Westboro, Supreme Court, Slashed Tires, and Trash

So yeah, I live in Westboro here in Topeka, KS.  Okay -- well actually like two blocks north.  Westboro is a quaint neighborhood area on the west side of the captial building.  It has some beautiful homes.  And one f*cked up church . . .

Yup -- I live two blocks north of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.  Yes . . . THAT one.  So why am I blogging about this?  Well, I just wanted to weigh in on a few recent develoments . . .

One, the Supreme Court upheld a lower courts ruling that they have the right to protest at military funerals.  Now let me get this out -- I absolutely DETEST them -- but they do have that right.  We live in a country where we can protest whatever we want, no matter how assanine or retarded we are about it.  Our country was built on that right -- and I wouldn't support anyone losing it.  It doesn't mean I have to listen, or acknowledge them.  I know a lot of people are upset about that ruling, but I'm not.  I wouldn't want my right to attend the Million Fag March (and yes, I'll be there, April 30th) to be interfered with because it offends someone.  We have to allow everyone a voice, even if we don't like what they are saying with it.  I do feel the Supreme Court got this one right.

Secondly, and admittedly I giggled when I read this article, someone slashed the tires of the Westboro Baptist Church minivan in McAlister, Oklahoma; and then no one in the town would provide service to them.  (Click HERE to read the article in the Tulsa Journal.)  I don't condone violence, or vandalism, and really wouldn't EVER recommend anyone do this to anyone -- I think a little "Golden Rule" was in effect in this situation.  Some people are worried that they will sue the small businesses that refused to fix their tires, but it's legal refuse service as long as it's not a violation of someone civil rights (i.e. NO shirt, NO shoes, NO service).  I'm wondering if they could even argue that they refused service as a form of protest . . .

Finally -- and many know about this -- they aren't really protesting anything.  They protest in front of churches, a local park, Sonic (WTF on that??), a video store, and funerals.  And they use the same signs over and over and over.  No point -- just trying to upset everyone.

The leader of that cult (and yes, it really is that) started off protesting gay events and gay funerals.  He received tons of coverage, and he became famous.  And then people started ignoring him, and not paying attention to him.  Typical of all fame whores, he couldn't deal with the fact that he was being ignored.  So -- how to generate more news coverage??  Now he protests military funerals.  That pisses off more than just the "gays."    Don't believe me about the "fame whore" claim -- how about trying to stage a Quran burning on 9/11 after the pastor in Florida called his off due to all the attention he received . . . yeah, too bad no one paid attention.  (Click HERE to read that article).  One thing effective fame whores know is that you have to be original . . .

So -- the point of my post.  It isn't to rail the WBC.  I could care less what they do.  THAT is my point in this post.  Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, just needs to ignore them.  I do.  I have the same opinion of them as I do trash on the side of the road -- I don't like it existing but I don't really stop and do anything about it.  I just don't care enough.  So -- there you have it.  One gay man's strategy on how he feels about the WBC crazies walking up and down the sidewalks.

The bottom line is they really don't have anything to say.  They just want you to pay attention to them.