Fred Phelps is coming to my hood to protest a high school play

[proud2BlibKansan]

Church Plans To Protest ‘Rent’ At SM North
School Officials To Meet With Police On Wednesday

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Members of a Kansas church known for their protests are focusing on a Shawnee Mission school.

Giant banners were flying outside of Shawnee Mission North High School on Tuesday announcing their student drama group would be performing the famous play "Rent" this week.

The play, which is about a group of people struggling in New York City in the '80s, has many themes including AIDS and homosexuality.

The show and those themes are what have the Fred Phelps-led Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka taking aim at the school for a protest on Friday night.

<skip>

Principal Richard Kramer said the play was chosen because it talks about how people struggle to survive. The school plans to take up a collection of canned goods and coats to support the homeless in Kansas City.

more . . . http://www.kctv5.com/news/21353825/detail.html

[rfranklin]

1. Pretend he's invisible...

That will really burn his ass.

[JuniperLea]

2. That's a very good idea! eom

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Actually, that is the best way. I know afew people who have run into him...

and they all say he shows up, gets yelled at for a few minutes, and then scoots out before the cops show up to roust him for demonstrating without a permit.

They feed off of the hate, so screaming at them or trying to start a fight just falls into their
plan. Ignoring them or laughing at them drives them insane.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Yes that is true

He thrives on the attention.

[niyad]

46. when he came here to protest a HS group trying to get a gay/straight alliance group started,

a group of us did a little street theatre as the clean-up crew. after he and his group of sickos left (having been faced with nearly 1300 counter-protestors) we (all of us wearing surgical masks) took large stable brooms, buckets, and spray bottles of disinfectant and sterilized the corner where they had been standing. the people thought it was hilarious, as did the photog for the local fishwrap.

sometimes you just have to have fun.

[guitar man]

48. yeah

especially if he is standing in the middle of the street :evilgrin:

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

3. I would protest Rent just because it sucks,

[LeftHander]

50. Yes Grease II it is not.

Nor is it as good Lucille Ball's Mame...

:puke:

[Toasterlad]

51. +1

There are always people compelled to knock something wonderful just because most people think it's wonderful. Happily, most people outgrow this contrary bullshit shortly after college.

[madeline_con]

4. Bring torches and pitchforks. Chase him out of town like the ...

military personnel whose friend's funeral he crashed. There are 3 or 4 church members, so it should only take a few minutes.

PLEASE post video!

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I can't go cause I'll be at work.

[roamer65]

5. Time for the "Sodomobile"

Michael Moore showed up with the "Sodomobile" and Phelps got the fuck outta there...for real.

[bobbolink]

9. .

Michael Moore is just too cool! He's so clever and funny.....and very subversive!

:loveya: Michael!

[bobbolink]

7. Where are homeless people going to cook the food in the cans?

?????

So, muddleclass people will leave feeling all cozy and warm, and meanwhile, homeless people will continue being without homes.

JUSTICE, NOT CHARITY!

[madeline_con]

12. Most canned food needs no cooking.

I said "most", but I'm trying to think of a canned food that might need to be cooked, but
I'm stumped. :shrug:

[bobbolink]

15. Ah, yes... cold veggies out of the can and stew and soup sound GREAT.

I'm sure it's much better than having a home with a kitchen.

[madeline_con]

17. No, it's better than hunger.

Students are trying to help, and you want them to fix the whole system. Thanks, kids! :hi:

[bobbolink]

18. Charity doesn't "help"... it prolongs the suffering. And THAT'S what students should be learning.

They should be discussing the REAL causes and the REAL needs.

Not feeling cozy and warm about giving out bandaids.

And you can be angry with that all you want... there is SUFFERING AND DEATH that is being swept under a rug of canned goods.

[madeline_con]

21. That information will save all of us a lot of money.

I wouldn't want to prolong a hungry person's suffering by FEEDING them! :sarcasm:

[bobbolink]

26. Mocking poverty is soooo very "progressive". Thank you for your deep compassion.

[madeline_con]

39. I'm not mocking poverty, I'm mocking your post. n/t

[paulsby]

36. seriously

i can't believe somebody is criticizing giving homeless people food.

[bobbolink]

44. Believe it. JUSTICE NOT CHARITY.

[paulsby]

45. rubbish

they are not mutually exclusive.

homeless often also means hungry.

feeding the hungry is more than a good idea, it's a moral duty, and for some people, a religious duty.

i can't do much in getting a home for a homeless person.

i CAN do something about giving them food.

if *i* was homeless and hungry, i would welcome that kind of charity.

if and when you are homeless (or if you are now), you are free to refuse food from somebody. but i would be dollars to doughnuts the vast majority of homeless would welcome food, ESPECIALLY those with children and who weren't looking for alcohol or drugs solely.

