tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post112356992670878047..comments2023-07-11T08:11:27.571-04:00Comments on Ragamuffin Ramblings: Thank you, Tony Blair....Steve F.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12697100521186605498noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123792451692265112005-08-11T16:34:00.000-04:002005-08-11T16:34:00.000-04:00Dave said that Phelps's escapades have done more t...Dave said that Phelps's escapades have done more to help the gay community.<BR/><BR/>He is correct in this. When the Topeka City Council was considering gay rights ordinance, there were people who were afraid to speak against it because they didn't want to be lumped in with Fred.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, there also have been pastors who have not signed full page ads taken out by some of the Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18137990962239475938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123611955473341822005-08-09T14:25:00.000-04:002005-08-09T14:25:00.000-04:00Dagnabit...fast fingers, and I didn't get to sign ...Dagnabit...fast fingers, and I didn't get to sign properly. Let's try this again.<BR/><BR/>I also wanted to second Stan in saying that seeing children schooled in hate is heartbreaking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123611874172794472005-08-09T14:24:00.000-04:002005-08-09T14:24:00.000-04:00Oh, yes...I've heard about this nutjob. Phelps ma...Oh, yes...I've heard about this nutjob. Phelps makes his way to Colorado Springs on a regular basis to picket Focus on the Family...because they're not conservative ENOUGH.<BR/><BR/>Harumph.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123598529532444822005-08-09T10:42:00.000-04:002005-08-09T10:42:00.000-04:00I interviewed Fred when I was a reporter in Topeka...I interviewed Fred when I was a reporter in Topeka. He is not as stupid as some may think. (His views are reprehensible, however)<BR/><BR/>I had to drive past his protesters every Sunday morning on my way to church. It is sad to see young children being schooled in the ways of hate and ignorance. It's amazing that they will picket the most conservative churches in the city, including those that Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18137990962239475938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123593255969068512005-08-09T09:14:00.000-04:002005-08-09T09:14:00.000-04:00It's easy to forget folks like Matthew Shepard, Ha...It's easy to forget folks like Matthew Shepard, Harvey Milk, and the long chain of people who have been attacked, beaten, and killed because they were gay. A lot of the homophobic hatred walkin' around in the US finds its source in Christian churches. I'm not saying they're all like Phelps' "church," but there's a lot of hate that's anchored to some religious belief out there (not just directed Steve F.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12697100521186605498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123591339288231672005-08-09T08:42:00.000-04:002005-08-09T08:42:00.000-04:00I think you may be overstating Phelps's influence....I think you may be overstating Phelps's influence. He represents a tiny minority of small-minded inbreads at some tiny midwestern church who happen to carry big signs and basically come off as media whores. But to my knowledge, he hasn't killed anybody or encouraged his followers to strap on a bomb belt and hop on the "A" train.<BR/><BR/>Contrast this to the imams in some London mosques who Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457030.post-1123589925981778402005-08-09T08:18:00.000-04:002005-08-09T08:18:00.000-04:00Great Britain does not have the constitutional pro...Great Britain does not have the constitutional protection for freedom of speech and freedom of religion that we have in the United States. <BR/><BR/>The First Amendment, and the protections it offers to robust and vigorous speech, is the foundation stone of our freedom as individuals in this country, and I think that citizens should strongly resist any and all efforts to erode that freedom.<BR/>Tom Scharbachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15397752812367691354noreply@blogger.com