A solitary demon with a huge picture of a decapitated fetus.

[Tyler Durden]

I'm driving with SO and youngest to see the alpacas at a local show. We are 45 seconds from the house, driving by the farmer's market. An old, fat gray-haired man is smiling like Santa and waving; he's standing behind a professionally built sign frame with wheels for transport.

I can't see it until I come up across from it: it's 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall, and it's a huge picture of a bloody, decapitated fetus with "ABORTION!" written above it. The creep actually waves at me, and I just about lose it and want to stop the car...SO says don't-nuts like that probably have a .38 in the waistband.

I drive on, but I call the cops on my the phone; they tell me they get dozens of complaints about this guy. He isn't with any organization. They call him "...an obnoxious vigilante who knows exactly what he can get away with. There's nothing we can do, and you don't know how sorry we are about that."

I'm for free speech, but this is in front of small children, like a mandatory mass-screening of Friday the 13th. What GALL.

If I find out his name, I'm making donations in his name to Planned Parenthood.

[babylonsister]

1. I LOVE grafitti sometimes; I wonder where he parks that sucker? nt

[Tyler Durden]

4. I WISH it was on a car...it wasn't .

I know how much real display work costs, and this thing was about a $1000 portable: light, fits in the back of a minivan with no problem.

Still trying to find out his name for some interesting donations.

[MuseRider]

2. Now you know

how we in Topeka feel about Phelps. Besides his horrific, disgusting rhetoric his signs have made for interesting conversation for parents with their little ones. They are everywhere here, every day.

Deep breath, it stinks I know, but it gives us the chance to do the same.

[Buzz Clik]

6. Fred Phelps is the right wing's worst nightmare.

They like to point out that Phelps is a registered Democrat and campaigned for Gore back in the '80s, but Phelps is rightwing to his core. And, as such, he is THEIR liability.

I was in downtown Topeka in another lifetime when the Treasure of the Tsars (or whatever it was called) was there. Phelps had decided that the Tsars were all a bunch of homos, so he was there in force. He was there was his regular troop of kids, including his own. As I crept by in heavy traffic, a teenager screamed, "God hates fags" into my son's window. He was nine years old at the time. Nice touch, eh?

[MuseRider]

7. Yes, a very nice touch

and typical.

That was some exhibit wasn't it? We went to Russia after because of some friendships that were forged through it. My children were part of a singing group that was invited and they were the first non Russian group to perform in the Armory Museum. Saw the rest of the stuff there and then on to St. Petersburg to see more.

Yes, Phelps is wacko and no matter what anyone says he isn't ours.

[JNelson6563]

3. Sick bastard.

I wonder how much time and money he has sunk into his traveling horror show. Imagine if those resources were donated to a struggling single mother who chose not to have an abortion.

Hypocrite thy name is "pro-lifer".

Julie

[lateo]

5. Yeah, seen something like that before.

In 2004, during the Notre Dame home games and before the election some asshole was riding around in a with stuff like this all over it. It turned my stomach.

[LittleClarkie]

8. Reminds me of the dead baby-mobile that used to go through Kerry headquarters

The GLBT people would come out with their rainbow sign and for some reason that would get them moving. Apparently they didn't want to catch any gay cooties. That plus a few cars trying to get out the parking lot with this thing in its way would have him backing out again.. The guy behind the wheel said he just wanted to give us a brochure and maybe talk to us, but it seemed what he really wanted was to take up space for a while.

[knitter4democracy]

9. We had that a couple years back in town, too.

I had to explain to my children (maybe five and three at the time) what it meant and why those people were upset. My daughter (the older one) was upset by it and couldn't understand why people wanted to scare her.

Showing people pictures like that will just make them upset. Knowing that the fetus is real is not the problem--being in a difficult situation with no way to take care of the baby is the problem. Having a very sick baby that won't make it is the problem. These people just don't get it and never will.

Btw, how was the alpaca show? Was is mostly suris? I know most spinners love suri alpaca, but, call me old fashioned, I'm not as sold on it.

[Tyler Durden]

12. Heavy on the Huacayas.

Say what your want about Suris...I think Huacaya is softer.

[knitter4democracy]

13. Me too.

I'm not sure why Suris are so popular these days. Baby alpaca yarn . . . mmmmmm . . . *drool*

[Locrian]

10. how fast?

How fast do you think it would have gotten shut down if it was a bunch of dead soldiers or Iraqi children??

[Tyler Durden]

11. My SO suggested that.

My thought was that sinking to his level was not the way to go, and that if they were getting over a dozen calls every time this sick fuck showed up, how many thought the same but didn't call?