Should Fred Phelps be fined or jailed? What will stop him?

Question

I've read Phelps is still AAARGh disrupting people's funerals!

Apparently some court has fined him and his organization!

I doubt that will stop him though.

Should he be fined or Jailed?

Would arresting him work or just feed his homophobia/ martyr complex?

There must be something that can be done!

I find his behaviour absolutely appalling!

I'm surprised none of the relatives have punched him out yet!

Lots strong answers so far!

Does anyone think he's mentally ill and should be forcibly hospitalized?

Answer 1

Nothing will stop him. He's an attention-seeking sociopath.

Ignore him.

He's a disbarred lawyer, and most of his family cult are lawyers. Let the lawyers deal with him. Even extreme right wing fundamentalists are sick of him.

Answer 2

Well, as much as I can not stand Fred Phelps or his message, I believe that he should be allowed to say his piece, even at funerals. Above all else, I believe in the beauty of our Constitution, and the sovereignty of the First Amendment.

Repulsive and abhorrent as his message is, I believe he is entitled to it. Rev. Phelps is getting up in age, and will hopefully be passing on soon. I hope that his message gets slightly diluted with the passing on to each subsequent generation (though hearing his daughters speak, it seems like it'll take awhile to clean out the hate of the Phelps line). I also hope that the extremity of the behaviors of the Westboro Baptist Church will eventually cause people to see how similar homophobia is to racism and sexism - and how none of those values should be upheld in this free society.


Regarding mental illness and forced hospitalization: If we forced hospitalization on everyone who behaved with extraodinary impropriety, our mental institutions would be full, and we would all probably have extremely charismatic people near and dear to us who would fall victim to the forced removal from society.

Laws protecting civil rights are designed to protect *everyone* - not just those we like. And thank god for that!

I'm an outspoken lesbian who does not follow any Christian theology, so believe me when I say I stand up for Fred Phelps' rights for what those rights mean to *me* - not because I have any respect, whatsoever, for that man.

Answer 3

I think Snout has an accurate assessment of Fred's character.

From what I read, the fine was large enough to clean out Fred and his strange family. The case was brought be the father of a soldier whose funeral Fred & Co. disrupted.

I still don't understand the logic of picketing soldier's funerals because you hate gay people. Yes, I've read their explanation, but the logic has holes you could drive an entire convoy of 18-wheelers through.

Answer 4

Let justice work. Let Phelps be his own undoing. Let Christians rise against him.

His behavior has been appalling for years, but he is protected by his right to free speech. He does not, however, have the right to intrude upon the rights of others.

Phelps will be a miserable, lonely old man if one of his own doesn't decide to kill him in order to take over the cult.

The First Amendment guarantees the government shall not prevent free exercise of religion.

I like our First Amendment, because it protects believers and non believers equally.

Answer 5

I'm surprised that the family members haven't driven the funeral procession thru the middle of them yet! Phelps is so out of line. Doesn't he see that the only point he is getting across is that he is a deranged lunatic??!

I think he should be put in jail and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment!! Is it possible to drag him to jail behind a patrol car with another patrol car tailgating?? No? Darn.

Answer 6

I think that ENTIRE family needs a true wake up call. Gives Christians a bad rap. They don't know anything about Christianity. They're the type of "religious" Christians that will take bible verses out of context in order to justify their own personal issues and hatred.

What they do goes entirely against what the bible teaches.

And practically all of his relatives belong to his same church. Look at his wife. She's horrendous. And the daughters? Wow. They've really been brain polluted.

Answer 7

As much as I would like the guy to serve some time. He is not charged with a crime and what he did is a civil matter. He might start singing a different tune when he is hounded for the judgment he will owe. It also sends a message to others, this kind of behavior will not be tolerated and could face the same kind of civil judgments.

Answer 8

He deserves the electric chair.....or forcibly be enroled in the Chadian army, or the guatemalan Kaibils for 2 years (if he is that brave)-----
Unfortunately, if he goes to trial, he will punch all the jury and judge and DA in the face.....
And back to the saddle again.
A proper fine by a jury (if not physically attacked by the frenzied beast), would be THAT exact amount of money, that puts him out of business, and stops him from running his stupid business....
Unfortunately, I cant think of where we can find such brave bunch.........
Unfortunately, I can assure You....I WILL DISRUPT HIS STUPID FUNERAL....you can bet on that,,,,,and face the music...

Answer 9

fred phelps and his church was sued by the father of one of the soldiers who's funerals they protested. the jury decided to award the family 11 million dollars. the lawyer for the family said in an interview on the glen beck show, on cnn, that the church phelps leads is only worth 1 million. he went on too say that the church will have to hand over all of it's assets to the family and then declare bankruptcy. hopefully this will shut him up, but i doubt it.

Answer 10

Let God have him. The time of Fred Phelps will reach it's end. I hope he does not bring Christianity down with him, but I think that's what the demon inside of him is trying to do.

If they make a law against Fred Phelps, they will apply it to all religion. That's what we don't want.