What would you do about the WBC?

[DefunctTheory]

The Freedom of Speech was enacted to protect the right of the people to express opinions freely

which is exactly what they're doing. I agree that these people are terrible but it's very important that you protect the exact words and not just intent.

First they came for my neighbors and I said nothing, when they came for me there was nobody left to say anything.


Also thank you for putting your opinions together like a person of logic instead of just getting angry as so many on the internet do. It's very refreshing to see.

It seems where we defer is in our opinion on what's more important: content or intent.

I was always taught that intent is the key to language, not content. One can call a friend a mother fucking ass wipe son of a ***** whore, and it means nothing, as long as the intent of the statement is kind/friendly; while calling someone a meanie, and meaning exactly that, can be offensive.

Eh. I can see your point, but all the same, I would argue that, if one can prove that another's speech is designed for the purpose of harm (Mocking the dead at their funeral), rather then to convey a message (Picketing in public), then that speech should be muffled.

Which isn't to say that individual/group should never be able to protest at all... only that they should stay the hell out of graveyards.

But perhaps we should just agree to disagree... it seems we both have the measure of each others opinions and arguments, but still have different opinions. I can respect that, as well as respect that you didn't pull an Anon and just spout 'Free Speech' over and over again until the server crashes.

 

[C.S.Strowbridge]

Now as people of the internet we are inevitably subject to something we geneally either dont understand or hate.

One of the most unaminous of theese things so far has been the Westboro Baptist Church.

So, given a position of total authority to do anything you want, what would you do about them?

Me:
I would make sure none of thier members can earn a decent living. Enough to survive, and continue protests if theyre that committed to it, but much, much worse off than if they were not a part of the group.

That was me, now, what about you?

They may feed off of attention but that doesnt mean that you have to be direct about it.

Use them as an excuse to cut the tax-free status of all churches. Once that happens, they'll go away on their own.

 

[Crazy_Man_42]

I would put trackers on the ones that protest the most. Then give the people who have an opposite opinion the number so that they can track them and ready anti-protest protests so they can deter them with their own game.

Worked well against protesters who were against gays here, maybe it will help get rid of these Westboro Church people

 

[Diligent]

I am with the majority here and I say do what would hurt them the most: ignore them.

However, it would be neato to see their reaction to being strapped down "Clockwork Orange" style with their eyes held open, and forced to watch a near epilepsy inducing onslaught of man on man porn.
Then after this conditioning, every time they say something homophobic, they just throw up.

 

[Woodsey]

Restrict them based on the incitement laws we have in this country, nothing more than that.

Its one thing to say, "I hate gay people" or "I hate Jews". It is another to do what they often do, and attempt to incite both hatred and public unrest just for the sake of it.

You have the right to believe and say whatever you want in this country. You are not allowed to chant hateful slogans with the intent of mentally assaulting people, especially those who are grieving.

You're contradicting yourself. freedom of speech doesn't portect the speech you like. It protects the speech you don't like, Otherwise there would be no reason to protect it.

See above. There is a difference.

One is saying what you think, the other is provocation.

If a man goes on TV and says "I hate black people", then that is his own ignorant opinion, but he has the right to express it. If he goes on TV, says he hates black people, and proceeds to call out to the scumbags of society for a race war, then he gets stopped.

Its a difficult line to straddle, but its one that must be.

(I'm referring to British laws in the first part of my post by the way.)

 

[Callate]

I would consign them to obscurity.

 

[aashell13]

Nothing at all. You can't have free speech if you aren't willing to put up with jerks who say stupid things. To pretend otherwise is dangerous in the extreme.

 

[draxious]

I'd create an all volunteer task force to go out to any funeral that the WBC is planning on protesting and provide a human screen between the WBC and the funeral.
I'd also have a second (also volunteer) task force to protest outside the WBC's home base/church and protest loudly and obnoxiously , possibly by playing a mix of Hanson, Spice Girls, NSYNC, Justin Beiber and Hannah Montana/Mylie Cyrus music from sun-up to sundown.

