Shirley Phelps-Roper from "Godhatesfags" church busted

[Archae]

I mean, it does seem a little silly the charges she is busted for, but...

Boy Stomps Flag At Funeral, Mom Arrested
Pair Are Part Of Anti-Gay Church That Protests Funerals

OMAHA, Neb. -- A woman was arrested in Bellevue, Neb., on Tuesday during the funeral for a fallen soldier.

Shirley Phelps-Roper was arrested on suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for allegedly allowing her 8-year-old son to stomp on an American flag.

Phelps-Roper is a member of a Topeka, Kan., church that conducts anti-homosexual picketing at funeral services for U.S. soldiers.

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/news/13454138/detail.html

And check out this mug shot.
Why do I keep hearing "Dueling Banjos?" :-)

[durrrty libby]

1. Those things reproduced? How sad for the child

[sakabatou]

2. Well, when your evil

you're bound to get caught... or die. :shrug:

[tanyev]

3. Aunt Mommy and Uncle Daddy would be so proud of their little girl.

[Eugene]

4. As much as I despise the Phelpses, this charge is BS.

The underlying crime is flag desecration in violation
of a state law which is probably unconstitutional.

[Jack_Dawson]

7. Any charge is a good charge with that witch n/t

[tabasco]

17. You're right. This is political speech.

This is the exact type of speech that the First Amendment is intended to protect.

I don't agree with it but I will support their right to express their opinions.

If the ideas the flag represents are strong enough, it will weather the stompings and burnings.

[formerrepuke]

5. If there's such a thing as just-desserts, she'll be traded for a pack of Kools

while she's in the slammer.

[JVS]

10. LOL! Rape among prisoners is funny,

NOT

[shenmue]

6. Yikes

:scared:

What comes around, goes around. They dish hate, and now they've got to accept it in return.

Sad, really.

[fishnfla]

8. "God hates people with acne rosacea"

you are cursed witch

[JVS]

9. That is a bullshit charge. I hope the ACLU helps her beat the rap

[Vidar]

11. Glad to see her convicted of anything.

[China_cat]

12. The only thing they ever got Al Capone for

was income tax evasion. Even if she later beats it on constitutional grounds, a while behind bars for anything is welcome for that bunch of hate mongers.

[Bake]

13. Why you pickin' on banjo players!!!

:-)

Bake

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

14. Looks like she was aiming for a Delay Style Mugshot

But she fails to pull it off.

[last1standing]

15. It's interesting to see how many at DU only believe in the Constitution when it suits them.

I always thought that progressives and Democrats supported the Constitution for everyone, not just those they agreed with. I'm very sorry to see I was wrong.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JoePhilly]

18. while it is a silly charge ...

Recall that the right-wing wants to add an amendment against flag burning. They'd add Flag stamping if they could.

Regardless ... this is funny. A crazed psycho got in trouble.

She looks like an extra from the movie Braveheart (excpet for Mel's hot wife in that movie -- her dental work was perfect!)

And I bet she plays a mean banjo!

[last1standing]

20. The Phelps clan isn't right-wing or left-wing.

They're just a bunch of incredibly sick people who want to hurt others in any manner possible. Regardless, they should be accorded the same Constitutional rights as anyone else. Anything less is just mob rule.

[JoePhilly]

21. not right or left wing ...

Not sure I agree there ... there are plenty of right-wingers that are "one issue, bible is perfect word of God, nuts."

But I can't find many of those on the left.

And I understand the free speech element here ... but there are limits (few, but they exist).

To protest at a funeral, any funeral, that's too much. I think Falwell was a crazy xenophobe, but it would have been wrong to go to his funeral and protest in any fashion.

Last point, I think there may be child endangerment issues here. American society will take you kids of you demonstrate enough "crazy", particularly if it impacts the children. My view, the Phelps's come awful close to that.

[Snotcicles]

19. Looks like she was having a Ted Kaczynski moment. nt

[ProudDad]

22. This is a stupid fucking charge

just like this one was!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2871564

God, what a fucked up "legal" system we have in this benighted country!!!!

I got no use for these idiots but dog damn it, they have a right to free speech too!!!

[originalpckelly]

23. We have to understand that by protecting this dumb broad we're protecting ourselves.

If we allow ourselves to live in a nation in which speech is quelled because it is unpopular, then surely it will harm our speech and ourselves if we should say anything unpopular.

We must respect her constitutional rights, even though the way she uses them is repulsive.

She has the inalienable to destroy any of her property if she so chooses and it does not place anyone else in danger. As long as it shall not take from the liberty of any other person, then her liberty shall not be taken.