Jane Velez-Mitchell hosts "ISSUES with Jane Velez-Mitchell," a topical event-driven show with a wide range of viewpoints that airs every night at 7 ET on HLN.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/03/25/velez.mitchell.westboro/index.html
"According to Nate, the demonstrators are family members who didn't rebel and get away from the family patriarch, but rather remained in the controversial fold, spending decades on the receiving end of what they call discipline and Nate calls abuse.
Says Nate: "It's nine of my 12 siblings and their extended family. I think there's one other family with, I understand, three or four members. And, other than that, it's all related."
The obvious question is: Are these family members exercising their own free will in inflicting their bigoted views during these protests, or could they be exhibiting the effects of lifelong conditioning? They were told to obey the word of a man who purports to know the will of God while not sparing the rod.
The bigger question is: Why is Pastor Phelps so obsessed with what other people are doing behind the closed doors of their bedrooms? Given that he is so judgmental, doesn't that -- in turn -- give us the right to ask for an answer to the question: "Hey, what's happening behind your own closed doors, Pastor Phelps?"
Everyone is getting emotional missing the real issues here. These folks have developed a ingenious way to make money. WBC does these "protests" to provoke a confrontation between themselves and the local civil authorities who often try to block them from their protests. They then sue the locality and always win on thier right of free speech and assembly all the while collecting thousands of dollars in court fees. Many of the "family" are lawyers and they know how to manipulate the system to their financial advantage. This is not about soldiers, homosexuals or anything else except money. You have to admire their creativity. Check into it yourself
ReplyDeleteBecause we've been dealing with WBC's antics for literally years, we know quite well what their motivation is, LOL. If you read the rest of the site, you'll see that.
ReplyDeleteIf think that if WBC were picketing at the funeral of one of your loved ones, you'd be a tad "emotional", too...Wouldn't you? That's why we continually urge those who feel they need to support the families by counter-protesting to do so in a calm, peaceful manner and not to react to anything WBC does other than to form a silent barrier between them and the mourners.
Thanks for your comments.
Kate