Petition to recognize Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group

[soulkeeperx]

You have to make an account to sign it, but those 3 minutes spent will be well worth it

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pet...group/DYf3pH2d

This group has been recognized as a hate group by organizations, such as The Southern Poverty Law Center, and has repeatedly displayed the actions typical of hate groups.

Their actions have been directed at many groups, including homosexuals, military, Jewish people and even other Christians. They pose a threat to the welfare and treatment of others and will not improve without some form of imposed regulation.

[semaphore]

Didn't we half half a dozen threads on this already?

It's a symbolic petition for people to vent, but it's not like the White House keeps a designated list of official hate groups, do they?

[soulkeeperx]

I did a forum search and nothing about this came up

[jbhasban]

This church doesn't do anything that is that bad. Yes, they make really horrible speeches but it is always political in nature and directed at the public. They never direct any of their speech at a specific individual. Yes, even at funerals their message is directed at the public. The funerals are just a convenient venue for them.

And I am a bisexual Jew. I don't see how they pose a threat to anyone.

[Kasierith]

As terrible as they are, they are very careful not to break any laws or restrictions in their protests, and do not do more than that which is protected by the 1st amendment. I don't like them at all, but they are free according to US laws to continue operating as they are

[Dakia]

My thought is that, regardless of my opinion of the group, I don't like petitions for hate groups being on these forums. This type of thread just leads places where we shouldn't go on MMOC.

I did a forum search and nothing about this came up

I doubt it.

[Kivimetsan]

People hate freedom of speech...
What next, call them terrorists and send them to Gitmo?
"ah u hurt my feelings"

get over it.

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

People hate freedom of speech...
What next, call them terrorists and send them to Gitmo?
"ah u hurt my feelings"

get over it.

Shit bag liberals would call them "re-education" camps.

[Kasierith]

Shit bag liberals would call them "re-education" camps.

Does no one know the definition of liberalism anymore?

[semaphore]

Does no one know the definition of liberalism anymore?

Of course, it means "someone we hate", right?

---------- Post added 2012-12-27 at 06:20 AM ----------

They never direct any of their speech at a specific individual. Yes, even at funerals their message is directed at the public. The funerals are just a convenient venue for them.

That's because they're smart enough to know how to avoid being sued. They're directing it at the dead children and soldiers and their family, but they are hiding behind "at the public" in order to avoid being sued.

[GreatOak]

Does no one know the definition of liberalism anymore?

American liberals are socialists. They aren't the same as the liberals of the 19th century. He might not be American though.


OT: They have a right to free expression. I don't know what labeling them as a hate group entails, but if it restricts their expression I am against it, as deplorable as they are.

[Powerogue]

It's dangerous to set a precedent to label someone you don't agree with a hate group. That's very easily stretched from there. "you have freedom of speech, except when it makes other people feel bad" won't ever work, and that's all there is as motivation against this group. They're not violent, they obey all the laws as far as how far away they're allowed to protest, and so forth. Defining them as a hate group would mean they're significant and dangerous. It'd lump them with psychos like the KKK.

[drukai]

This church doesn't do anything that is that bad. Yes, they make really horrible speeches but it is always political in nature and directed at the public. They never direct any of their speech at a specific individual. Yes, even at funerals their message is directed at the public. The funerals are just a convenient venue for them.

And I am a bisexual Jew. I don't see how they pose a threat to anyone.

They pose a larger threat to their children than they do to any of us. Personally, I can't stand the bastards, and I don't believe they should be classified as a tax exempt religion, as they show all signs of being a cult... but their daughter is cute, and that's enough to dissuade me from legal classification as a hate group.