This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
An anti-gay protest from the Westboro Baptist Church at the massive comic convention Comic-Con has been muffled by a humorous counterprotest.
The Westboro Baptist church has gained notoreity for anti-gay and anti-government protests, picketing the funerals of US soldiers, celebrating the deaths of Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger and making hate-filled diatribes against Lady Gaga, President Obama and Sweden.
But they met their match with convention-goers at the massive science fiction/comics event in San Diego, California, who countered the demonstration with witty signs, lurid costumes and mocking chants.
"What do we want? Gay sex! When do we want it? Now!" shouted members of the crowd.
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Bonus Video - with Jesus
All I have to say is
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Hell yes! Finally, I hate those bastards!!!
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PS: I cannot possibly be laughing harder. The Most Hated Family in America - watch it. It's a documentary about the WBC, and... I have come to the realization that these people are real life internet trolls. And we all know trolls are just another form of attention whore that feeds off hate. Make fun, not war!
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Yes! I saw this...AWESOME. Seriously, is this really how some people want to spend their lives?
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We pretty much did the same thing when they came to Louisiana to protest a high school play of the Laramie project. We had a counter-protest party. Except... they didn't even show up!
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I kind of pity the younger generations in the documentary, they're so obviously brainwashed into this mode of thinking that 'fag' has almost no meaning to them except a vague descriptor for anyone not like them and thus a social threat.
Ultimately these people are a joke, we all agree to that. To me the danger is that while we roll our eyes at these crazy bastards, real actual agenda-carrying anti-gay people pay their OH THAT'S TERRIBLE lip service and quietly keep homosexuals from marrying and keep DADT as a social relic from being dumped like a used newspaper. There are actual real threats to any kind of social or religious equality and it's not these clowns.
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I did recall at one point the video showed that the kids who were raising those posters saying, "God hates fags" had no idea the significance behind doing such things.
Comic-con ppl are win, though, for doing this
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Westboro Baptist Church: 0.
Comic con attendees: Epic.
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that totally made my day. I feel sorry for those kids though... they're taught blind hatred. Hate breeds hate, anyone knows that.
Also score one for the Trekkies!!!!
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I'm probably going to a bible-themed burlesque show on Friday featuring Black Drag Queen Disco Jesus, and the Phelpsies have threatened to protest. I plan to offer them all hugs. Or perhaps blowjobs.
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Stormcrow wrote:
I'm probably going to a bible-themed burlesque show on Friday featuring Black Drag Queen Disco Jesus, and the Phelpsies have threatened to protest. I plan to offer them all hugs. Or perhaps blowjobs.
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LMFAO! I was actually at Comic-Con this weekend && saw this...they were there every day >___<
It's only beautiful because my gf && I walked by them holding hands xD;;
My favorite sign I saw protesting the WBC said "Optimus Prine died for your sins". Gotta love Comic-Con
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Stormcrow wrote:
I'm probably going to a bible-themed burlesque show on Friday featuring Black Drag Queen Disco Jesus, and the Phelpsies have threatened to protest. I plan to offer them all hugs. Or perhaps blowjobs.
I think that all the counterprotesters everywhere should offer them hugs, and try to talk with them. Not argue or mock, just chat. It's pretty clear that they're not used to a friendly word from anybody outside their little clan. They sure as hell need all the therapy they can get.
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Stormcrow wrote:
I'm probably going to a bible-themed burlesque show on Friday featuring Black Drag Queen Disco Jesus, and the Phelpsies have threatened to protest. I plan to offer them all hugs. Or perhaps blowjobs.
What's really sad is that after having watched the documentary on them, I totally don't hate them at all. I should, I know, but... I just can't get that worked up about a bunch of signs. I'm against people actually adopting their beliefs, yes, but...
Okay. Here's how I see it. They're honestly the kind of people that I would like to see more of. Don't lynch me, I have a point here. And that point is that regardless of who they are as people, their singlemindedness and the lengths they take their beliefs to quite frankly make them look ridiculous. And because they are made to look ridiculous, anyone who adopts their beliefs even in part is also made to look ridiculous. You hate 'fags'? Congratulations, you're just like the WBC, and everyone hates them. The comparisons are inevitable, and will necessitate people hiding their own prejudices... and in this one example, out of everything we wish would work this way and doesn't, hiding a belief set like that actually works to diminish the belief itself. If people can't say why it's wrong to hate LGBTs, they can't pass along that hatred.
This will not impact anything in the short term, but in the long run... hell, guys, I had to be told about racial stereotypes when I was 20 because no one ever talked about it. Sure, racism might have been there, but since no one could spread it, it was ineffective and essentially harmless to the next generation. I can't think of a more effective way to decrease hate-- by making it look so stupid that people can't even talk about it.
