I'm all for free speech, and the right to protest, but Phelps and his cohorts abuse what we take for granted as our rights. There are countries where free speech is VERY dangerous, so firstly he should count himself lucky that he lives in a free country, to say anything he likes.
On the law intervening, I absolutely believe that they should. If this vile, repugnant excuse for a human being wants to protest, he should be allowed to. 10 miles away. An exclusion zone, prohibiting him from going within 10 miles of funerals etc, would sort that out, while protecting his right to free speech. As for the young children, again, yes. Social Services should intervene. There were a pair of whack-jobs who recently named their son "Adolf Hitler"; their other children were called Hinler (pretty damn close to Himmler), and Aryan Nation, along with their home being decorated with swastikas. They claim not to be racist, which if that is true, then I proclaim myself to be from Saturn, and have eight backsides! Their children were removed from the home, and so should the children being forced into a life of hatred.
This hatred is going to be reflected back at them, making it doubly worse. While they hate anyone and everything that moves, other children, other people are going to grow to hate THEM. They will grow up sad, hateful, bitter and lonely. Hopefully, like some of Phelp's older children, they will abandon their family "values" and realise what they are doing and believing is pure, unadulterated vitriol.
What they are doing IS mental child abuse. They get away with it because it is "in the name of religion". Personally I disagree with parents forcing ANY religious beliefs on their children. Kids are a blank slate and should be allowed to find out about religion, and if they elect to discover a deity, it should be entirely down to them. I have no problem with religion being taught in schools, provided it is open and honest about all religious beliefs, teaches scientific theory alongside religious and philosophical theory. Teach Christianity, Islam, Atheism and in science, evolution. Give them a whole spectrum of experiences and options, to allow them to decide from themselves.
As for the Phelps family, they are a repulsive pile of steaming vomit, who should never be allowed to breed again. Their views are abhorrent, outdated, cruel, vile, insidious, and downright hateful, and they undermine every principle entitling people to freedom of speech.
There are very few people on the planet who I truly hate, however I wouldn't urinate on Phelps if he was on fire. He is a cancer on society, and is metastasising onto young, impressionable minds. I wish I believed in heaven and hell, just so that I could envisage this revolting turd burning in hell for all eternity.
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