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Westboro Church considering protesting at Norway funerals


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http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/08/what-will-norway-make-westboro-baptist-church/40842/

 

"The ever-infuriating Westboro Baptist Church, which made its reputation picketing the funerals of soldiers while holding signs saying "god hates fags" and "thank god for dead soldiers," says it is heading to Norway to lend its presence to the funerals of those killed in the July 22 massacre. The group posted a press release to its web site announcing its plans to picket the funerals of those who lost their lives when Anders Breivik set off a bomb in Oslo that killed eight and then traveled to the island of Utoya to execute 69 at a youth camp. The Topeka-based church, run by former civil rights activist Fred Phelps, sees homosexuality as a deadly sin and has vocally interpreted slain soldiers as a message from god that the United States is "a sodomite nation of flag-worshiping idolaters.""

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If they are considering protesting in Norway, it's to get a nice vacation out of the heat and because they want the publicity.

 

Seriously.

 

These people "operate" out of the money they get from winning lawsuits.

 

I wish we could all just ignore them and move on. Eventually their money would dry up and they wouldn't get their buzz out of making people riled up.

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They could be on a list somewhere - it helps that they are very public and their names are everywhere.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5767077.ece - this is an article about the UK denying them entry.

 

They're so incredibly public about everything they do, which is handy for municipalities and countries that are about to be introduced to the WBC. Assuming the Norwegian authorities are told, they now have the option of banning them or letting them know they'll be denied entry at the border OR setting things up to shield the families from the protestors.

 

I know the US keeps lists of people who aren't allowed back in (or at least they tell people that they do), and not just big names. I had a cousin from the UK who really liked the US and one year spent more time in the US than in the UK (he'd come for 3 months as a tourist, go back to the UK for a month, fly back to the US for 3 months, etc). On his last visit, he was told at the immigration check point that when he left the US on this visit, he needed to stay out of the country for a year or start immigration proceedings. He didn't try to get back in again within that year (who wants to try that? and deal with having to get back to the UK on no notice?). Oh, and this was all pre-September 11th, but with computers (around 1997, I think), so they had a record of his passport number in the system.

 

I don't know if Norwegian authorities could have access to the Phelpses passport numbers, I'm sure there is enough information available about them publically that they could flag things if they try to enter the country.

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We kept those nasty folk out of our country - Norway can do it too. It's their country!

 

"Canadians simply won't tolerate these lunatics disrupting what should be a respectful service." -- one our government guys.

 

CBC posted a poll asking people if they should be allowed into Canada… 97% voted hell no.

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Norway has hate speech laws like we do - awesome, hope they use 'em!

 

Norway prohibits hate speech, and defines it as publicly making statements that threaten or ridicule someone or that incite hatred, persecution or contempt for someone due to their skin colour, ethnic origin, homosexual life style or orientation or, religion or philosophy of life.

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Any person who willfully or through gross negligence publicly utters a discriminatory or hateful expression shall be liable to fines or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years. An expression that is uttered in such a way that it is likely to reach a large number of persons shall be deemed equivalent to a publicly uttered expression, cf. section 7, No. 2. The use of symbols shall also be deemed to be an expression. Any person who aids and abets such an offense shall be liable to the same penalty.

 

:hurray:

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In this case, the motive escapes me. I mean, underneath their ludicrous exterior, this group operates to generate revenue through inciting lawsuits. Could they possibly generate income via a trip of this nature?

 

My only guess is that this is extortion on a grand scale. Perhaps they think if they threaten loud enough, someone will cough up some cash to pay them to *not* go.

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My only guess is that this is extortion on a grand scale. Perhaps they think if they threaten loud enough, someone will cough up some cash to pay them to *not* go.

 

Or give them an hour of radio time like Mike Gallagher does. It really makes me nutty because I don't want people to negotiate with WBC in this way, but I also don't want WBC showing up places.

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Why in the world does the media keep giving these media wh@res so much press? Don't feed the trolls—online or in real life.

 

:iagree: My sentiments exactly. I don't understand why anyone even pays any attention to this small group of people. They are insignificant and should not be given any press. (in fact.. why am I even posting this? it gives them more attention! :tongue_smilie: )

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This was discussed on another on another forum I visit and someone from and living in Norway commented that free speech laws in Norway do not extend to picketing funerals and their attempt to so could land then in a mental hospital or prison for quite awhile. To be honest I hope they go and try.:D

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