Westboro Baptist Church is coming...

carl_the_sniper wrote: As said in previous posts and the posted email, the best thing to do is just ignore. These people thrive on attention, they will go away if people just stop caring. It is a stronger message than violence which actually has a reverse effect, only helping their cause.

I’m with carl on this one.  While I can’t stand these hate-mongering-facist-inbred-cousin-lovin’-losers, and would not feel any sympathy if bad things happened to them, the best response to them is to ignore them.  The media shows up for the WBC protests because they know there will be counter-protests and they are hoping for something “newsworthy” to occur.  Without the counter-protests there would be minimal chance for any such occurrence and much less reason for media interest.  Nobody wants to be the reporter who writes the following article:

some news guy wrote: The WBC protested a soldier's funeral today in ______, __. The only protesters present were the 5 members of the WBC.  Nothing happened.

This lack of confrontation is one of the reasons that the Freedom Riders' counter-actions are so effective.  The media quickly lost interest in events with both organizations present once it became apparent that it was very unlikely the WBCers were going to receive a well deserved ass-whippin' at the hands of the Riders.

Sad to say it, but the counter-protestors in the video made the WBC look good*.  Consider an outside perspective:  The small brave band of WBCers, stoically holding their signs and bravely exercising their right to free speech despite the hoard of enraged counter-protesters harassing/threatening them.  Were the WBC signs hateful?  Yes, but who was screaming hate and obscenity?  Who, besides the WBC, made themselves appear intolerant?  The text at the end of the video indicates the posters think a message was sent to the WBC.  Perhaps one was, but I doubt they care.  What is disturbing is that another message was also sent.  A message which essentially told the world that we only care about free speech when it is speech we agree with; we are hypocrites.

Mehs wrote: I hope to god that the judge is lenient, if not understands my motives and just drops everything

Don’t count on it.  Keep in mind that any leniency on behalf of the court system would be the equivalent of the courts supporting your beliefs.  While it could happen, our courts our supposed to be impartial and make decisions based on the law.  What is likely to happen is that the court will not even consider the circumstances but just look at the crimes and treat you in a manner similar to any other first offender.  The good news is that as a first offender, you have a very good chance of perhaps plea bargaining to the point where nothing has to go on your record.

I understand why you did what you did.  While I think it was foolish and ill-advised, I also have to admit that I consider it admirable that you took action on your beliefs.  What I find less admirable is that you seem reluctant to accept the logical consequences of your actions.  True courage is not just taking an action, but being willing to accept the responsibility for the actions taken as well.

Roll Tide wrote: It's unfortunate that you were arrested, but that's how our justice system works. People like the WBC can hide behind laws and spread their message of hate, because if someone steals their signs or throws things at them, the great American justice system is there to prosecute the wrong people. I know we must protect free speech, but when a college kid steals a bag of signs that read "God hates (homosexuals)" and "God hates America" and "Thank God for IEDs" and gets arrested while the ones who actually wrote whats on the signs get a police escort, something is a little off. JMO.

What the WBC does is called freedom of speech. (It’s a right.)

What Mehs did is called stealing. (It’s a crime.)

Do I agree with the way the WBC chooses to exercise their rights.  No, I don’t.  However, the minute that anyone can choose what freedoms can be exercised, by whom, in support of which beliefs; freedom no longer exists. 

I have to wonder what the forum reaction would be if this had been an anti-war protest with hateful slogans about the nation’s leadership and the soldiers in Iraq and I had stolen their signs and ran** away with them.  Would I be the “good-guy” preventing hateful speech or an anti-free speech facist?
 

*At least as good as they can look.

**I apply this term loosely since my top speed isn’t all that fast anymore.