So I vote for hugs. Also I'm a big fat softie, and those girls really need hugs. Poor things, they really just want to be loved. You can just tell.
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Didnt these tools also picket Dio's funeral? Im glad the geek army owned them.
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Yasha wrote:
What's really sad is that after having watched the documentary on them, I totally don't hate them at all. I should, I know, but... I just can't get that worked up about a bunch of signs. I'm against people actually adopting their beliefs, yes, but...
I felt the same way after watching the documentary. This was a while ago; maybe I should watch it again. The children, especially, I feel sympathy for; it was hearbreaking to hear the little boy try to explain in circles why he was protesting to the reporter. He did not understand what he was talking about; he just knew fags were bad. The college-aged daughters are old enough to break free of that upbringing, but I bet it was systemic, total, and brutal. They seem competent and confident in their beliefs, and they claim they were allowed to question, but I doubt this is entirely true.
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Trench Kamen wrote:
The college-aged daughters are old enough to break free of that upbringing, but I bet it was systemic, total, and brutal. They seem competent and confident in their beliefs, and they claim they were allowed to question, but I doubt this is entirely true.
It may be entirely true. The thing about allowing a teenager to question his or her beliefs, though, is that on average, a teenager is still dumber than an adult. Particularly an adult who's spent most of their life thinking about the one thing the teenager is asking questions about. When a fifteen-year-old debates her history teacher over the merits of dropping the bomb on Hiroshima, it doesn't matter who takes which side or who is actually right; the history teacher will win, because the history teacher has more facts, more command over their historical context, and more authority in the event they reach an impasse. I imagine it's the same arguing with your devout/batshit parents about religion.
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Truly the greatest counter-protest in American history!
Yasha wrote:
PS: I cannot possibly be laughing harder. The Most Hated Family in America - watch it. It's a documentary about the WBC, and... I have come to the realization that these people are real life internet trolls. And we all know trolls are just another form of attention whore that feeds off hate. Make fun, not war!
Even Jesus would bitchslap that woman.
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Stormcrow wrote:
I'm probably going to a bible-themed burlesque show on Friday featuring Black Drag Queen Disco Jesus, and the Phelpsies have threatened to protest. I plan to offer them all hugs. Or perhaps blowjobs.
I hero-worship drag queens and porn stars but I find the idea of Bible burlesque a little shady, and here’s why. Fhelps and his gang would be protesting if there were queens on stage doing a dramatic presentation of The Miracle Worker. It’s not the Bible, it’s the gay person onstage. Who does revere Biblical figures, however, are people who believe in the Judeo-Christian God. The point of a show which mocks what a group of people consider holy offends that entire group of believers. Insert any major world religious text into the title and it seems people who believe are actual targets.
And yeah, I felt a sad sympathy for the people in that documentary, college-aged and down.. They seem to have been brainwashed, with no chance to overcome that cult upbringing.
Probably my favorite counter-protest was when Michael Moore brought a busload of flaming gay men in a bright pink bus, to meet with the WBC rally. These guys were so awesome, they rallied around the protest signs and sang songs, complimenting the UGLY dog WBC woman on her singing voice and likeness to some famous diva of the past. The woman looked really pleased and flattered, and they begged her to sing. So she started a song and they all sang together for about five seconds and the guys were all so happy hugging around her - and she suddenly swaps the lyrics to some God Hates All You Fags, Be Prepared to Burn in Hell.... the guys laughed. But I was filled with such a murderous hatred for that woman, that I seriously thought something was wrong with me!
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Frosty, I don't think you're alone.
It's hard to have any other feelings except for hate for a person who believes in such a negative && hateful world. It's just confusing that there is someone out there that is so angry && hateful toward the world && everything about it.
Quite the depressing existance, if you ask me...
But I agree with everyone else on the brainwashed children, has anyone ever seen Jesus Camp? It's a documentary about what it sounds like; in one scene they asked "How many of you would die for Jesus Christ?" && almost all of the children ((some looking under 5 years old)) immediately raised their hands. It just disguisted me that these children don't even get the chance to make their own decisions, they're just locked into this practice that looks exactly like a cult.
So sad DDDDD':
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AnimentalCosplayer wrote:
It's just confusing that there is someone out there that is so angry && hateful toward the world && everything about it.
Except they didn't look all that angry in the documentary, at least not on the outside? At least this particular set of people. They all seemed pretty 'la la la' over the fact that USA and Sweeden will apparently be swallowed up by hell's gates or that nobody is really paying attention to their messages. It even seems they don't care if the message doesn't come across to other people, as long as they do their protesting and feel they're doing their bit to secure a place in heaven. It all seems pretty selfish and self-absorbed, because even in their own minds, they're just doing this for the benefits of themselves and their salvation.
