Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Arcus on March 2, 2011 at 2:16pm

Show up where they are and simply turn your back against them.

No signs, no posters, no speeches, no dialogue. Nothing. Just turn your back, keep silent and ignore them.

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Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on March 2, 2011 at 4:19pm

I've had the same idea before.  The WBC is strange, so there's not guarantee that it would work, but I do wonder what the impact would be.  It is the balance between taking action while not reacting.

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on March 3, 2011 at 2:33am

When neo-nazisim started gaining a foothold in my home country in the early nineties, 20000 people showed up at a speech by the made agitator. Just as he started speaking, they all simultaneously turned their back. The symbolism is strong- it's part of our reaction to disgust.

Whilst they may exercise the right to free speech, you should exercise you right to not listen.

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Permalink Reply by Skycomet the Fallen Angel on March 4, 2011 at 12:49pm

better yet... don't bother turning your back. [They thrive on attention, esp. negative attention]. Ignore them by having a coffee discussion across the street from them and talk about something boring and "small talkish" they should be ignored like the lunatics they are. And when they recieve no attention, they will begin to lose power.

 

Instead of counter protests emphasizing their lunacy by showing nonsense signs, perhaps it is better to emphasize how normal we are so that they will look all the more foolish in comparison.

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Permalink Reply by Les M on March 7, 2011 at 12:30am

yes if they don't get attention so much the better, I wouldn't know about them if the main stream press didn't make them known and they wouldn't be an issue.

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Permalink Reply by Kirk Holden on March 2, 2011 at 2:27pm

For the 8 hundred trillionth time - the dude practices pristine law in the protests. He will never shut up and he will never be shut up. Just like you and I calling ourselves atheists. So why do you hate the 1st amendment, oh reasonable atheist?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Andrews on March 2, 2011 at 2:41pm

I fully support the 1st Amendment, Kirk.  But, must we allow these hate-mongers the huge platform they use to shout their obscenities?  Silence doesn't seem quite appropriate and the freedom to trample our values just leaves me cold.

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Permalink Reply by Apple on March 2, 2011 at 2:45pm

Don't you see that this is exactly what fundies would say about atheists?

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Permalink Reply by Kirk Holden on March 2, 2011 at 4:37pm

You like some speech, you hate other speech. That is clear sign of not doing it right.

Again.

Someone is out there right now trying to shut you up. You speech makes them anxious. They want you to stop. They will try to stop you.

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Permalink Reply by Iain Phillips on March 2, 2011 at 5:22pm

The WBC are domestic terrorists.  They do what they do not because their god tells them to, but because they want to strike terror into the hearts of millions of Americans.  Would you have the KKK be allowed to continue their hate speech with government sanction?

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Permalink Reply by Reggie on March 3, 2011 at 12:27am

How are they terrorists?  What is your definition of a terrorist?

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Permalink Reply by Skycomet the Fallen Angel on March 4, 2011 at 12:56pm

actually... the kkk DOES continue public protests... you just don't know about it because their power has been removed ... b/c everyone ignores them. The secret to removing the power of haters... is to make them irrelevent.

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