(Untitled)

[freeptop]

Wow. This is actually the most logical explanation of Fred Phelps and the so-called "Westboro Baptist Church" I've ever seen. It makes far too much sense to not be accurate. Which only makes Phelps and his family even more reprehensible.
http://www.kanewj.com/wbc/

(Stolen from ls56)

Comments

[ef2p]

Interesting theory but it doesn't hold up to the sniff test.

Sniff 1) If the author was indeed a journalist, he would have a list a lawsuits filed by the WBC instead of just insinuating them.

Sniff 2) Google Search 'Westboro Baptist Church Lawsuit'. If the WBC was making money by suing people left and right, there would be information about it online. Lawsuits are a matter of public record. A quick skim of the search results show lots of people suing WBC and WBC suing for the right to protest but no mention of significant awards of money.

[freeptop]

It can be very difficult to find records of older lawsuits when the current ones have tons of articles and blog posts and what-not to fill the searches, but your points are still well-taken.

In any case, even if the motivation is incorrect, the notes about his tactics are still dead-on. He's very definitely out to manipulate others, and try to stay just on the side of the law that benefits himself.

No matter what, the man is reprehensible, though.

[freeptop]

I did a little more digging. One thing worth noting is that it usually isn't the church initiating the lawsuits. It's one of the Phelps family. And not usually Fred Phelps himself, since he's disbarred.

One notable quote:
""We won't argue our case in the press, we'll argue it in court," Polikov said. "They're filing so many actions and requests, there's no merit in addressing each one individually."

Phelps-Roper has had some success with her lawsuits over the arrest. A federal judge last month permanently stopped the state's flag mutilation law from being enforced. Also last month, the city of Bellevue agreed to pay Phelps-Roper a $17,000 settlement in exchange for her dropping a lawsuit she had filed against the city

[ls56]

it is useful to note that the Phelps kids who have left the church and family behind state that the family lives off their court settlements.

and there is last year's Supreme Court case, which is about a guy suing WBC, but their understanding of the law is explained during their argument.

http://ls56.livejournal.com/584737.html

[vanessasquest]

Definitely agreeable argument. Anyhow, how's little Caitlyn, Erik, and Kathy? ^_^ You must be the happy papa right now, yeah? ^_^ Also- what size is Caitlyn, I think you get a chance to check email more than Kathy, she hasn't gotten back to me just yet.

[freeptop]

Caitlin is doing fine, Erik is adjusting, but mostly doing fine, and Kathy and I are exhausted, still trying to figure out how to help Erik with his adjusting, but otherwise doing okay, I suppose...

As for what size Caitlin is: she's around 6lbs right now, and somewhere in the vicinity of 19.5" (she hasn't been measured in over a week, at this point ;) ).

Finally, you would be correct in thinking that Kathy hasn't gotten to check email much recently!

[vanessasquest]

when I say size I mean baby clothes size.

[freeptop]

Ah! Sorry, father brain is scrambled as well ;)

Best bet is "Newborn" (though that can be difficult to find), though that tends to still be large on her. She's a tiny little creature! We're pretty sure she's still too big for clothes made for premature babies, though. She's just in between sizes right now (unfortunately, she's in between two sizes that are smaller than most babies apparently are, considering the lack of newborn-sized clothes to be found...)