They're a complete joke, but as Gio pointed out, there are other people with those beliefs which aren't as harmless. I'm just fascinated how can a person's mind function in a way that you believe someone deserves to die, but then go ahead and treat them like they're your best friend, doing chores together and whatnot (talking about the college girl and the documentarist). And not dwell upon bad things? Or possibilities? Like, ever? Of course, she probably just didn't want to admit it on camera and end up looking bad, but... What kind of a shallow existence is that? It seems a step further than denial... They hear what everybody else are telling them, but they don't react, question or contemplate those words. They're brainwashed in a way where they can still think, they just choose not too. Hmm.
On a lighter note - OWNED!
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I don't know, that's the vibe I got off of their leader...especially when someone is saying that we're living in a doomed world. :/
But I agree, most of the others were usually out of it. They're a really complicated group to understand sometimes...
Exactly, I totally agree! Their logic makes no sense; if they want to spread "God's word", they'd be a bit more concerned that they aren't reaching out to people. Overall, I agree, selfish actions that they pass off as completely selfless. I doubt most people would live their life doing things that are completely selfless; as humans, we tend to look for the benefits that makes the action have greater purpose to us.
It really is mind-boggling, how hypocritical their actions are versus their beliefs.
It truly does seem like they are living in their own little world. What really annoys me is that they don't even listen to others! For example, when the journalist was just stating his positive view on gays && she instantly shut it out, only for us to hear a monologue of her beliefs that sounds rehearsed. You could tell the journalist wasn't too thrilled but he still listened to her words.
They say the day you stop learning is the day you die; I feel like other beliefs are included in that. By shutting them out completely, they're not only alienating themselves but stunting their growth as human beings.
Just my two cents on all of this.
But yes, owned they were! I'm glad CC stood up to them!
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The bbc documentary was very interesting but I wish they had interviewed the excommunicated family members; We probably would have gotten some real dirt on their secrets then, and I thought the interviewer was amazing the entire time to not like, idk, kill them all and be done with it. They'd probably be happy about it too.
I also completely hate the family for what they're doing to their younger kids, especially the ones who don't know what the hell the sign is saying but get hit in the head with a plastic soda cup anyways. I wish there were some law that could have social workers take these kids away from freakish cult families.
Last edited by haelsyx (08-01-2010 01:54:34 PM)
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One of the excommunicated family members, Nate Phelps, is now an atheist, and gave a LONG AND DETAILED account of the things his father, Fred, did to his family. This is Nate's website: http://natephelps.com/10801.html
He also put a couple of angry messages sent by his family, accusing him of not being able to see the truth and being fag-enabler, on this website of his.
He mentioned that Shirley Phelps was the only one among Fred's children who DID not try to escape. Everyone else he knew had tried to run away at some point in time when they turned 18. Except Kathryn, who tried to run away when she was 17, and was thus caught and brought back to her home. http://lifewithoutfaith.com/?p=762
I don't think Fred has the time to be abusive to the newer generation of Phelps. At least, I don't think the newer generation had been abused to the extent that Nate and his siblings had. Maybe it's because now Shirley is more in charge of the household, and Fred is this guy who's sitting on his throne, not wanting to be in touch with anyone living below him. (which is probably why in that documentary, he's almost always on the second floor in his office)
What really disturbs me now is not really the preaching and protesting and picketing. It's the fact that Fred Phelps, decades and decades ago, used to be just another kid, like us. I can't imagine what he has gone through to have become the angry madman he is now. :-/
Last edited by Hiraku (08-02-2010 08:54:35 AM)
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Hiraku wrote:
What really disturbs me now is not really the preaching and protesting and picketing. It's the fact that Fred Phelps, decades and decades ago, used to be just another kid, like us. I can't imagine what he has gone through to have become the angry madman he is now. :-/
Quoted for truth, Hiraku.
Those high school and college girls in the documentary—I really just wanted to talk to them, befriend them, try and talk them down from their crazy place. I know that kind of desire to "fix" people can be unhealthy, but they've never had any outside friends, since they alienate everyone, and the cognitive dissonance they were displaying was just as sad as it was scary. I wish I could do something to help. It's a screwed-up situation all round.
And as for the adults—maybe I was just out of the loop, I'd heard of the WBC but only vaguely, but when I saw those signs and heard what they were saying…makes me physically sick.
On the other hand, after looking at those truly awesome pictures of the Comic-Con "picketers," I couldn't stop smiling. So awesome. And it's a much better note to go off thinking about than the Phelps' vile personal crusade.
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