This can't end well; Westboro wing nutts send an open letter to Anonymous

[ReservoirAngel]

Another thing I find really interesting is that this flier shows that the WBC is fully aware of the coverage it gets in the media, and of the nature of that coverage. Which makes me repeat that, if you want the WBC to go away, stop showing what they do so much in the media! This is a perfect example of, "Ignore them and they go away." Really, the more exposure they get, the more they will feel galvanized to do more and more.

I'm in a disagreement. I don't think simply ignoring these people will make them go away. That only works if they're ONLY out for attention. That's not these people's game. They've just attracted attention due to being lunatics. Even if we ignored them completely, they'd keep doing what they're doing, cause they honestly believe they're right and justified in it.

 

[CoL0sS]

I hope like hell that they destroy each other in a bloody war of attrition. That would be a delightful ending.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Letter looks like something that was written by time traveling 14. century priest with daddy issues.

 

[Daveman]

Anonymous, just turn their website into child porn (I know you have some lying around spare in \b\) and make it look like they did it. Their silly website goes down and hopefully they go to prison and get buggered routinely.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Anon please do your worst and destroy the WBC

Fixed for you.

 

[Omnific One]

Watch the interview with the parents about the little 6 year old girl who went out that fateful day in Tuscan because she wanted to learn how to help people through public service.

Then remember that WBC wanted to picket her funeral.

Fuck the WBC. Give them hell, Anon.

I wonder if Anon have actually put some thought into this also, although I may be giving them way too much credit.

Considering Anon are hated by Fox and the Government alike, it sure wouldn't do their image any harm if they could do something to seriously damage the WBC.

'Government arrests internet terrorists' great...
'Government arrests group who took down WBC' suddenly doesn't sound so good.

Considering most people wouldn't shed a tear if the WBC was firebombed to ash with all of the cult inside it, I can't see any rational person being against Anon causing them some difficulties.

I was thinking along those lines, too. Even if it wasn't intentional, taking down the WBC would be a massive PR boost.

 

[Treblaine]

As Henry Kisinger put it:

"it's pity they can't both lose"

Or maybe they can? These two groups are made for each other, I myself will pitch out some lawn chairs with a bowl of popcorn to watch the fireworks fly.

In fairness to Anonymous, at least they occasionally do something nice, as well as all the bad things. Westboro is just bad through and through.

Yeah, I guess so.

But I think the nicest thing they could do is knock Westbro down a peg or two. Those religious nuts like to play dirty... it think Anonymous might just be the guys crazy enough to take them on and take all the epic trolling.

 

[Unesh52]

My favorite part is when they accuse Annon of being "draconian" and a little later "foppish." For a group committed to sentencing non-conformists to eternal torture, accusing anyone of being draconian seems hypocritical to the highest degree. And since Annon is, well... anonymous, I don't see where they get off passing judgment about the way they dress. It was just weird.

 

[DeadEy3]

Yes... God hates hackers... and campers. and noob tubers. and wall hackers.

 

[Darks63]

People should just ignore WBC until they cross the line and actually do something illegal so we can arrest the lot of them. They cross the line at some point sooner or later thats the nature of fanatics after all.

 

[Verlander]

I don't care how small of a minority they are, they have a right to preach their own thoughts and Anon, of all people, should respect that right.

The bear also has a right to maul your face off if you poke it with a stick. I'm not saying what anon is about to do is right. I am saying WBC is literally asking for it.

I don't like the WBC. No one does,but you can't preach free speech and then attack someone because they use it. Its hypocritical.

Well its a good thing Anon doesn't promote free speech then isn't it?

Anon doesn't represent anyone, anything, any ideals aside from being Anon. How are people not getting this?

http://skepchick.org/2011/02/anonymous-tells-westboro-babtist-church-to-cease-and-desist/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Skepchick+%28Skepchick%29

Or, if you can't be bothered, the first line of the letter goes like this:

"We, the collective super-consciousness known as ANONYMOUS ? the Voice of Free Speech & the Advocate of the People ? have long heard you issue your venomous statements of hatred"

Then later in the letter:

"Being such aggressive proponents for the Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Information as we are, we have hitherto allowed you to continue preaching your benighted gospel of hatred"

Note that the website won't load for me.

