The is how we need to deal with the WBC

[British Lad]

Hawaii gives the WBC the cold shoulder

+ YouTube Video

[Ridiculous]

America just needs to allow free speech within reason, not all speech. Other countries just flat out say no to the WBC and they (and similar groups) aren't a problem. For example, special bans are put in place to prevent their entry into Britain, their websites are blocked here in New Zealand, absolutely no media coverage on them whatsoever. They essentially don't exist; infact the only place I ever hear about them is on here.

Originally Posted by Ridiculous

America just needs to allow free speech within reason, not all speech.

This is not going to happen, Americans value freedom of expression too much to restrict even the most offensive speech. Unless it is going to provoke eminent lawless action or something else, it is (and I think should be) free from government censorship.

As much as I hate WBC, I am thankful that free speech is highly valued by our citizens and courts.

Also, I wish everyone would just start ignoring them. They just want attention and we shouldn't give them any!

[RaRa]

Lmao at that split second of awe when the reporter asked her about publicity.

[TheDarkerPoet]

Originally Posted by RaRa

Lmao at that split second of awe when the reporter asked her about publicity.

or split second of "oh shit, how can I say this without you figuring out that I'm an attention-hoarding little " the nervous laugh topped that right off, Shirley. Kudos.

Heh, I loved the anonymous guy with the V for Vendetta mask. Complete win.

I remember watching something on the tv about the WBC a few years back, it was sad to watch how disruptive these people are and all they do is promote more hate. I remember in it there was a part where they were picketing on the side of a road and a car drove past and the guy in it threw a drink which hit and went all over a kid with the group who must of been 7-8 years old at the time. His parents and the rest of the group comforted him for like 4-5 seconds then carried on like nothing had happened, I really felt sorry for the kid. They also picketed at a dead soldiers funeral, with all the usual posters like they have on the above video and chanted their usual crap.

Personally I think they should just grow up, why do they 'care' so much about someone who has nothing to do with their own lives. If they believe that not doing the things they picket against will gain them the right to heaven then they have nothing to worry about. Surely they should of realised by now that they haven't changed anything apart from the level of hate people have for them.

[starfish]

Originally Posted by Ridiculous

America just needs to allow free speech within reason, not all speech.

I respectfully disagree. Who is to decide what is within reason? An unpopular opinion or an opinion that runs counter to current policy could easily be silenced by declaring it outside of reason. I know there are plenty of pople in this country that would declare this site as unreasonable.

In college my government professor was a labor lawyer. He said something that will always stick with me, "The hardest thing you will ever do is defend the rights of the unpopular".

I completely disagree with the WBC. I think they act out of ignorance there protests are in bad taste. I think it is absolute disgusting they protest at funerals. However I fully support their right to free speech, not because they are Americans but because they are fellow free willed humans. I'm not going to ask that someone have their rights taken away just so that I may be protected from unpleasantness. That I just will not stand for.

Even more to point. I don't need the government to protect me from the WBC. As the video showed we are more than capable of dealing with these people ourselves.

[Ridiculous]

Originally Posted by starfish

I respectfully disagree. Who is to decide what is within reason? An unpopular opinion or an opinion that runs counter to current policy could easily be silenced by declaring it outside of reason. I know there are plenty of pople in this country that would declare this site as unreasonable.

I know, and I was thinking this myself when I was writing that.

However most countries with free speech have certain exceptions that exclude hate speech, defamation, criminal speech etc., and we've never had a problem with people thinking this was somehow unfair. I'd much rather live in a society like this than one where the WBC was viewed as acceptable by authority.

I admit that's it's an incredibly fine line on what is and isn't viewed as legal, but what other countries have in place is certainly working (in my opinion).

[thedreamwatch]

Originally Posted by Ridiculous

I know, and I was thinking this myself when I was writing that.

However most countries with free speech have certain exceptions that exclude hate speech, defamation, criminal speech etc., and we've never had a problem with people thinking this was somehow unfair. I'd much rather live in a society like this than one where the WBC was viewed as acceptable by authority.

I admit that's it's an incredibly fine line on what is and isn't viewed as legal, but what other countries have in place is certainly working (in my opinion).

The problem is, who decides what's wrong to say? I mean, technically, "unpopular" viewpoints and things that the majority doesn't want to hear are not always bad things. I mean, people like Jesus and Gandhi and MLK Jr. were unpopular to a lot of people who were in power, but were they wrong to say what they thought was right?

I hold up what the US has said about WBC. I do not like what they have to say and it pisses me off to no end, but I will defend to the death their right to say it, because one day, I may need to speak something that other people don't want to hear.

[British Lad]

Originally Posted by TheDarkerPoet

Heh, I loved the anonymous guy with the V for Vendetta mask. Complete win.

I could not agree more

[Flyers2011]

A friend of my mom's cousin was shot and killed in Iraq. They held his funeral and I was scared to death that these idiots would picket his funeral or something. They didn't, but it makes you hate them more when there's a slight potential that they could pull their ignorant shit against someone you know.

Eventually like all cults they'll do something stupid to get shut down. Hopefully no one gets hurt in the process, but their day will come. We just need to stand proud regardless of their ideas and marketing strategies. If you can't beat 'em, ignore 'em.

[AtmaWeapon]

I thought this was going to be about Anonymous getting in a flamewar with WBC. In any case, I lol'ed pretty hard when the dude in the V for Vendetta mask runs off with the flag and the chick in the black muscle shirt goes on her thing about them being thieves there. Hahaha.

[Toneth]

I respect their right to free speech, but I feel that protesting at a funeral is beyond acceptable and falls into the realm of harassment and should be treated as such

[aidan]

+ YouTube Video

[Z3ni]

So.. they went to Hawaii.. to protest against Hawaii??? Or am I watchin it wrong?

I think thats fucking stupid.. I hope they come to the UK!! lol

[Ridiculous]

Originally Posted by Z3ni

So.. they went to Hawaii.. to protest against Hawaii??? Or am I watchin it wrong?

I think thats fucking stupid.. I hope they come to the UK!! lol

They are banned from entry and would be deported as soon as they arrived.

[mike6557]

i totally clicked on this because i thought WBC stood for white blood cell count

you know you are a biology student when...

[fragomatrick]

^

Originally Posted by watros

I respect their right to free speech, but I feel that protesting at a funeral is beyond acceptable and falls into the realm of harassment and should be treated as such

I agree with this.

The thing the WBC don't understand is that the more they preach their messages, the more people will go and do the opposite. If there is a god then I would like to think that if I was doing something morally wrong as a person, then I would get a message from him/her/it so I could redeem myself rather then just sentence me to death or a place in hell. I know of the things that I have done in the past which have been morally right and wrong and don't need any bigoted morons to tell me, I will try and learn from any mistakes that I've made in the past and that is all I can do.

I love how they throw around the word "fag" at practically everyone who disagrees with their way of thinking, and those who accept/help homosexual people. That would mean that technically in their eyes my whole family are 'fags' because they haven't disowned me for being gay, even the 3 dogs are too because they love me unconditionally too!

Can't win everything.

+ YouTube Video

This is part 1 of the program that I mentioned in the previous post.

[AtmaWeapon]

Originally Posted by Giorria

This is part 1 of the program that I mentioned in the previous post.

And this is real? Those are really WBC people? Wow. Is it bad that almost everything they do/say cracks me up? Well, except for appearing at people's funerals...that should be illegal.