[bobbolink]

49. "they are not mutually exclusive." How's that worked out the last 30 years?

Homelessness has gone DOWN because of that system, right?

"i CAN do something about giving them food."

You could also do a lot about JUSTICE, if you would only do so.

edited to say..... rubbish right back atcha. You wanna toss garbage, I'll toss it right back.

[paulsby]

53. again, you are using a fallacious argument

nobody is claiming that giving food to the homeless will solve homelessness

that's yer strawman.

or improve JUSTICE (tm)

we are saying that it's a good thing to do.

that's all.

try to wrap yer ideologue head around that. if u need help, just ask

i'm here for you

[bobbolink]

54. you can criticize and bash and dash me against a wall all you want.

The fact is, CHARITY is what has been used the last 30 years, and it just continues to get worse because "progressives" like yourself are unwilling to take action that leads to JUSTICE.

So go ahead and trash me and use the same old DU words that have become meaningless.

On this issue, I've educated myself and know what I'm talking about. If you wish to keep up the same old approach so you can then blame homeless people for continuing to be homeless, that says a lot more about you than it does about me.

[paulsby]

55. one strikinly wrong claim

i am not, never have been, and have never claimed to be a progressive. no scare quotes needed.

i am a democrat. i am definitely NOT a progressive.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. You have no idea what these kids are learning

[shimmergal]

56. Sorry, Bobbolink, but

I thinnk your justifiable outrage is overbalancing logic here.

The kids can't change the whole system. Nor can their parents or teacher, by themselves. Anyone who doesn't want to take the canned goods etc. certainly won't be forced to.

And about needing a kitchen to cook them in...well, yes. that would be better. But I doubt many people attending the play can afford to set up a whole kitchen for each hungry person.

And canned fruit certainly doesn't need cooking. Canned soups and vegetables--well, my guess is most people warm them in the microwave anyhow now, certainly those who don't have time and energy to produce a whole home-cooked meal take this route.Just having a fully equipped kitchen doesn't mean you can always use it to the max. (Actually witlh lmy disability I can't stand up to cook and serve a whole meal by evening.)

[bobbolink]

59. You can judge all you want. Unless and until you walk in my shoes, your opinion of me is meaningles

The fact that you talk about microwaves in conjunction with giving homeless people ccanned goods pretty much says where your level of awareness is.

I find it very interesting that you claim students can't do anything to work for justice. As I said earlier, I have more confidence in them than you do, obviously.

I know a high school senior who is working for gay rights. Does that shock you? Yet, is that the ONLY cause worth effort?

Do you begin to see the ludicrousness of your "argument"? And, yes, given that you chose to criticise me, I chose to hand it right back to you.

Your whole argument is LUDICROUS.

[bobbolink]

58. Oh, of course. Being homeless means that I have NO link with kids at all, and NO

awareness of their attitudes and learning.

Right. Gotcha.

It must be comforting to be so secure in your superiority.

[Aristus]

14. Many homeless people live in encampments, tents and the like, with campfires

and shared utensils like pots and pans, and can openers.

Still others live in by-the-week motels with kitchenettes. The working homeless, who sometimes earn enough to feed themselves through day-labor jobs, generally don't get paid enough to be able to afford first and last months' rent on an apartment, an application fee, damage deposit, background check fee, and all the other things one has to pay for when moving into an apartment or rental house.

[bobbolink]

16. Few women and children there... but then, I don't suppose that matters.

Too bad it's not important enough to actually make housing a RIGHT in this country....the richest on the face of the earth.

[tammywammy]

28. They can do what they can NOW and work on the rest

Or is it just one or the other? You know, most people CAN do more than one thing at once.

[bobbolink]

29. How well has that worked the last 30 years????

If your theory was correct, we would have a lot less homelessness now than we did when the big change started 30 years ago.

How's that working out?

[tammywammy]

30. Then they should do nothing. Since these are high school students what they can do is limited

So they shouldn't collect food or coats. Maybe they could volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, that would help at family or two into a home, but then I doubt that would be good enough for you.

[bobbolink]

31. Wow... your options are sure limited. I give students a lot more credit than that.

What has really pissed you off is that I'm challenging your beloved concepts, and instead of being able to hear it, you get defensive. Your pride is damaged, so you strike out to hurt.