My point still stands. One letter does not mean anonymous represents free speech. They are doing it for the lulz. It is always for the lulz. Anything else is just a cover.

I agree 100%, but to claim they are protesters for freedom of speech, in a letter that is blatantly condemning freedom of speech, is somewhat hypocritical

 

[F'Angus]

Sounds like they're just baiting Anon into a trap to track them or something

 

[Faladorian]

Another thing I find really interesting is that this flier shows that the WBC is fully aware of the coverage it gets in the media, and of the nature of that coverage. Which makes me repeat that, if you want the WBC to go away, stop showing what they do so much in the media! This is a perfect example of, "Ignore them and they go away." Really, the more exposure they get, the more they will feel galvanized to do more and more.

I actually like to encourage them. I have always viewed it as a taunt or dare of sorts. Sort of like *read in a 1980's sitcom narrator's voice* "Uh-oh! The Westboro Baptist Church has lost its attention from its controversial statement of 'God Hates Fags'. What are they going to come up with next?! Tune in next week to find out". Naturally that is slightly exaggerated. WBC is a creative group of people who knows how to get media attention. It is just fun to see what controversial thing they will say next. I don't know anyone who listens to them so I don't see how they really impact anything.

They real life troll funerals.

I don't care if it was the funeral of a serial pedophile rapist/killer, there's a point when you have to step back and say 'Fuck, the guys dead already.'

While I agree WBC has a right to free speech, but fucking funerals? I know a lot of people here don't believe in the sanctity of anything, but shit...

I agree. And it's not even in the name of God anymore (which, by the way, is not justified) it's in the name of publicity and baiting lawsuits. Reading the .pdf with poor grammar and out-of-context quotes was pretty funny.

It kinda reminds me of in middle school if someone would pick on the crazy kid and he would be like "I'M GONNA GET SUPERMAN TO BEAT YOU UP! YOU'D BETTER NOT!!"

Now, I'm not directly comparing the Christian God to Superman (although, they both are sort of all-powerful fix-it guys) but the way that WBC uses it is not as a deity or as a way of life, it's just used for blind threats. They also reinforce the stereotype that religious zealotry increases inversely with their intelligence. Al'Qaeda is probably not the smartest group of people. Sure, they are technology- and stealth-mission-smart, but they're sure as hell not very analytical about their own belief system.

This is my main problem with religion. It's not that someone believes in what they believe in, it's that they make all of their actions reflect it perfectly even though it's an imperfect belief system (hence why "faith" is needed).

If you believe in God, fine. I'm okay with that. Tell me that my life is worthless because I don't believe on your god, and we're gonna have a problem. I have a problem with Westboro for that same reason. However, their intelligence is at such a low level that it almost makes it funny. Like when the tiny kid with no muscle challenges big football guy to a fight. All you can do is laugh.

With regards to their coaxing of Anon... they'll learn their lesson lol

Off-Topic: @AccursedTheory I believe I just recently talked to you about Lutheranism and such. Hello again ^^

 

[Kwatsu]

Does God hate shameless publicity leeches who feed on the pain and suffering of other human beings and misinterpret their own holy literature almost to the point of solipsism in a desperate attempt to get attention which is as subtle as a four-year-old banging two saucepans together while the rest of the human race just wants to shout to the cosmos "they're not with us!" ?

...Hmmm. I'm going to need a bigger placard.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

The link has already been hacked or something. XD

I hope like hell that they destroy each other in a bloody war of attrition. That would be a delightful ending.

Agreed. I would pay to see that.

 

[crudus]

Eh, I'd actually like to see something creative from Anon this time. Maybe replacing the entire site with an alturnate one explaining the research of Darwin?

I actually want to see a site dedicated to raising "gay discrimination awareness", if that is a thing and if I worded that correctly. Also, I would like to see a list of gay pride parades.

*note this comment is unable to express my happiness...so i will word for word my reaction*

yes....OH GOD YES THANK YOU JESUS I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS, please anon....GIVE THEM HELL AND DESTROY THEM......OH GOD YES JUSTICE IS NEAR.


my face while imagining the outcome

I actually think your avatar sums it up really nicely.

