Fred Phelps: Difference between revisions

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==Church Activites==

The church regularly praises major tragedies and thanks God for causing them, and stages protests at funerals of victims, insulting the victims and others affected. Some of the church's more notable activities include protesting the 1998 funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was murdered due to homophobic violence, and they have since picketed against a stage production based on his story, and boycotting the funerals of all fallen American soldiers. ~~This~~ practice in particular has generated massive legal controversy where the government has brought into question the protection of the group's activities under the First Amendment, which many argue the group abuses.

The church regularly praises major tragedies and thanks God for causing them, and stages protests at funerals of victims, insulting the victims and others affected. Some of the church's more notable activities include protesting the 1998 funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was murdered due to homophobic violence, and they have since picketed against a stage production based on his story, and boycotting the funerals of all fallen American soldiers. The church also pickets at the funerals of celebrities and other famous people such as Michael Jackson, Ronnie James Dio, and others. This practice in particular has generated massive legal controversy where the government has brought into question the protection of the group's activities under the First Amendment, which many argue the group abuses.

==Opposition==

The WBC has gathered so much controversy that even the [[Ku Klux Klan]] (a group known for its violent hatemongering) have distanced themselves from the organization: as noted by a disclaimer on the Klan's official website ensuring that they have no connections to the church and "absolutely repudiate their activities." Ironically, skin color seems to be the only thing that Phelps and his followers don't discriminate against~~: Phelps~~ was a Civil Rights Lawyer in the 1960's.

The WBC has gathered so much controversy that even the [[Ku Klux Klan]] (a group known for its violent hatemongering) have distanced themselves from the organization: as noted by a disclaimer on the Klan's official website ensuring that they have no connections to the church and "absolutely repudiate their activities." Fox News, which known for its Conservative views, have also criticized the church. Ironically, skin color seems to be the only thing that Phelps and his followers don't discriminate against, since Phelps was a Civil Rights Lawyer in the 1960's.

However, people have formed counter protests to shield the Westboro Baptist Church's target from them and a man by the name of Chris Mason formed the Phelps-A-Thon, that allows people to donate money to an organization, usually an LGBT or Jewish Group for every minute that the Westboro Church targets that organization, thus the Westboro ends up aiding the group they're against. Another group that opposes the church is a motorcycle club called the Patriot Guard Riders, a group made up of veterans who seperate WBC members from the funeral members.

In 2006, Albert Synder, father of Matthew Synder, a fallen Marine whose funeral the WBC picketed, sued Phelps and the church for invansion of privacy, emotinal distress, and other charges. Synder was soon awarded $10.9 million in damages. After much legal disputes, the case was soon brought to the Supreme Court, who ruled in favor of the WBC 8-1. This case brought about much media attention, and many were disapointed by the outcome.

In 2006, Albert Synder, father of Matthew Synder, a fallen Marine whose funeral the WBC picketed, sued Phelps and the church for invansion of privacy, emotinal distress, and other charges. Synder was soon awarded $10.9 million in damages. After much legal disputes, the case was soon brought to the Supreme Court, who ruled in favor of the WBC 8-1. This case brought about much media attention, and many were disapointed by the outcome. Phelps and members of the church have been banned from entering the United Kingdom as well.

In late 2012, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which the church praised, several online petitions were made using the White House's We The People site. These included banning the WBC from protesting funerals, labeling them as a hate group, and others. All together, the petitions had reached over 400,000 signatures. These petitions were mostly set up by the Internet activest group, Anonymous, who have also hacked the church websites on more than once.

@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
 ==Church Activites==
-The church regularly praises major tragedies and thanks God for causing them, and stages protests at funerals of victims, insulting the victims and others affected. Some of the church's more notable activities include protesting the 1998 funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was murdered due to homophobic violence, and they have since picketed against a stage production based on his story, and boycotting the funerals of all fallen American soldiers. This practice in particular has generated massive legal controversy where the government has brought into question the protection of the group's activities under the First Amendment, which many argue the group abuses.
+The church regularly praises major tragedies and thanks God for causing them, and stages protests at funerals of victims, insulting the victims and others affected. Some of the church's more notable activities include protesting the 1998 funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was murdered due to homophobic violence, and they have since picketed against a stage production based on his story, and boycotting the funerals of all fallen American soldiers. The church also pickets at the funerals of celebrities and other famous people such as Michael Jackson, Ronnie James Dio, and others. This practice in particular has generated massive legal controversy where the government has brought into question the protection of the group's activities under the First Amendment, which many argue the group abuses.
 ==Opposition==
-The WBC has gathered so much controversy that even the [[Ku Klux Klan]] (a group known for its violent hatemongering) have distanced themselves from the organization: as noted by a disclaimer on the Klan's official website ensuring that they have no connections to the church and "absolutely repudiate their activities." Ironically, skin color seems to be the only thing that Phelps and his followers don't discriminate against: Phelps was a Civil Rights Lawyer in the 1960's.
+The WBC has gathered so much controversy that even the [[Ku Klux Klan]] (a group known for its violent hatemongering) have distanced themselves from the organization: as noted by a disclaimer on the Klan's official website ensuring that they have no connections to the church and "absolutely repudiate their activities." Fox News, which known for its Conservative views, have also criticized the church. Ironically, skin color seems to be the only thing that Phelps and his followers don't discriminate against, since Phelps was a Civil Rights Lawyer in the 1960's.
 However, people have formed counter protests to shield the Westboro Baptist Church's target from them and a man by the name of Chris Mason formed the Phelps-A-Thon, that allows people to donate money to an organization, usually an LGBT or Jewish Group for every minute that the Westboro Church targets that organization, thus the Westboro ends up aiding the group they're against. Another group that opposes the church is a motorcycle club called the Patriot Guard Riders, a group made up of veterans who seperate WBC members from the funeral members.
-In 2006, Albert Synder, father of Matthew Synder, a fallen Marine whose funeral the WBC picketed, sued Phelps and the church for invansion of privacy, emotinal distress, and other charges. Synder was soon awarded $10.9 million in damages. After much legal disputes, the case was soon brought to the Supreme Court, who ruled in favor of the WBC 8-1. This case brought about much media attention, and many were disapointed by the outcome.
+In 2006, Albert Synder, father of Matthew Synder, a fallen Marine whose funeral the WBC picketed, sued Phelps and the church for invansion of privacy, emotinal distress, and other charges. Synder was soon awarded $10.9 million in damages. After much legal disputes, the case was soon brought to the Supreme Court, who ruled in favor of the WBC 8-1. This case brought about much media attention, and many were disapointed by the outcome. Phelps and members of the church have been banned from entering the United Kingdom as well.
 In late 2012, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which the church praised, several online petitions were made using the White House's We The People site. These included banning the WBC from protesting funerals, labeling them as a hate group, and others. All together, the petitions had reached over 400,000 signatures. These petitions were mostly set up by the Internet activest group, Anonymous, who have also hacked the church websites on more than once.