W.B.C. counter-protested by...

[Proteas]

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Counterprotesters confront Westboro Baptist Church at Arlington
May 30, 2011|By Laurie Ure, CNN Producer

Protesting members of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church were met with an unlikely group of counterprotesters Monday at Arlington Cemetery.

Hours before President Barack Obama led the nation's Memorial Day observances at the Tomb of the Unknowns, three members of the Westboro Baptist Church were challenged by others who disagreed with them -- including members claiming to be from the Ku Klux Klan.

The Kansas-based church has attracted nationwide attention for its angry, anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. military members.

Among those counter-protesting at the cemetery's main entrance: About 10 members of a group that claims to be a branch of the Ku Klux Klan from Virginia called the Knights of the Southern Cross. They were cordoned off separately in a nearby area, but drew little attention as they gave out small American flags behind a banner that read "POW-MIA."

They said they were there to object to the Westboro Baptist Church's anti-troop message.

"It's the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech," said Dennis LaBonte, the self-described "Imperial Wizard" of the KKK group that he said he formed several years ago.

"That's fine," said Abigail Phelps, the daughter of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps. "They have no moral authority on anything.

"People like them say it's white power ... white supremacy," Phelps said. "The Bible doesn't say anywhere that it's an abomination to be born of a certain gender or race."

LaBonte insisted he is not a racist nor a "hate-monger," but said he believes the white race is "slowly and most assuredly being denigrated."

Members of the group declined to say whether they were armed.

A larger group of about 70 protesters -- separate from the KKK -- located across the street waved pro-USA signs and took turns shouting down the Westboro Baptist Church group.

Some of the counterprotesters, including Malaika Elias, stood in front of the Westboro participants in an attempt to block them from street view.

"I think they're twisted and confused, and we're just here to show them there are people who think they're completely wrong," Elias said.

Many passersby shouted their thanks to the counterprotesters as they entered the cemetery on foot and in vehicles.

Several police officers, some on horseback, observed the proceedings.

Phelps said her trio was there to tell people they should not "idolize" the dead, especially those who died for an "unrighteous cause."

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Okay... I think at this time, if he was still alive, Bill Hicks would be having epileptic seizures right about now. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around it myself. I mean... if there was never a better illustration of the phrase "the pot calling the kettle black" than this, I don't what is. This is 14... no... 14,000 shades of fucked up.

I'll just sum up my thoughts this way; how fucked are we as a nation when you have a KKK splinter group counter-protesting the Westboro Baptist Church?

I... I need to go lie down now.

[Warforger]

Yah it's not new if you saw the KKK website, but yah it turns out Fred Phelps actually defended black people in court during the Civil Rights Era, hmmmm funny. Not on the KKK website though it was on the WBC website.

[Malachy]

WBC is protesting military funerals of white soldiers

Some white supremacists are very military-oriented or are ex military themselves. These supremacists are also all about "USA is #1" in everything.

So its not entirely unlikely that a group would not agree with WBC protesting military funerals.

Also, these kinds of groups aren't exactly known for continuity, logic, high thinking or appropriate decisions...

[BrianEtrius]

I agree with what Mal said. KKK may be racist, bigoted, and whatnot, but at least they respect the country. The WBC, on the other hand, does not. So, to see these two groups clash isn't that surprising.

Though, on the flip side, I hope maybe both of them make each other disappear.

[aviewaskewed]

This actually offers us an interesting solution to these types if only we take it.

You see, all we have to do is a few fake military funerals, and get both groups to come...then we just exterminate them...no? Too harsh? Ok...it was just a thought :)

[psycho-squirrel]

The WBC is just a bunch of trolls.

[SevenSeize]

I'd read that article and thought the same thing. It is extremely ironic.

I guess ultimately, it shows how much everyone really hates Westboro Baptist Church. This group of inbred rednecks is so ignorant, even the other hate groups, are coming out to protest them.

And I know someone could easily come along and post " freedom of speech wah wah bla bla"

I don't care, that's stupidity in its purest form right there.

[stafffighter]

At 6/3/11 12:32 AM, SevenSeize wrote:

And I know someone could easily come along and post " freedom of speech wah wah bla bla"

I don't care, that's stupidity in its purest form right there.

This actually is a perfect case of freedom of speech. One group was allowed to say theyre stupid thing and then the other side was allowed to say theirs. the free exchange of fucktardom. And here we are all expressing our slightly different viewpoints of the exact nature of them being stupid. The free exchange of ideas.

That being said, these peoiple are giving the fucking Klan good press!

[Gario]

Hmm... WBC vs KKK? Considering both want Catholics to burn either in Hell or on this planet I can't say who I'd be rooting for. Maybe they'll cancel each other out from all the hate they seem to generate?

[Magic-Mushroom]

Wow they have gotten to the point where even violent extremists hate them. They are the only people in America, shit maybe in the world that can piss off both the far right and the far left.