 

[Chrono180]

I wish Anonymous luck. Ideally, the church of the WBC would have their tax-exempt status revoked, but since that won't happen this is probably the best we could hope for.

And to all of you saying it's a first amendment issue, why would this be covered? I mean, free speech doesn't mean you can shout "fire" in a crowded theater, so why should free religion mean you should allowed to disrupt people trying to have a private ceremony where they can mourn in peace?

 

[roastbeefy]

There's just one thing I want to say.

TROLL FIGHT!

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Note that the website won't load for me.

My point still stands. One letter does not mean anonymous represents free speech. They are doing it for the lulz. It is always for the lulz. Anything else is just a cover.

They attacked several sites for their denial of service to Wikileaks. They protested several governments about their lack of free speech. They fucking hacked a guy's twitter account and stole his private info because he was trying to bring down wikileaks. It isn't one letter, its everything they've been doing for the last year.

Come on now, I can't be the only one who finds this situation ironic. A group of people who advocate free speech everywhere is threatening to attack a group of people because they use that right. I don't care how small of a minority they are, they have a right to preach their own thoughts and Anon, of all people, should respect that right.

Its hypocritical and rather silly. Attacking the WBC is like fighting a puppy. There is no point to it and these guys are persistent. Taking down their site is not gonna do anything.

What about Westbros respect for the dead and funerals.

This group is a bunch of idiots anyway, any harm to them is good for the world.

Just because we don't like it doesn't mean it isn't legal. If the government wished to, they could clamp down on the WBC and hinder their protests, but they choose not to. As long as they are within their rights, Anon would be doing what the FBI attempted to do to them.

Come on now, I can't be the only one who finds this situation ironic. A group of people who advocate free speech everywhere is threatening to attack a group of people because they use that right. I don't care how small of a minority they are, they have a right to preach their own thoughts and Anon, of all people, should respect that right.

Its hypocritical and rather silly. Attacking the WBC is like fighting a puppy. There is no point to it and these guys are persistent. Taking down their site is not gonna do anything.

Erm.....have you seen any footage of these people? They are dispicable bastards. Just because you have the right to say what you want doesent mean your immune from becoming a complete piece of shit that is RIGHTLY despised worldwide.

Why should anyone respect the right of a group of people who actively go out of their way to cause heartache to the already distressed? What they are doing is totally devoid of compassion or understanding, therefore they DONT deserve the same in return. THAT is whats fair.

Anonymous....HAVE AT THEM!

Doesn't mean they don't have rights given to them. As I said before, the Government could pretty much destroy anything the WBC does if it wanted to by passing some simple legislation that would get by without much trouble, but they choose not to. As long as what they do is legal and is protected by their right to protest and their to speak, Anon shouldn't go anywhere near them.

Come on now, I can't be the only one who finds this situation ironic. A group of people who advocate free speech everywhere is threatening to attack a group of people because they use that right. I don't care how small of a minority they are, they have a right to preach their own thoughts and Anon, of all people, should respect that right.

Its hypocritical and rather silly. Attacking the WBC is like fighting a puppy. There is no point to it and these guys are persistent. Taking down their site is not gonna do anything.

I read their letter to the WBC, and they said that they initially allowed their point-of-view to be held without any confilct, but they said that because of their behaviour, they can't just stand by and watch their actions

http://skepchick.org/2011/02/anonymous-tells-westboro-babtist-church-to-cease-and-desist/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Skepchick+%28Skepchick%29

Link the letter there, just got it today in Google Reader Play.

So wait? You're saying that Anon tried to ignore the WBC's trolling, but now can't stand them and are at that point we're their going to try and bring them down?....Anyone see the strangeness of this situation. I mean, Anon, the home for trolls everywhere, just got trolled by a bunch of Baptists.

On a side note, you could compare this same situation to the relationship between the Anon and the FBI. The bureau tried to ignore Anon's actions, but they proved too troublesome and now they're taking action. Come on, this entire situation just oozes hypocrisy no matter how you look at it!