Westboro Baptist Church - Petition

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

475,000+ signatures petitioning the government to classify them a hate group.....finally a petition worth signing.

[Donerail]

Y'all realize the government doesn't publish lists of hate groups, right?

[homelycooking]

Y'all realize the government doesn't publish lists of hate groups, right?

Even if it did, I'm not sure I want the government to have the responsibility of determining what "hate" is.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Y'all realize the government doesn't publish lists of hate groups, right?

Even if it did, I'm not sure I want the government to have the responsibility of determining what "hate" is.

And I certainly don't want them to have the power to do something to them. (Except when they violate the same laws that applies to everyone else.)

[Maxwell]

Labeling them as a hate group? I think everyone knows they are a hateful group, so whats the point?

[MaxQue]

Labeling them as a hate group? I think everyone knows they are a hateful group, so whats the point?

Well, they are currently tax-exempt, no?

[Donerail]

Labeling them as a hate group? I think everyone knows they are a hateful group, so whats the point?

Well, they are currently tax-exempt, no?

Yes, and they're not engaging in the direct advocacy that would lead them to lose their tax exemption. 501(c)(3)s are allowed to hold opinions on public issues: just so long as they're not electioneering (the line here is that calling Al Gore a "famous fag pimp" is okay, but funding/announcing support for/giving an in-kind donation to his opponent isn't). They're sticking to "we hate gays" instead of "we support proposition whatever". There's no electoral advocacy.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Guys, they're a "left-wing" hate group. No way is socialist Obama going to label them one.

[freefair]

.. Fred Phelps IS a Democrat though... and he was Involved in the Civil Rights Movement (though that was mostly a Republican thing at the time)
You know, I heard they don't even believe in god or aren't even truly homophobic, they're just people skilled in law who try and make cash from lawsuits against people who try and restrict their expression/movements.. and the stuff they do is image building.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

.. Fred Phelps IS a Democrat though...

So was Larry MacDonald. Being a Democrat doesn't automatically make you a leftist.

[Donerail]

.. Fred Phelps IS a Democrat though...

So was Larry MacDonald. Being a Democrat doesn't automatically make you a leftist.

Oldiesfreak would love to point out lots of non-leftist Democrats for you.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

.. Fred Phelps IS a Democrat though... and he was Involved in the Civil Rights Movement (though that was mostly a Republican thing at the time)
You know, I heard they don't even believe in god or aren't even truly homophobic, they're just people skilled in law who try and make cash from lawsuits against people who try and restrict their expression/movements.. and the stuff they do is image building.

So was Larry MacDonald. Being a Democrat doesn't automatically make you a leftist.

Oldiesfreak would love to point out lots of non-leftist Democrats for you.

Kalwejt and freefair are both right.  And the "non-leftist Democrats" were simply conservative/moderate for their time.  It doesn't mean they would be now.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

As much as I hate them, it's a dangerous road to go down to have the government start labeling groups "hate groups".

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

They're protesting my friends at the Onething Conference in Kansas City. Last year we had Occupy KC and a few pro gay marriage folks protesting us. Well its safe to say its a good thing when both sides protest you. Maybe you're doing good

[Joe Republic]

They're protesting my friends at the Onething Conference in Kansas City. Last year we had Occupy KC and a few pro gay marriage folks protesting us. Well its safe to say its a good thing when both sides protest you. Maybe you're doing good

Both sides?  What do you mean?  The WBC is a left-wing group too.  Fox News said so.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Thats not what ive heard of them. In fact. I've called them out on this site for particular distain regarding their tactics regarding how the church should handle the LGBT community. While I abhor the lifestyle of the LGBT community I think Westboro is totally out of line scripturally with their tactics.

[Joe Republic]

Then you must educate yourself, dear boy.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

They make me look like a moderate

[DC Al Fine]

Y'all realize the government doesn't publish lists of hate groups, right?

Even if it did, I'm not sure I want the government to have the responsibility of determining what "hate" is.

And I certainly don't want them to have the power to do something to them. (Except when they violate the same laws that applies to everyone else.)

[old timey villain]

WBC has a constitutional right to be reprehensible. Sorry.

[Maxwell]

Labeling them as a hate group? I think everyone knows they are a hateful group, so whats the point?

Well, they are currently tax-exempt, no?

I mean, yes, they should lose their tax-exemptness, but I think no church should have that.

[MaxQue]

WBC has a constitutional right to be reprehensible. Sorry.

And they have a constitutional right to a tax exemption?

[Donerail]

WBC has a constitutional right to be reprehensible. Sorry.

And they have a constitutional right to a tax exemption?

Yes. It's in the establishment-of-religion clause (Walz v. Tax Commission).

[politicallefty]

It's not a constitutional right to have a tax exemption, but rather that tax exemptions themselves do not violate the Constitution. The government has full power to end any tax exemptions it has previously granted. I don't see any constitutional issue here so long as the government goes through appropriate channels.

[Donerail]

It's not a constitutional right to have a tax exemption, but rather that tax exemptions themselves do not violate the Constitution. The government has full power to end any tax exemptions it has previously granted. I don't see any constitutional issue here so long as the government goes through appropriate channels.

Walz specifically ruled that the tax exemption created a far more minimal and remote involvement between church and state than would be created by taxing the churches because it restricted the financial relationship between the two and reinforced their separation.