I'm coming out.

This is a rather interesting week coming up. I have been afforded the opportunity to counter- picket one of the most evil organizations in all of America, and perhaps the world: The Westboro Baptist Church.
Led by "Reverend" Fred Phelps, these people have been spreading hateful propaganda all across the nation for years. They aren't even a recognized section of the Baptist faith by the leaders of the sect of Christianity, yet they constantly use the Bible as a weapon to bash anything and everything they deem "unholy".
Let us take a look at some of their work:

• Picketing the funeral of Matthew Shepard, the Wyoming University student who was beaten to a pulp for being a homosexual by two thugs after meeting at a bar. He was tortured, pistol whipped, and left hanging on a fence. They said he deserved it for being a "fag".
  Following the funeral, Phelps attempted and failed to gain city permits in Cheyenne and Casper to build a monument "of marble or granite 5 or 6 feet (1.8 m) in height on which will be a bronze plaque bearing Shepard's picture and the words: "MATTHEW SHEPARD, Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning: 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22."
• They protest outside of Broadway musicals, calling them "havens for homosexuality".
• They picket the funerals of American soldiers killed in action, sporting signs that read "Thank God for IEDs", "Thank God for 9/11", and "Fag Troops".
• Phelps releases videos damning to hell any famous person that speaks out or acts out against Christianity. Most notably, George Carlin and Heath Ledger (for his role in Brokeback Mountain).

I have been waiting five years for a crack at these hatemongers, not only because I consider myself an atheist, but because I think that anyone should be able to live however they choose in America, free of persecution and subjugation.

I understand that this blog (Piece of Shit of the Day) has been an exercise in ridicule, and I do not intend for any true judgements to be made based upon them. I have anger in my words, but not the hatred that is portrayed by these people.

With that said, I want to mention that even people who I am completely against (Sean Hannity) have come out and said that the WBC is nothing more than a group of belligerent jerks who feel the need to self-aggrandize based on their self-righteous assumptions. They take the First Amendment, and its free speech clause to the absolute moral and ethical limits of the law. As much as I hate to say it, they can say and protest whatever they like, because I believe in the Constitution. The best thing that those agianst them can really do is meet their numbers and message with a much stronger counter-argument populace and message, one of love and understanding.

I will leave you all with some ideas of exactly what Phelps says and does, as well as some of the most successful and hilarious counter-pickets that have occured thus far.

Phelps on Carlin:

Phelps on Australia:

Phelps on Jerry Falwell:

Phelps on Stewart/Colbert:


Now for the excellent counter-protests.
Michael Moore:

University of Chicago:


Let's do this the right way. My uncle died as a result of 9/11 (inhaling debris, firefighter). Fuck this guy, his "church", his ideology, his actions, and his ways.