[Dawnslayer]

No real surprises here, but I find it amusing that LaBonte's choice of words were that the white race is being "denigrated," considering where the word comes from.

[Ericho]

Fidel Castro spoke out against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad making Anti-Semitic statements. At first I thought this was going to talk about the recent video I saw comedian Lisa Lampanelli do in which she said she would donate $200 to a gay charity for every member of the WBC that showed up and she got $1800! These guys are simply the lowest of the low and like they say, even evil has standards. It's often been like that.

[Yorik]

You know your hate group is successful when even the KKK is going "wtf man?"

[Warforger]

At 6/3/11 04:39 PM, Ericho wrote: Fidel Castro spoke out against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad making Anti-Semitic statements.

I don't recall when he actually did make anti-semtic statements though. IIRC it was a mistranslation, he was mad at the Zionists not all of the Jews.

At 6/3/11 04:39 PM, Ericho wrote: At first I thought this was going to talk about the recent video I saw comedian Lisa Lampanelli do in which she said she would donate $200 to a gay charity for every member of the WBC that showed up and she got $1800! These guys are simply the lowest of the low and like they say, even evil has standards. It's often been like that.

Lowest of the low? Gay marriage is just a recent thing we've been trying to integrate into our society, sure they're the most hardcore, but the KKK are holding out for a way of life that's 40 years outdated and proven stupid.

[SadisticMonkey]

the troops deserve all the criticism in the world and should certainly not be idolised

sadly though, its not for the 'magical old book' reasons the WBC say it is....

[AapoJoki]

At 6/5/11 08:23 AM, SadisticMonkey wrote: the troops deserve all the criticism in the world

Including having their funerals picketed?

[orangebomb]

Talk about the irony, a religous extremist group {KKK} is protesting against another religous group of a similar denomination {WBC}. Normally, this would be considered the pot calling the kettle black in this situation, {and it is.} but, you do notice the obvious irony in this situation, and this is really nothing more than low-level hilarity watching 2 bigoted groups go at one another in protest.

Neither the KKK nor the WBC is going to go away anytime soon, because a little thing called freedom of speech. That's the tricky thing about freedom of speech, even hood wearing religious zealots have a right to say what they want to say, and no one can stop them. Trying to make them go away in some idealogical wave of freedom and tolerance is only going to encourage them further, like throwing rocks to a sleeping grizzly bear.

[Yorik]

At 6/5/11 08:23 AM, SadisticMonkey wrote: the troops deserve all the criticism in the world and should certainly not be idolised

sadly though, its not for the 'magical old book' reasons the WBC say it is....

Why? The people in the military aren't responsible for what the government has them doing. There's nothing wrong with being skeptical of the government, though.

[Camarohusky]

Can't they just agree to be generally bigoted and incorrigible?

[SevenSeize]

At 6/5/11 04:51 PM, Yorik wrote:

At 6/5/11 08:23 AM, SadisticMonkey wrote: the troops deserve all the criticism in the world and should certainly not be idolised

sadly though, its not for the 'magical old book' reasons the WBC say it is....

Why? The people in the military aren't responsible for what the government has them doing. There's nothing wrong with being skeptical of the government, though.

Yorik, he's one of those people who doesn't believe in the military. "All war is propagnda etc. etc. We don't need to fight ever. All things can be handled through treaties or just stay out of all other countries. Anyone who ever joins any form of military service is a baby killer or undereducated and deserves to die."

Yeah, so there's no point in discussing this with him. Ultimately he won't change his mind until he ends up needing military assistance one day, such as some of the National Guard troops who have been pulling people out of destroyed houses in areas hit by tornadoes. Or the National Guard troops who have been patrolling those areas keeping looters away who are trying to take personal belongings from destroyed houses. The same National Guardsman who also fight fires and assist during floods, are also worthless to him

But we have a ton of people on this forum who share that mindset, so I just tend to ignore them usually....They are very set in their ways. I can understand being against certain wars, but saying all soldiers deserve to die is just the most ignorant thing anyone could ever say.

Yorik, there is also a possibility he is from another country and just hates America. I'm not wasting the time to dig through his profile or posts. That's still a ridiculous reason to say those things, being plenty of people from other countries come over here and join our military. Even if you hate America, your country has soldiers and they don't deserve to die either.

There is also the possibility that he is like 15 or 16 and listens to his parents and/or uninformed peers at school rather than making his own moral decisions.

[Iron-Hampster]

you know your group is in bad shape public opinion wise when the KKK protests you and YOUR the one that looks like the asshole

[Ravariel]

At 6/6/11 01:31 PM, Iron-Hampster wrote: you know your group is in bad shape public opinion wise when the KKK protests you and YOUR the one that looks like the asshole

If I had room in my sig, that would totally go there. All I got now is a "good on ya, mate." I Lol'd at that description quite heartily.

[Idiot-Finder]

A case of evil vs. evil right there.

Other than that I couldn't think up of a word (let alone words) to describe what to say. This is ironic and awkward at the same time, but then again it's probably just me.