The Westboro Baptist Church, led by resident kook Fred Phelps, has made a name for themselves (albeit not a good name) picketing in opposition to homosexuality, including funerals of slain soldiers. Most recently, Phelps and his group spent time in West Virginia taunting innocent families whose fathers, brothers and sons were buried alive in the Upper Big Branch mine disaster, but as noted by Joe Cutbirth of Progressive Nation, the Westboro Baptist Church and its followers may branch out into violence. In a television interview with Peter Klein, Nate Phelps, Fred Phelps’ son, said the Phelps family could turn violent if his father ever finds a Bible verse to justify it. Nate Phelps, who was estranged from the rest of his family more than 30 years ago, said in the interview his father is a violent individual and called the Westboro Baptist Church a cult:
“They fit the definition, and I’ve said for years that all it would really take is if my father made the decision, found the right justification in the Bible, that they would turn towards violence — either violence towards themselves or someone else.”
While I’d certainly like to believe Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church wouldn’t resort to violence as a means of protesting, I certainly think Phelps and his group are capable of anything, given the fact that they believe it’s perfectly acceptable to protest at the funerals of slain soldiers.
The Westboro Baptist Church surely is a cult and Fred Phelps a cult leader. Capable of violence– possibly. Worthy of ridicule??? absolutely. Michael Moore did this a few years ago and I think this is the way to go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra_fAYl4Th4&feature=related
pinkpackrat, I’m in agreement that Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are certainly capable of violence, but hopefully they never get to that point, because that will certainly be an ugly situation.
It’s far more likely that the WBC will be targets of violence themselves. They are pissing off people who are intimately familiar with firearms and their use. 99% of these people are together enough to realize that violence against the WBC is the wrong way to go.
But that 1%?
I’m not advocating that someone should open fire on the WBC. But it wouldn’t surprise me if it happens…
They will eventually turn to terriosm, they will eventually become so isolated that they will think violeance will be thier only course of action.