Comments on: On the Westboro Baptist Verdict

By: Everything Happens for a Reason « Micah Tillman: Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Etc.

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:29:28 +0000

[...] And it’s what Fred Phelps believes. [...]

By: Experts! Experts! « Micah Tillman: Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Etc.

Experts! Experts! « Micah Tillman: Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Etc. — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:50:53 +0000

[...] in such a way that you are using God’s name without authorization. I think this is what Phelps & Co. [...]

By: Micah Tillman

Micah Tillman — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 03:02:21 +0000

I’m very happy that Mrs. Nathan commented on my blog! I miss y’all so much!

That said, I don’t like Rendell, but if he did something good for the Nickel Mines people, then that makes me happy.

By: Mrs. Nathan

Mrs. Nathan — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 02:01:12 +0000

Boo, hiss, Westboro Baptist Church! They picketed in the Harrisburg diocese last year and attempted to picket at the funerals for the poor Amish girls who were killed in the Nickel Mines shooting in Quarryville PA last year. Thank boB Rendell talked them down and bribed them to forgo the picketing with the lure of a TV interview.

Some people

Mrs. Nathan

By: Dan Vojir

Dan Vojir — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 18:40:07 +0000

As a writer of gy/relious/political issues, I too am glad to see that Phelps has finally gotten some form of rebuke. Will he pay any of it? No. Keep in mind that Phelps insisted that all his thirteen kids have law degrees and that they marry others with law degrees. Only 3-4 children have been able to defect from the clan. Phelps can no longer practice law in Kansas, afer being disbarred yearas ago. Phelps also teahes his children that HE is their portal to heaven.

The ailing Phelps still plans to be around for some time and he will NOT give up what he is doing because of legal threats. In effect, there is almost no way to stop this “church” from continuing to promote hatred.

You can rest assured that the case will be in appeal many years.

I have a copy (I think) of a scathing biography, “Addicted to Hate” somewhere in my hard drive. I hope to find the author to help him get the manuscript published. Phelps beat his children mercilessly, hacked off his wife’s hair when she wasn’t “submissive enough” and inadvertantly caused the death of a young girl who, 6 months after an intense humiliation by the Phelps clan, died of an overdose. Topeka child welfare will not divulge the number of times they were called in to investigate child abuse.

DanV
http://thedevilanddanvojir.blogspot.com

By: Micah Tillman

Micah Tillman — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:55:59 +0000

I agree about the probabilities, despite the fact that I claim to not know what I’m agreeing with :-)

By: Andrew Stevens

Andrew Stevens — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 06:25:45 +0000

As repugnant as Phelps and his merry gang of thugs are, Scott is quite right. You’re on a very slippery slope when you award people large cash settlements because their feelings were hurt. It seems highly likely (there’s that probabilistic language again) that the court will reverse this on appeal as Phelps himself has already confidently predicted.

By: Micah Tillman

Micah Tillman — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:03:29 +0000

Rich–

One has to wonder when it will max out and nothing will be shocking anymore.

Steve–

That has got to be so incredibly stressful! *shudders*

Scott–

I resonate very much with what you are saying. Such a weird state in which to find oneself.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:49:09 +0000

My internal conflict over this is at a level that’s about as high as it gets.

I have heard of Westboro and this practice before, and it’s about as despicable as it gets. The level of overt hatred these folks display on a regular basis is just frightening. I believe they need to be dealt with somehow.

However, as I understand it, they were protesting on a public street and even had a permit to do so. As vile as they are, I think it’s very dangerous precedent to allow people to successfully sue peaceful protesters on the grounds of causing emotional distress. I don’t doubt this guy’s pain, and I don’t doubt that the Westboro folks exacerbated that pain, but there’s got to be a better way to deal with them. I find myself hoping this gets overturned on appeal, which sucks, because they’ll just see that as vindication for their actions.

By: Steve Burri

Steve Burri — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:39:30 +0000

How these lawsuits work… I’m finding out right now. My wife (and therefore I) is in the middle of such a suit accusing her of causing a local contractor to lose one million dollars of business since this past July through defamation. (Co-defendants include another homeowner and a Madison, WI, TV station)

We intend a counter-suit to recover damages to our home (x2) and attorney fees ($10,000 so far).

I’ll keep you posted.