Author Topic: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group  (Read 28296 times)

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Offline Sour Grapes

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Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« on: December 16, 2012, 12:35:37 am »
Somebody has started a petition to have the Westboro Baptist Church legally reconised as a hate group.  Not sure how much good it'll do, but... *shrugs*

Offline lazerfrog

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2012, 02:00:24 am »
I expect this to go about as well as any online petition has.  Would being classified as a hate group really even change anything for them?  The organization itself might as well be the lovechild of the KKK and NAMBLA in the eyes of the American people, and both of the aforementioned groups are legally allowed to hold rallies.

Offline Caitshidhe

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2012, 02:51:02 am »
Seems a bit superfluous to me to formally have the WBC called what everybody already knows it is. As far as I know, having it classified as a hate group won't effect Fred and Shirley's ability to picket funerals and memorials to say disgusting things and sue innocent victims for reacting to their bullshit. Maybe they won't be able to get AS CLOSE to their victims, but they'd still be allowed to keep doing what they're doing. I'd be much more in favour of something that stops them from being allowed to do this shit.
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Offline Nightangel8212

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2012, 05:29:05 am »
I don't think I can sign that one, unfortunately, as I am a Canuck... :( Might not make any difference in how they behave, but at least they would be labeled for what they are.

Offline Auggziliary

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2012, 08:44:19 am »
Seems a bit superfluous to me to formally have the WBC called what everybody already knows it is. As far as I know, having it classified as a hate group won't effect Fred and Shirley's ability to picket funerals and memorials to say disgusting things and sue innocent victims for reacting to their bullshit. Maybe they won't be able to get AS CLOSE to their victims, but they'd still be allowed to keep doing what they're doing. I'd be much more in favour of something that stops them from being allowed to do this shit.

If they become officially a hate group it would probably be easier to stop them from picketing.
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Offline Rabbit of Caerbannog

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2012, 10:17:14 am »
Seems a bit superfluous to me to formally have the WBC called what everybody already knows it is. As far as I know, having it classified as a hate group won't effect Fred and Shirley's ability to picket funerals and memorials to say disgusting things and sue innocent victims for reacting to their bullshit. Maybe they won't be able to get AS CLOSE to their victims, but they'd still be allowed to keep doing what they're doing. I'd be much more in favour of something that stops them from being allowed to do this shit.

If they become officially a hate group it would probably be easier to stop them from picketing.
Officially become a hate group according to who? The government, as far as I know, doesn't keep a list of active hate groups and pass legislation based on that. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps a list of active hate groups, and their information is used by law enforcement throughout the United States, but the Westboro Baptist Church was designated a hate group ages ago. In addition, the federal government and many states have passed laws like the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" which targeted the Church's activities. Though being the First Amendment purist that I am, I don't even agree with limiting what they do since they engage in protected speech (Snyder v. Phelps).

Offline ironbite

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2012, 11:46:50 am »
Thought SPLC already labeled them a hate group.

Ironbtie-this is just....not needed?

Offline DrFishcake

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2012, 02:59:41 pm »
This seems awfully misguided to me...why fuel the quest for notoriety that is at the very core of the Phelps agenda? He's like a real life pro wrestling baddie, the more he's hated the happier he is.

Offline Fpqxz

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2012, 11:35:27 pm »
Officially become a hate group according to who? The government, as far as I know, doesn't keep a list of active hate groups and pass legislation based on that. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps a list of active hate groups, and their information is used by law enforcement throughout the United States, but the Westboro Baptist Church was designated a hate group ages ago. In addition, the federal government and many states have passed laws like the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" which targeted the Church's activities. Though being the First Amendment purist that I am, I don't even agree with limiting what they do since they engage in protected speech (Snyder v. Phelps).

I don't know of any law which allows the federal government to maintain a list of "hate groups".  Now of course, the FBI routinely investigates extremist groups of all varieties, so I'm sure they have some familiarity with WBC as it is.

Whoever started this petition really has no idea what they are doing.
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Offline RavynousHunter

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2012, 12:05:21 am »
Signed, like a boss.  More recognition for the scum they are, never a bad thing.
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Offline Rabbit of Caerbannog

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2012, 12:22:08 am »
Officially become a hate group according to who? The government, as far as I know, doesn't keep a list of active hate groups and pass legislation based on that. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps a list of active hate groups, and their information is used by law enforcement throughout the United States, but the Westboro Baptist Church was designated a hate group ages ago. In addition, the federal government and many states have passed laws like the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act" which targeted the Church's activities. Though being the First Amendment purist that I am, I don't even agree with limiting what they do since they engage in protected speech (Snyder v. Phelps).
Whoever started this petition really has no idea what they are doing.
Basically.

Offline Material Defender

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2012, 10:59:27 am »
You can petition the government, but it basically does nothing.
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Offline Fpqxz

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2012, 03:18:15 pm »
You can petition the government, but it basically does nothing.

In this case, there is really nothing the gov't can do.  It would be a violation of the First Amendment to make a law outlawing certain types of organizations (unless they were somehow insurrectionist).
Read some real news:  Allgov.com, JURIST

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Offline lazerfrog

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2012, 03:27:00 pm »
Would this petition succeeding take away their status as a church?  If so, it could potentially be a very good thing, since they'd no longer have a tax exemption.

Offline niam2023

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Re: Petition to Legally reconise the WBC as a hate group
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2012, 04:04:34 pm »
Personally, even if the First Amendment were violated to shut them up, I would not care.

I am not a purist of the First Amendment.

It is my personal belief, formed through experience and my personal life, that excessive freedom breeds license. License to act as you wish without consequence is dangerous and that fosters nothing but maggots drawling about who slowly drain a society to death, and Europe...Europe sees this, hence why in certain countries, you could be arrested for saying things like what Westboro says.
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