It was a Sonic cup, so it wasn't coffee, but yeah, that's it.

And apparently to them, a fag isn't just a homosexual. It's anyone that engages in anything other than heterosexual marital procreational intercourse, and anyone that doesn't virulently condemn everything but heterosexual marital procreational intercourse. So...yeah. Apparently we're all fags. And God is the new terrorist that America faces. Because he duped Bush into beginning the War on Terror to punish America for supporting The Fag Agenda. Oh, and Billy Graham, a man that Phelps has known and respected for 50 years, is going to hell because he's a lying, deceptive fag. I shit you not, he said that almost verbatim all in the same sentence in a video mini-sermon. And getting hit by a car means that you're going to hell, and it's a cause for your father to celebrate, because you're obviously a fag and you're finally getting the divine judgment you deserve.

The really pathetic thing? They'll rail and curse at people driving or walking by, telling them that America is doomed and we're all going to hell because we're fags or fag-enablers, and then they don't understand why they're hated. I mean, they're OBVIOUSLY doing everyone a kind and well-meaning courtesy by telling us exactly how shit's going down. That is exactly what one of the college-age daughters says at the very end of the documentary. I shit you not.

I already went into this at length at Kombo

They're 100% within their rights.

Hate Speech laws are bullshit, though hate CRIMES aren't (speech isn't a crime goddammit).

Are they fuckers who deserve anything they get? Absolutely.

Do they have the right to do what they do? Absolutely.

Legally speaking, yeah they are. And that's a horrible commentary on the state of our legal system.

Yeah, let's call it a crime whenever somebody offends someone else.

I think there's a big difference between deliberately offending someone with your own personal beliefs, and using homophobia, libel and slander (all three are, I believe, illegal) to purposefully incite hatred and, in most cases, violence.

Not saying that they shouldn't be allowed to say what they want, but I do believe that if they commit slander or libel that they should be arrested, charged and tried for it.

Homophobia isn't illegal..

I know being homophobic isn't illegal, but using it as the basis for bullying and abuse is.

There should limits to what people get away with
Id curbstomp some sense into these folk given the chance

I read all this. Hate it. They did everything right, and if there had been no coverage it sounds like no one would have been any the wiser. But it sucks they are allowed to protest near there, or that they were allowed to. I kind of understand the idea of free speech, it is because of people talking up that women, workers, other ethnicities, have equal rights now. But when those same forces are used for hate filled acts that it turns shitty.

Is it really impossible to support one without the other? Possibly. Indeed anyone should be able to say what they want, but at a funereal i think a line can be drawn.

I believe the word you're looking for - and what they are lacking - is "respect".

Ah, yes, thats the one. I like reverence to, I feel it appropriate in this case.

That's the thing though. If you believe that US soldiers are being killed because God hates fags and say so, how is that slander/libel? It's a belief that can't be proven/disproven, right?

Note, I'm commenting only on the article Smokey posted.

Mat 5:44 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"

I love when people distort their faith so they can get away with things. I assure you all, these are not Christians.

If you check out some of their other protest cards, you'll see lots of things that have been put into print (and into speeches too) that are factually incorrect.

"Aids cures fags".
No, it has been clinically proven that Aids kills people. It does not "cure" homosexuality as it isn't an illness. You may say that in the long run it stops the person being homosexual, but it doesn't. Aids doesn't kill anyone. Its illnesses like pneumonia and liver failure and other things that the body cannot fight off.

"God blew up the shuttle".
No, he didn't. An explosion that was brought around by a faulty O ring did. And that was human error.

In that article, there's nothing said or written that is factually wrong (but morally most definitely), but delve deeper into those scummers and you'll soon find something that could be classed as libel or slander.

Seconded. Not to mention that if it hadn't been for US soldiers, they'd have no right to peddle this bullshit in the first place.

They actually created a sign that seems targeted at you Limeys. They put up a picture of Princess Diana with the little slashed circle over it, then put underneath it in BIG BLOCK LETTERS "FAG". That really threw Mr. Theroux for a loop when he saw it.