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Westboro Baptist Church

this is good news!! Im sure most people here will have heard of these guys

A church whose members cheered a soldier's death as "punishment" for US tolerance of homosexuality has been told to pay $10.9m (£5.2m) in damages.
The Westboro Baptist Church was taken to court by the father of Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder, a marine who died serving in Iraq in March 2006.

The church cited its constitutional right to free speech in its defence.

But Albert Snyder's lawyer urged the jury to ensure the damages were high enough to stop the church campaigning.

Members of the church - based in Topeka, Kansas - have denounced homosexuality for years, initially targeting the funerals of Aids victims.

But they later extended their pickets to the funerals of soldiers, who they say are being punished by God because of the US' tolerance of homosexuality .

Last year they caused outrage when they attended the funeral of Matthew Snyder with signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "You're going to hell".

On Wednesday, the jury ordered the church and three of its leaders to pay $2.9m in compensatory damages, and an additional $8m for invasion of privacy and for causing emotional distress.

Albert Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to agree an amount "that says 'Don't do this' in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again".

Defence attorney Jonathan Katz's argument that the $2.9m in compensatory damages already far exceeded the defendants' net worth and would be enough to "bankrupt them and financially destroy them" was ignored.

The church, which is unaffiliated with any major denomination, is headed by Fred Phelps. Most of its 70-odd members belong to his extended family.

By gringolondinense on Nov 1, 2007, 02:21 in Off Topic.

kalder says on Nov 1, 2007, 05:25:

Perhaps training fire hoses on them or pelting them with tomatoes would've been better than anything that furthers our ruinous litigation culture.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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LA_MONA says on Nov 1, 2007, 05:28:

Para volar, es preciso tener resistencia. -M.Lin

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msaucey says on Nov 1, 2007, 10:22:

I'm in favor of the jury.... There is way to much hate... But, it is a slap in the face to the family to have to endure such atrocious behavior from god loving people, after losing a son.... Goes to show, people are stupid....

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

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eywed says on Nov 1, 2007, 12:00:

Thank god those nasty people got what was coming to them. How dare they do what they did and not expect it to come back on them. I hope God will have the final say on them later.

Ay Hombe!!!!!

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scotty says on Nov 1, 2007, 12:05:

good, these people are rude, nasty and insulting.Im glad they got zapped!

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Nov 1, 2007, 12:56:

A year or so ago, I read a story about motorcycle clubs that were attending funerals of fallen soldiers in order to provide a barrier between the mourners and the idiots of this so-called church. (This was before some states outlawed protests at private funerals). Then I spent an hour or so reading up on the history of Fred Phelps. He is one vile man and some speculate that he is homosexual, too - the worst kind of self-loathing hypocrite. I hope he and his sicko family are finally sent into bankruptcy.

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msaucey says on Nov 1, 2007, 13:20:

Sent into BK wouldn't be too bad.... They should live in misery.... BK will just solve all his debt problems.... He needs to be forced to community service in the LGBT and the Support Our Troops community until he dies...

Have you ever seen a picture of him... He reminds me of that character from Poltergeist II that always goes looking for the little girl....

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

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Man Tequila says on Nov 1, 2007, 20:37:

Hadn't heard this story.

"The church, which is unaffiliated with any major denomination, is headed by Fred Phelps. Most of its 70-odd members belong to his extended family."

70 odd members indeed...

Perusing his Wiki site, he seems to be an idiot. Who hates Sweden?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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gringolondinense says on Nov 2, 2007, 03:25:

Tinto I saw a documentary about these people. They are an odd bunch. They are mainly lawyers by profession and very intelligent people..but they obviously have been screwed up with the ideas of Mr Phelps.

One time they were doing a demo at a funeral holding up various banners. A 6 year old boy was holding one up that said "god hates fags". The reporter, Louis Theroux, asked the kid what fag meant. The kid didnt know.

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kalder says on Nov 2, 2007, 05:44:

Ah, but you can hear many a British smoker declaring: 'Gawd, I'm gasping. I could do with a fag in my mouth.'

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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gringolondinense says on Nov 2, 2007, 05:47:

Cue heavy america accent "awww myyy gaaawwwdd! Do you know what that means????" lol

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