saltpoint]

34. Hi, JackBeck.

Agree with you on that Constitution point. Phelps doesn't represent either Madison's piece of paper or What's-His-Name's ministry in the New Testament, seems to me.

I join you in refusing to torch his garage. That's over the line.

One idea I had was that most peope aren't raised from childhood to behave the way Phelps behaves as an "adult."

The most incorrigible junior high kid in my old school days, ornery as he might have been, would never show up at a soldier's funeral screaming "God Hates Fags" from across the street.

It's real low-rent behavior, and just about everybody knows it. What a miserable inner life Fred Phelps and his bunch must have.

[JackBeck]

43. I'm curious as to where the disconnect comes from.

Especially given his rather commendable civil rights record as a lawyer.

If you ever come across the few interviews given by some of his kids that were able to escape, they are quite fascinating. Yet they still don't give any insight into the origins of his psychopathic behavior.

[saltpoint]

46. Agree that "psychopathic" is the word.

I have no idea where it comes from. Not even repressed gay men stand out on the sidewalk screaming at funerals. He's not repressed much, from the sound of things. He's a screamer. And not very good at context!

He's anti-gay, but he's anti-people generally, really. He's beyond the pale.

[cliffordu]

4. ROFL.....

:rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Man am I glad I lived long enough to see this.

The only real crime was that he wasn't in the church when it burned.

[JackBeck]

27. Why do your comments

Remind me of the ending of "Carrie"?

:rofl:

[cliffordu]

32. I am soooooo there. Justice can mean so MANY things.....

And I loved Carrie......


:hi:

[JackBeck]

36. Shirley Phelps-Roper soo reminds me of Carrie's mom.

And I love that movie, too. Can never turn it off anytime I happen upon it on cable. Totally bril.


:pals:

[wtmusic]

40. delete

[Pale Blue Dot]

59. Wrong place nt

[madeline_con]

5. "hatred of our religion "

There's the problem. Fred thinks it's "his" religion. That expailns a LOT.

A taste of flames is his just desserts!

[dems_rightnow]

12. He does have his own religion.

[madeline_con]

24. Come to think of it, you've got something there. n/t

[JackBeck]

28. It kind of seems like...

They are the ones with the agenda.

:hi:

[liberalmuse]

6. I think it's called, 'Karma'.

Sometimes people do reap what they sow, and others are lucky enough to witness it. My sympathy lies with Phelps targets of hate. I could give a rats ass what happens to him. He has no humanity left in him to feel sorry for.

[JackBeck]

33. No humanity?

I've seen this man in person, and I'm convinced there is no soul taking up shop inside this human form.

Never in my life had I ever encountered someone so void of any characteristics we'd consider "alive".

He was skin was ashen, eyes were glassy, and just looked overall scared to be alive.

[RayOfHope]

7. Sheeeeeit. Fred Phelps *is* a hate crime. Fuck him n/t

[JackBeck]

44. Republicans should never be able to disown him.

He practices what they preach.

[IDemo]

8. Couldn't happen to an asser guy n/t

[JackBeck]

45. The entire family needs to be committed. n/t

[Kansas Wyatt]

9. Nutball donations to Phelps are tanking with the economy....

Who wants to bet that Fred Phelps started the fire himself for the insurance money and to whip up attention?

[JackBeck]

48. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

The family is in dire need of funding ever since the multi-million settlement against them was handed down earlier this year.

And coupled with the other judgment that forces them to pay taxes on the van they use to commute to protests, one would think they were financially strapped right now. (Allegedly) Just saying...

[vixengrl]

10. Call me suspicious and judgemental and prejudiced--

but um--hate with them started from within....and they do like attention. A lot.

[JackBeck]

50. They've earned each and every one of those reactions.

But what makes us better than them is where we place and act upon the hate.

Let's hope none of us lit that fire. His invective makes us think one of us may have, but he's more reactionary than we are. We're a lot more creative than he gives us credit.

But I, too, vixengirl, stumble with how to rationalize that anger. Grr...I can't even explain how much a I hate them.

[mn9driver]

11. Ummmmmm....last time I checked,

being an insane hate peddling assmunch does not put him in a protected class.