Well isnt there that one patriot gaurd oranization that does that for soilders funerals already?

 

[makano]

Just enter the place at midnight with a few black ops and dispose of them, then demolish there compound with C4. Then build and fund a LGBT aid centre on top of where it used to be. oh and send all there young kids to be deprogramed and sent to have good lifes witha foster family.

 

[DocBalance]

My plan is already in action.

Phase 1: Form the EBC(Eastboro Baptist Church), an organization dedicated to protesting protests.

Phase 2: Show up at all Westboro protests with signs saying "God hates Protesters (1st Corinthians 10:10)" (Note: This strategy is so meta it hurts.)

Phase 3: Focus on martyrdom angle: We protest, sacrificing ourselves to condemnation to save others.

Phase 4: ?????

Phase 5: Assume complete and total dominion over the universe.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Just enter the place at midnight with a few black ops and dispose of them, then demolish there compound with C4. Then build and fund a LGBT aid centre on top of where it used to be. oh and send all there young kids to be deprogramed and sent to have good lifes witha foster family.

If you believe WBC, someone already tried this.

 

[GBlair88]

Ignore them until they get bored and go away.

Don't feed the trolls!

 

[Gudrests]

Nothing. It is there right as America Citizens

 

[Jumpingbean3]

Treat them exactly the same as any other member of society...

Why? Because freedom of speech and expression apply to everyone, regardless of what they are saying.

"I may not agree with what you say, but I'll die for your right to say it"
-I can never remember who said that

There has to be some kind of boundary.

Free speech is one of those things that's only great until it gets out of hand. There's a reason racial slurs are frowned upon. Words like N***er, K**e or P**i aren't just cutesy little nicknames they are intended to show contempt simply for being born of a certain race and the same applies to homosexuality. You CAN have too much of a good thing.

 

[Marsell]

"The answer, use a gun.
And if that don't work, use MORE gun."

"MY ARMS!!"

 

[emeraldrafael]

Pass laws that define unwanted assembly and protest at funerals as harassment and, as such, a violation of the law, regardless of Free Speech.

Well none of those are under Freedom of Speech, thats Freedom of Assembly (still First Amendment). And as long as they have the permits and such, then they can be there. Otherwise it would just take one idiot to go and say they dont like the assembly of the Tea Partiers or whenever Democrats get together and basically stop free protest as opposition against the governmental party in power.

Plus if things like the Cancer society decided to set up and fundraise, it only takes one asshole to say they dont want that in their place and its unwanted by SOMEONE and would then have to be stopped. And you certainly cant take the rights away from one group, otherwise you have the "They're oppressing religion and we're slipping backwards into slavery like things where people dont get basic rights and they want to make it legal for the scary gays to be married and enjoy the civil freedoms straight people use and abuse all the time" argument shoot up.

OT: You cant techniquely stop a "church" in America without rubbing up against the Religous Freedom things. Otherwise, its probably a safe bet that Mormons wouldnt exist today (though damn the US government tried) back in the 1800s). Plus they would just get funding from other hate groups like they do now. And you cant stop funding.

I dont know what I would do really. Um... I guess I would make this required at every WBC meeting in the area of my power:

<youtube=Ra_fAYl4Th4>

Id ont now. The last one I met I assualted and beat the hell of the guy cause he made my gay friend really upset and I was done listening to it. I guess make it so that if you can prove you did it in defense of another and the guy was a public nuisance by popular opinion you arent punished. You know, as long as you dont kill them or something.

 

[TiefBlau]

A) I have the privilege to say whatever I believe, regardless of how many people I piss off. I want to keep that privilege, and think it only appropriate that everyone else have it, and so I respect the same of others. Hence, it is a right.

B) You will never be in this position of omnipotence, and engaging in this kind of hate wank will only serve to benefit WBC, because...

C) They are only out for attention and controversy, and you are giving it to them. So the saying goes, there's no such thing as bad pizza publicity.

So what would I do about the WBC? Nothing, really. There's no way that doing anything at all about them wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass later. I never want to be in a position where I can be punished just because I said something that pisses people off.