And then we criticize conservatives for that..... :eyes:

Open your mind.... listen to what homeless people are actually SAYING.

It won't hurt you, really it won't.

[tammywammy]

33. Your condensentaion is remarkable

You've said that working on housing while doing drives isn't working. So then they shouldn't do the drive. I'll write to the school and encourage them to do Habitat for Humanity if they aren't doing it already.

[bobbolink]

34. I said nothing of the kind, but thanks for not listening.

And, Habitat doesn't do squat for homeless people.

It ignores us.

It just pays the staff to keep it going.

Here it is again.... try to grasp it.....JUSTICE NOT CHARITY.

Really, it's quite simple, and I'm sure students could understand it.

Try.

[shimmergal]

57. We can grasp it...

do you grasp that it's possible to work for both justice AND charity?


Can you show that you speak for all homeless people in demonizing food drives, Habitat for Humanity, and any other ameliorative efforts that somebody else can come up with? Are you the only one who knows how to address these problems? And can you be specific about what "justice" entails?

I really have admired many of your posts over the years, but this one seems a bit strange...maybe you want to back off a little till you write something other DUers can understand?

[jeff47]

35. Time to put up

"Open your mind.... listen to what homeless people are actually SAYING."

And, oh great oracle of homelessness, what is it that they are actually SAYING. 'cause all you do here is attack people who are trying to help with a problem they don't have the resources to solve.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. They are collecting coats too but you conveniently left that out of your snark

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. They should do the original version - La Boheme by Puccini.

Phelps is ignorant enough that he wouldn't know to protest an opera about artists.

[madeline_con]

13. Why change the show because of one douchenozzle?

Kick him in the 'nads!

[Toasterlad]

52. Then the Terrorists Win

In this case, that would be the truth.

[Stevenmarc]

10. Hold a Phelps-A-Thon

http://www.phelps-a-thon.com

[PeaceNikki]

19. That's a whole lotta awesome!

Thanks for posting it. Bookmarked.

[Hawkeye-X]

20. When he shows up, call 911, tell them there's a naked crazy man with signs

out there...

The police ought to arrest him.

Hawkeye-X

[madeline_con]

22. They'd have to rip Phelps' clothes off, though.

:puke:

[rucky]

25. Offer him a bong hit.

[AwakeAtLast]

27. They protested "The Laramie Project" in Indy earlier this year, too

Great bunch of Christians :sarcasm:

[name not needed]

37. Next wednesday they're protesting the Hillel at Rutgers

http://www.dailytargum.com/news/anti-semitic-group-to-protest-at-u-hillel-1.2025949?recent=44#comment1207349

:puke:

[eppur_se_muova]

38. Free publicity for your play? Priceless.

:evilgrin:

[greymattermom]

40. BVN

He was there at Blue Valley North to protest the Laramie Project and again at graduation in 2004. Much fun was had by us, counterprotesting.

[Tim01]

41. Pepper spray. nt

[rvablue]

42. Hey Proud, ever heard of this?:

When Romaine Arrived at St. Marks Church in Casper, Wyoming for Matthew’s Memorial service she was shocked by what she found outside standing across the street. It had been said that, due to the massive media attention Matthew’s death had garnered, there were going to be protests at the service. No one could have prepared Romaine for the hate she would see that day.

As the snow fell and people crowded around the church, Romaine couldn’t take her eyes away from the neon colored signs that stood out in bright contrast to the snow. A baptist minister by the name of Fred Phelps led the small group of protesters holding signs reading, “God hates Fags”, “Matt in hell”, “AIDS cures Fags” among many others. On a day of mourning Romaine was only reminded of the hate that took the life of her dear friend.

In early April, 1999 the trials for Matthew’s accussed killers began. Upon hearing the rumor that Fred Phelps intended to protest outside the court house, Romaine came up with an idea. She founded Angel Action a peaceful protest in order to share a message of peace, compassion and love in a time where everyone was focused on the issue of hate.

http://www.readromaine.com/laramie/angel.htm






add: I have personally been at a Fred Phelps hatefest outside of a production of the play based on Matthew Shepherd. And, there was a brigade of angels there. They form a line, spread their wings and form a barrier to the vile hate of Phelps and his clan. They do not engage. They do not hold signs. They do not speak at all. (I tried to talk to them and they stared off into the night) It was truly one of the most beautiful, touching things I have ever witnessed in my life. The silent dignity and love this army of angels represented against that monster and his greedy, disgusting ways.

[tammywammy]

43. Wow, that's such a great idea.

What a beautiful thing to do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

47. Wow. Love it.

Thanks for sharing.