[JackBeck]

51. His religious beliefs are a protected class.

Assmuching is not, regardless of your sexual orientation.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. Hahahahahaha

Hahahahahahaha

[JackBeck]

52. Can you believe this shit?

This motherfucker wants to embrace laws that he wants overturned!

[SeattleGirl]

14. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[JackBeck]

53. Does he even recognize the hypocrisy?

What a fucking douchebag.

[Gold Metal Flake]

15. Do his hands smell of gasoline and matches?

[JackBeck]

54. You know, that's actually part of my theory.

I'm wondering if all these legal judgments against the Phelps have pushed them to this point where they might (allegedly) commit insurance fraud.

Just sayin'....

[Gold Metal Flake]

64. From what I have read, they use the courts to sue for money for any "transgression"...

...which is how they finance themselves. So I assume fraud is just SOP with them.

[wtmusic]

17. Problem is, he's right.

If his church was torched by someone who disagrees with him, that is.

[JackBeck]

20. No doubt.

If someone set the fire because of his anti-gay views.

Problem is, he doesn't believe in Hate Crimes. He has made a career out of denouncing "special rights".

I posted this to highlight his hypocrisy.

[Dorian Gray]

18. I bet he

or one of his people started the fire to get in the press.

[JackBeck]

56. It's an idea that I wouldn't readily discredit.

It's totally a possibility.

[Canuckistanian]

19. I'd check his fire insurance policy

You'll probably find a double indemnity clause for a "hate crime" incident.

It's probably issued by "PhelpCo Insurance Ltd.".

[JackBeck]

74. For years they have found creative ways to financial support the family.

You may be on to something...

[GaYellowDawg]

21. Funny how he hates the government...

...but he calls it right away when he needs it (e.g., fire department). And I loved this quote from the article: "No picketing signs were harmed."

[JackBeck]

22. They hate socialism

Until socialism lends them a hand.

He also hates government so much that he writes a letter to the Attorney General requesting a Hate Crimes investigation.

:crazy:

[Mz Pip]

25. Bummer

What goes around comes around. I don't ever advocate violence but when you set yourself up the way Phelps has, eventually you'll get nailed for it.

Phelps is like a school yard bully who terrorizes a playground then whines when he gets his ass kicked. Look in the mirror Fred. You reap what you sow.

[JackBeck]

76. I wonder how long his family will carry his torch of bigotry once he's gone.

And yes, I will admit to a little bit of schadenfreude anytime he whines.

[undergroundpanther]

29. cry me a river phelps

how many GBLT's have suffered and died for your sins you insufferable asshole. Again the bully plays victim.It is so predictable, when the bully realizes he can't scapegoat a victim,in his case gays and get away with it,the bully in this case phelps will cry that He is the real victim.

Fuck you Phelps.You pathetic sack of shit.You ain't no victim.
:nopity:

[JackBeck]

77. I can't help but blame Phelps, Falwell, Dobson...

Any time an LGBT person is harmed or murdered. The blood they have on their hands will always be a stain for all to see.

[salguine]

30. Oh, why can't this poisonous old fucker DIE ALREADY!

[undergroundpanther]

35. Why can't ChristoNazi FUNDAMENTALISM Die already???

Why can't the whole right wing,christian fundie zealot convert or die bullshit crusade of assholes with too much money and too much hate ,just DIE!!!
Go away.Fade away,and the bible pushers fucking choke on their stupid book and die already.Fuck them all.I wish the control freak christians were gone.forgotten,left behind.I wish they were seen for the socially destructive disease afflicting humanity that they ARE..

[JackBeck]

78. His time will come sooner than we realize.

From what I've read, his feeble body is riddled with cancer.

Go figure.

[alphafemale]

31. I think Jesus did it.

[JackBeck]

79. I think a Phelps did it.

:evilgrin:

[slampoet]

37. Dear Mr Phelps, How does it feel?

[JackBeck]

80. To be terrorized?

I'm sure he will never be able to see the similarities.

[cboy4]

38. When are they going to realize that God Hates the Westboro

Baptist Church?

God doesn't appreciate child abusers.

