From Hinckley memorial register signing locations, the Church President lying in state for two days prior to the funeral on Saturday, to the funeral services, tremendous numbers of people wish to pay tribute to President Hinckley.
"In addition to the crowds coming to pay their respects, the same group that protests at military funerals, the Westboro Baptist Church, is planning on showing up. Wihongi says it's their right to demonstrate, but he's warning funeral-goers not to let these people tick them off. "If people just do their thing and don't give them the audience they're looking for," he said." www.ksl.com link
While Utah is prepared for the concourses of public, protesting may cause havoc as those whose emotions are already running thin from mourning may find their anger ignited in defense of this man, whose magnificence is globally respected.
Some have begun preparations to stop the picketing of this so-called "church", the Westboro Baptist Church, from disrupting the reverence of the ceremonies that are planned.
Link To Comments Regarding Protesting
"Word on the street is...
Westboro Baptist Church is going to protest his funeral. Apparently they think Gordon B. was making it ok to be gay or something. Who knows with those idiots.
On the brighter side, there will be a counter-protest where they will be blocking these idiot's view with sheets, tarps, etc.
There will be no provocation of the protesters, and no one involved in the counter protest will even speak to them. the goal is to block their view, and blocking them from view. Kinda cool I think.
Anyone interested in joining this silent, and non-violent counter demonstration, can attend a planning meeting this Friday night at...
Coffee Connection.
1588 S State St.
Starts at 8 PM.
The counter-protest meet up is at 200 N West Temple, Saturday 9am.
Thanks."
Looking at what this Westboro Baptist Church stands for, it is a disgust and disgrace that it is representing itself as a Baptist Church. Certainly, we all know that the Baptist religion does not preach this way. They represent themselves in an upstanding Christ-like manner. On the other hand hatred is preached from every angle from Westboro Baptist Church.
Regarding President Hinckley and the "Mormon" church, they have printed a flyer that digs quotations from the Bible and directs them in such a way that is...well in order to get the full gist, unfortunately you may have to read a quote. Link to pathetic flyer, click here
"It is impossible for anybody who believes Mormon nonsense to get to Heaven. All dead Mormons are in Hell, where they are tormented day and night forever. Rev. 14:10,11"
"...in religious protest and warning; to wit:"Be not deceived; God is not mocked." Gal. 6:7. God Hates Fags! they are all foul-mouther and violent, with very few exceptions, if any. They are a microcosm of Doomed America, and they are all irreversibly headed for Hell for fighting for a nation that has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah: Isaiaah 3:25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war...[You're going to eat your babies!]...The siege is coming! America is Doomed! Amen!"
While looking into this church and its beliefs, the bio of Pastor Fred Phelps was pretty helpful, along with a memo he wrote to his church, which shows global hatred. Link To Memo
Obviously, from this memo, he wants control of his "congregation". Talking about where his "congregation" won't find the truth he states, "...and you don't find it in the form of a Bible college or a theological seminary, or a Sunday School of little churches meeting in different rooms for different age groups, or a super church with hierarchical rulers of archbishops, district superintendents, cardinals, popes or any such human authority above the local church, or a Billy-Graham-type multi-church crusade, or a so-called universal, invisible church, or a Youth for Christ Rally, or a foreign mission board, or a Focus on the Family-type Radio ministry, or a TV ministry -- or any of these legions of extra church religious groups, all of which have no authority from God Almighty to speak for Him or even to exist, and all of which therefore are Satanic frauds preaching Armenian lies."
So, if steam wasn't already streaming out of your ears, your face is now red with the fury of anger. Or you are at the point of thinking,"What?".
Shouldn't what the Westboro Baptist Church is doing be classified as hate crimes? What is a hate crime? Wikipedia link
"Hate crimes (also known as bias motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain social group, usually defined by race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation. Hate crimes differ from conventional crime because they are not directed simply at an individual, but are meant to cause fear and intimidation in an entire group or class of people.
Hate crime can take many forms. Incidents may involve physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, or offensive graffiti or letters."
Further, the punishments for these incidents are becoming harsher due to the hate crimes that are "the most destructive of the public safety and happiness. It is said that, when the core of a person's identity is attacked, the degradation and dehumanization is especially severe, and additional emotional and physiological problems are likely to result. Society then, in turn, can suffer from the disempowerment of a group of people. Furthermore, it is asserted that the chances for retaliatory crimes are greater when a hate crime has been committed. The riots in Los Angeles, California, that followed the beating of Rodney King, a Black motorist, by a group of White police officers are cited as support for this argument."
In these cases, where this group intends to bully and harass, give verbal abuse and/or insults during their protests, wouldn't these be considered hate crimes? Wouldn't there be a reason to shut this system of picketing down, even with the freedom of speech and expression?
"The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously found that penalty-enhancement hate crime statutes do not conflict with free speech rights because they do not punish an individual for exercising freedom of expression; rather, they allow courts to consider motive when sentencing a criminal for conduct which is not protected by the First Amendment."
During these funerals, do as the loved ones would want you to do. Look the other way. Forget these predators are trying to entice hateful emotions. Additionally, if you are reading this and are able to protect the families involved from these predators, please do so as has been so wonderfully done in past picketing experiences performed by Westboro.
Sources:
www.ksl.com
www.godhatesfags.com (Westboro Baptist Church)
