Westboro bad/but Satanist worst?

[WitchSabrina]

Whut?   :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/2 ... ostpopular

Police are preparing to arrest members of a Satanic organization who held a protest ritual earlier this month at a Meridian, Miss., graveyard.

The controversial ritual, called a "pink mass," was carried out by New York-based organization The Satanic Temple and involved gay couples kissing over the grave of Catherine Johnston, the mother of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps. The ritual, held at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian, Miss., was intended to "turn" Johnston gay for all eternity.

But now cemetery owner Bill Arlinghaus is looking to press charges, and Meridian police say they are currently putting together affidavits and warrants in preparation for an imminent arrest of those who performed the ritual, local ABC affiliate WTOK-TV reports.

Meridian Police Department Capt. Dean Harper told the station that the charges being considered are trespassing, indecent exposure and malicious mischief. The indecent exposure charge is likely related to Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves laying of his penis on Johnston's grave. (Hyperlink is NSFW.)

Neither Arlinghaus nor the Meridian Police Department immediately responded to requests for comment from The Huffington Post.

However, since the targets of the arrest warrants live in New York City, Harper's talk of apprehending them may just be symbolic. On the phone Monday morning, Greaves did not seem worried about being arrested.

"I think the police captain is trying to allay the fears of the local people," he told HuffPost, adding his group has "no ill will at all" toward the people of Meridian and "regret if they caused them any consternation."

Greaves also questioned the charge of trespassing, saying the cemetery was ungated and the group had visited in the afternoon, during a time when other people could be seen walking about the gravestones.

On its website, the Satanic Temple says the ritual, which was held July 14, was held as a show of support for legal equality for same-sex couples. The group says the idea for the ritual protest came after the Westboro Baptist Church threatened to protest the funerals of victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

[Plu]

That's what you get when you live amongst the small minded.

[WitchSabrina]

That's what you get when you live amongst the small minded.

Well, in the video the cop said their actions went against city ordnance --- so they could be prosecuted.
However, in light of Westboro's behavior all OVER the place (and then some),  I'm surprised anyone would consider suing anti-Westboro action of ANY sort.  

or

maybe fighting [s:5zjhnyib]fire[/s:5zjhnyib] stupid with [s:5zjhnyib]fire[/s:5zjhnyib] stupid just isn't a good idea (?)

[Plu]

Yeah, fighting stupid with stupid probably doesn't work.

But these people are probably mentally stunted christians who just heard "satanists did something" and figured "we should sue!".

[WitchSabrina]

Yeah, fighting stupid with stupid probably doesn't work.

But these people are probably mentally stunted christians who just heard "satanists did something" and figured "we should sue!".

The stupid part is Not realizing that Westboro stays on public ground....... ie sidewalks, shoulders of the road, etc.  If you notice they Always are on public-accessible land.   These goofballs wanted to make an anti-Westboro statement.  Yay! Good for you.   Oh.  Ooops............ you went on private land to do so.
A derrr.

*rolls eyes*
For petessake if you're going to show some anti-Westboro action at least be smarter than they are.  Jaysus.

[Plu]

Yeah. Westboro is all lawyers so they know exactly how far they can go with their BS. Most other people do not. That's why they sue and win over counter-protestors.

"Being smarter than they are" is quite the challenge in that respect.

(I wasn't even aware that graveyards aren't a public space. I thought they belonged to the state. But that might only be in my country, or maybe they aren't even. I have no idea.)

[aitm]

The indecent exposure charge is likely related to Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves laying of his penis on Johnston's grave

 :rollin:

oh lordy, I always join the wrong clubs.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I'll lay my penis on Mother Phelps's grave and convert her to a former heroin addict for all eternity.. a gay, satanic HOMELESS former heroin addict for eternity.

[Solitary]

I've heard of laying on of hands, but laying on of penises is new to me.  :shock:  :rollin:  Solitary

[Colanth]

He doesn't say what "city and state ordinances" they violated.  It can't be trespass, since the cemetery was open to the public.  It can't be "moral indecency" (well, it could be, given the location, but on appeal that would be invalidated).  And if it were, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is guilty of an almost infinite number of violations of the same thing.  So other than indecent exposure, what did they do?  (Kissing in a cemetery is illegal?  I don't think they want to go there.)

And doesn't the Constitution guarantee the Satanists the right to the free exercise of their religion?

I don't think this is going to go anywhere.  I can't see New York honoring an extradition request for this.  (Not if the governor wants to keep the option of being elected village dog catcher open in the future.)

[WitchSabrina]

He doesn't say what "city and state ordinances" they violated.  It can't be trespass, since the cemetery was open to the public.  It can't be "moral indecency" (well, it could be, given the location, but on appeal that would be invalidated).  And if it were, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is guilty of an almost infinite number of violations of the same thing.  So other than indecent exposure, what did they do?  (Kissing in a cemetery is illegal?  I don't think they want to go there.)

And doesn't the Constitution guarantee the Satanists the right to the free exercise of their religion?

I don't think this is going to go anywhere.  I can't see New York honoring an extradition request for this.  (Not if the governor wants to keep the option of being elected village dog catcher open in the future.)

Good Point(s)  and  I don't know.
Crazy eh?