[JackBeck]

81. They was a docu on HBO within the last year I saw

that interviewed some of these kids.

They're going to need countless therapy sessions in order to work out those issues once they get older.

So sad.

[AngryOldDem]

39. Reminds me of the old joke....

...about the kid who killed his parents and then claimed he was a poor orphan.

Fred, the Bible says something about reaping what one sows, and reaping it in a whirlwind, to boot. You might try looking it up in between your Hell and Damnation Roadtrips.

[JackBeck]

83. He's like the antithesis to Jesus Christ.

Doesn't he even realize that or is his brain addled with so much hate that it has rendered him completely blind?

[wtmusic]

41. Phelps was a Dem candidate for US Senate (KS) in 1992

and got 50,000 votes. :wow:

I want to know who voted for this asshat (I know some of you are out there).

[JackBeck]

42. He was a civil rights attorney for African Americans before he lost his mind.

Was anti-Jim Crow, so it's no wonder Democrats would vote for him, especially if he was able to conceal his anti-gay beliefs, while propping up his pro-civil rights record.

He'd be laughed out of any Democratic caucus now that he has shown his true colors.

[showmemo]

47. now that's a classic

The pot calling the kettle black

[JackBeck]

84. Welcome to DU, showmemo!

He's quite a character, isn't he? It wouldn't even surprise me if someone in his family set the fire for either the attention or the insurance settlement.

[Vanje]

49. Are Assholes a protected group now?

[tannybogus]

58. They're not a minority unfortunately.

[JackBeck]

85. Only when they are members of the Christian Taliban. n/t

[kevinbgoode]

55. He probably set it himself. . .or Satan misread his latest prayers

Like most counterfeit "Christians" of his wingnut ilk.

[JackBeck]

86. A few years ago someone put a few bullets into the WBC sign in front of the compound.

Fred claimed that some outside entity was trying to intimidate him.

Investigators never found who shot up the sign. Interesting...hmm....

[tannybogus]

57. What you had there was a natural and spiritual phenomenon

A critical mass of hate was finally reached, and poof.

There should be a discovery one day of the element "E."

It will be the heaviest known and waaaaay radioactive.

You damage yourself as much when you handle it as you do

giving it to someone.

:evilgrin:

[JackBeck]

87. Maybe this is what filled him to critical mass:

This is how I like to protest

[Pale Blue Dot]

60. When PZ Myers threatened a communion wafer, it was also called a "hate crime."

This seems to be the new meme among intolerant, insecure, hypersensitive religious types.

[Bright Eyes]

61. It wouldn't surprise me if he started the fire himself.

Just for the media attention.

[Monk06]

62. "That filthy hate filled, fag riddled military did it. Those hateful haters are hatin' my hate"

[Cheap_Trick]

63. boo fucking hoo

too bad the grotesque mother fucker is still alive to bitch about it.

[Alter Ego]

65. Phelps has the nerve to bitch about being the victim of a hate crime

when his entire life story is one gigantic hate crime.

The needle has snapped off the irony meter.

[slackmaster]

66. Let me add another voice saying "WTF?"

:wtf:

[DailyGrind51]

67. I'm surprised he wasn't greeted by protestors carrying signs

reading "GOD HATES IGNORANT BIGGOTS!"

[Brewman_Jax]

68. The height of irony

to claim persecution when a member of the obvious majority AND to seek legal protection while denying the same for those they don't like/respect. Makes you want to :puke:

[BlooInBloo]

69. It's always funny when bigots call people who are against them "bigots".

[keroro gunsou]

70. in the words of...

Snoop Dogg, "bitch please."

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

72. GOD HATES HATE CRIMES !!!!1!!!1!!11!!!

EXCEPT WHEN WE COMMIT THEM !1111!!!!11!

[SidneyCarton]

73. He may be right, I for one HATE HIS GUTS.

As to whether hating him alone is a crime, well that is open for discussion.

[JerseygirlCT]

75. Oh that's rich.

The man is totally loony. Really needs to be institutionalized in order to protect the safety of the world at large.

[Blue Belle]

82. Those who live by the sword....

well... you know the rest. Oh, the irony.

[AnnieBW]

88. What did he do?

Look in the mirror?