Westboro Baptists Stage Fake Anonymous Threat

[RA92]

Permalink

What's this, Anonymous? You're discovering you don't have control over who dons your mantle for whatever cause they see fit? Someone does something under the guise of Anonymous, and here's what happens--they suddenly act all "Wait, no we didn't."

Yes, you did. Even if it's just a handful of Anon fans playing pretend, you did it. Even in the extremely unlikely event that WBC had the presence of mind to somehow stage this themselves, which I highly doubt judging by their history, you did it.

You created a mask that shields you from the accountability you try to enforce on others, and now some of those sort of people are adopting the mask and using it to dodge accountability in the same way. You use guerrilla tactics to "enforce" free speech, and yet you act surprised when people discover they can use those same tactics to enforce whatever limits they want to put on the speech of others.

You created the mask. You set the terms of engagement. You did this, and everything that comes after it. Welcome to the fundamental flaw of vigilantism.

Just so you know, Anon's actual reply started with:

Dear Phred Phelps and WBC Phriends,
So we've been hearing a lot about some letter that we supposedly sent you this morning. Problem is,
we're a bit groggy and don't remember sending it.

Yeah, they're conceding the weakness that you just stated. They are not denying anything, just disclaiming there are plans for a major attack.You see, there is a level of coherency and planning involved within Anon. Just that there is no leader, and an attack goes forward only when someone's proposition gains enough momentum within the community. I actually remember someone trying to stir up an attack against WBC in the SanDiegoAnon site, and most people rebuking him saying Anon wasn't his personal army. Everyone ignored him and the plan never went forward.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

That's actually pathetic. And here I thought that being a group of bastards protesting funerals and whatever would give you enough attention, boy was I wrong! Attention whores.

And why would Anon give these guys any attention? I'm sure they have better things to do, and not be a bunch of hypocrites.

 

[Alon Shechter]

So Anonymous, the group known to be Anonymous, with everyone in it being anonymous, nobody known and no contact can be made because all members are anonymous and nobody knows if every word in the name of Anonymous is real, suddenly has a spokesman?

 

[erto101]

hahaha XD

Don't these Christians know that Lying is a sin?

Actually it's not, just giving false testimony (as in court testimony) against your neighbor is. Common misunderstanding, but the 10 commandments aren't quite as clear as you might think.

The use of neighbor is to be understood as, well, more or less everyone. That is also a common misunderstanding. And most places say "false witness" not testimony, which doesn't really have to be as in court. Besides how much of a courthouse did the Jews have 2 - 3000 years ago? =)

Anyway, WBC deserves whatever is coming for them

 

[OldAccount]

Anonymous made a good call by not retaliating. It's not like anyone respects WBC anyway. Theres just nothing to gain.

 

[CarlMin]

Haha! When will those fundamentalist hate groups ever learn...

 

[Dr Snakeman]

Permalink

What's this, Anonymous? You're discovering you don't have control over who dons your mantle for whatever cause they see fit? Someone does something under the guise of Anonymous, and here's what happens--they suddenly act all "Wait, no we didn't."

Yes, you did. Even if it's just a handful of Anon fans playing pretend, you did it. Even in the extremely unlikely event that WBC had the presence of mind to somehow stage this themselves, which I highly doubt judging by their history, you did it.

You created a mask that shields you from the accountability you try to enforce on others, and now some of those sort of people are adopting the mask and using it to dodge accountability in the same way. You use guerrilla tactics to "enforce" free speech, and yet you act surprised when people discover they can use those same tactics to enforce whatever limits they want to put on the speech of others.

You created the mask. You set the terms of engagement. You did this, and everything that comes after it. Welcome to the fundamental flaw of vigilantism.

They actually are an organization, though. People claiming to be part of Anonymous can be shut down because they aren't Anonymous, they're just anonymous.

I support Anon, seeing as they take everybody down a few pegs (Gene Simmons needed to be, and the US government is now, too. It's great). They hack a Congressman's twitter account, destroy HBGary's website and private archives, put thousand of emails up for free pickings, and what do they say once they're in? They spout a bunch of 4chan memes and laugh.

