Despicable, Horrible Human Beings

I'm angry again. No, I'm beyond angry. I am furious. I can't even think of more synonyms for mad.

I wrote yesterday about the death of Christina Green, and how grieved I am for her family and for her. I was literally in tears while writing it. I hoped to counter balance the sadness of that blog with something lighter, like the fun lists my friend Running Fish is doing, but a girl's gotta write when a girl's gotta write.

I'm talking about the Westboro Baptist Church.

I have never been fond of these people. These are the delightful members of America who never fail to exhibit their right to free speech, including picketing soldiers' funerals, marching around college campuses with signs that say, "God Hates Fags", "God Hates the USA", "God Hates Soldiers", "God Hates People with Freckles", etc. I've mentioned them in this blog a time or two, usually in conjunction with an example. Obviously these little gems aren't prime examples of Christianity.

However, I've always said they have a right to their opinions. Yes. They have a right to be nasty, bigoted, despicable people and they have a write to hold signs that proclaim it. (Whether they have a right to do this at funerals is another matter--I'll get into that in a moment.) This is also the same reason years ago I didn't join the facebook group, "Remove the 'Soldiers Are Not Heroes' Group on Facebook!" when all of my other friends did. I thought the people in that group were awful. But the thing is, they have a right to have that opinion. They have a right to make that facebook group. I believe it was Thomas Paine who said, "Sir, I disagree completely with what you're saying, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

Now. It has recently been announced that the Westboro Baptist Church is planning on picketing Christina Taylor Green's funeral.

They had this to say. "The 9-year-old girl was born 9/11/01! “Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it,” Mic. 6:9. God mercifully gave this nation a fair warning on 9/11 – but you despise His mercies, so you get no more mercy – man, woman or child. That’s how God the Avenger rolls!

That child was not innocent. This is a nation of depraved perverts who pass their children through the fire of their rage against God & all-consuming lust. From the womb, she was taught to hate God & mock His servants. That child is better off dead, so the cup of her iniquity will not overflow! Rep. Giffords passed laws trying to keep WBC watchers off the street corners. In repayment, God sent the shooter when she took to a street corner! The blood of the 9-year-old is on Rep. Giffords’ hands! This nation rejoiced & your officials were ho-hum when a violent veteran stalked 5 WBC picketers with 90 rounds of ammunition. In repayment, God sent the shooter with 90 rounds of ammunition & killed your federal judge, your child, & others. Now let’s see if you’re so ho-hum in the face of God’s wrath! The blood of these six dead is on your hands rebellious doomed-america! God’s judgments are so righteous & marvelous in our sight!

THANK GOD FOR HIS RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS!"

I am pretty damn furious at the moment. When I read this, all of my idealistic notions of free speech flew out the window and I wanted blood. I wanted to find these people and scream at them, throw stuff, scream some more, maybe even punch the more obnoxious ones. Now that I'm calmer, I still agree with my previous statements. But--you should not be allowed to protest at a funeral. No. Get them out. Make it illegal. There is no statement you can make by intruding on someone's grief and memory. A funeral is very often times a religious ceremony, and even if the person in question is not religious, it still has spiritual implications. Atheists would not be permitted to stand in the back of a church holding signs that say "YOU ARE IDIOTS FOR BELIEVING IN GOD." Christians would not be permitted to walk into a mosque with their shoes on and hold signs that say, "YOU ARE ALL TERRORISTS AND GOING TO HELL." Police would be called. There would be consequences. Therefore, these assholes should not be allowed to protest at funerals. Period.

Generally, the police have been pretty good about making sure these dickweeds aren't actually at the service, and are at least a city block away. My concern is that people are going to get rightfully upset and try and start shit with these guys. Arguments and fights should not be what's going on in the background of this little girl's funeral.

People aren't standing for this however, thank God. There will be a wall of silent people, calling themselves 'angels', who will stand in the way of the protestors. That's the nice thing about a free country--we can protest the protestors.

God bless Christina's family. I won't ask for God to smite the WBC--but maybe a really bad case of the stomach flu?

(Btw, sorry about the crazy font changes, I copy and pasted from the article and blogger dot com doesn't seem to understand how to change back to the original font.)