While they are dangerous, their heart is in the right place.

Actually, no, they aren't an organization. Seriously, look it up. "Anonymous" is simply a swarm of trolls who like to try and make some kind of difference in the world in their spare time. Anyone and everyone can be and is Anonymous. That's why the idea of a "press release" is absurd.

 

[Wintermoot]

I never though Anon would DEFEND the WBC, but I see why they are free speech protectors not moral warriors

 

[DanDeFool]

I think I put this best in the IRC.

WBC - Everything bad about my religion in one easy to nuke package.

Honestly, it's like these people haven't bothered to read the New Testament. "God hates X" and "God despises Y" is completely missing the point. In fact it's completely counter to the point. God loves us all, no matter the flaws we have. (Important: I disagree on most points with what the WBC regards as a flaw)

This always seemed weird to me. The portrayal of God as a wrathful and jealous deity in the Old Testament to a loving and forgiving one in the New Testament always seemed like a pretty radical shift for a being who is supposed to be eternal, immutable, all-knowing, and all-powerful. I wouldn't really expect something that's supposed to be those things to just change His mind like that.

I guess that's one dad who took His peace-loving long-haired hippie son seriously.

OT:
Kudos to Anon for not giving these assholes the time of day. Any attention the WBC gets only makes them stronger.

Seriously, who get's jealous that they're not in Anon's sights?

 

[Fappy]

Wait... Anonymous can issue press releases? How...? What...? Somehow that seems impossible to me.

 

[Thedayrecker]

They shouldn't provoke them....

BRACE FOR EPIC!

 

[BioHazardMan]

Dear Christ Anon, PLEASE take down WBC. You would win over 9000 internets.

 

[blarghblarghhhhh]

Good for anon for actually sticking up for what they believe in.

slightly off topic:

 

[blarghblarghhhhh]

While it might be nice to see Anonymous take on the WBC, it unfortunately just doesn't make sense. It'd be like taking down the website of the crazy guy that yells at you when you walk down the street, on a slightly larger scale.

oddly enough there website appears to be down....

 

[ReiverCorrupter]

Permalink

What's this, Anonymous? You're discovering you don't have control over who dons your mantle for whatever cause they see fit? Someone does something under the guise of Anonymous, and here's what happens--they suddenly act all "Wait, no we didn't."

Yes, you did. Even if it's just a handful of Anon fans playing pretend, you did it. Even in the extremely unlikely event that WBC had the presence of mind to somehow stage this themselves, which I highly doubt judging by their history, you did it.

You created a mask that shields you from the accountability you try to enforce on others, and now some of those sort of people are adopting the mask and using it to dodge accountability in the same way. You use guerrilla tactics to "enforce" free speech, and yet you act surprised when people discover they can use those same tactics to enforce whatever limits they want to put on the speech of others.

You created the mask. You set the terms of engagement. You did this, and everything that comes after it. Welcome to the fundamental flaw of vigilantism.

ROFL. The fundamental flaw of vigilantism is that some d-bags will inevitably use your name, which you can come back and deny publicly? Gee, that's some flaw alright. Even if it was a few members, I don't think they'd go against their doctrine publicly, and those members were probably punished if they did send the letter. But no, I think it was the church, they're nuts.

I actually prefer vigilantism in many cases, it should still be punished so that people only do it in extreme cases, but it's better that we don't give the government the kind of power that allows them to take care of things that vigilantes normally do. I think the death sentence is probably the best example. I don't like the government having the power to decide who lives and dies, but if some extraordinary jackwagon commits some really horrible crimes, he should expect vigilantes to take him out.

 

[MikhailGH]

Right the first time I read about this I knew it had to be a fake, and a idiotic outcry for attention.

 

[LCP]

I'm willing to look the other way if anon tries anything against WBC. Because as much as i think anon are a bunch of a-holes, I hate WBC 3x more

 

[BehattedWanderer]

So, they're baiting Anon now? Wacky fun approaching.