The Westboro Baptist Church, home of anti-gay extremists known for their “Gods hates fags” and “God hates dead soldiers” protests, has received permits to rally in front of courthouses in Towson and Annapolis, Md. on Wednesday, according to police officials.
The church announced on its website that it plans to picket the sites in protest of the state legalizing same-sex marriage.
Westboro obtained permits allowing its members to rally at the Ann Arndel County Circuit Court in Annapolis, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, and at the Baltimore County Circuit Court in Towson, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
It is unclear if WBC members will actually be present, as the group is known for planning pickets and then not showing up.
But parishioners of St. Anne’s, the 300-year-old Episcopal church across from the Annapolis courthouse, said they are planning a counter-protest the same day to “bear witness to the good news of God’s unconditional love,” according to The Baltimore Sun.
“We will not engage them. But we will speak our message of love more loudly,” Joe Pagano, the associate rector of St. Anne’s, wrote to parishioners. “Come and join us and let us show the world that the love of Jesus is more powerful than hate.”
Based in Topeka, Kan., the Westboro church is not affiliated with the Baptist denomination or any other Baptist church. According to news reports, almost all of its members — fewer than 100 — are related to founder Fred Phelps either by blood or marriage.
The hate group is best known for its protest of the funerals of U.S. service members, and first came into the national spotlight in 1998, when it picketed at the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man who was brutally attacked on the night of October 6, 1998, then tied to a fence and left to die.
On Tuesday, Maryland became the ninth U.S. state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize same-sex marriage — the law passed on Nov. 6 with 52 percent of the vote.
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lets all stop talking about them, and maybe they will just go away!
Leave people alone on their wedding days!
Good idea. They are nuts and it just feeds other nuts.
May they all get flat tires on the way.
I have never wanted to set so many people’s houses on fire in my life. They are absolutely horrible. Why don’t we deserve happiness and a normal life?
I wish they would come to my wedding!
Not surprised
FUCK THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i would love to use a car and “hit and run’ cough cough
People really need to get a life.
stop the madness
If you ignore them, they get mad and stomp their feet. Its fun. Try it.
They have not learned yet, I see. Bring it fools. You will be drowned out by real loving people
they’re all sick in the head and need help
maybe if they had happy marriages of there own they wouldnt be trying to protest others. But have you seen half the people that protest these things they do this like its a career how sad is that think of it they will be old still doing this while we will have been married and have had happy enjoyable lives. Let them be crazy they been protesting for along time and its gotten them no where look at how many places its legal for us to get married now thats a big step forward they want to live backwards let them there all nuts.
Morons, see, are fog-horns across this Great Nation, bringing alarm to all Our Boarders that some still live in the darkness of their own caves. Let them holler, Blessing more with Light of Freedom!
Larry why are you on this page?
these are lovers of their god…whoever that might be….
God hates fags? Lets say God just read that this is what he sees ( God Fags) You know why?? Because God doesn’t know the meaning of the word hate. “Those who don’t know love don’t know God” And I wish they would stop using God as an excuse to bash people.
please ignore these people – they just want people to lash out back at them so they can sue you and make money, thats what they are all about
Lets protest there funerals and there wedding And at there church
Karma will get these Crazy Crazy People!!
These days, this is really sort of a compliment! ;-{P} <3 <3 <3
I am tired of all churches who protest my relationship and same sex marriages when I (we) have nothing to do with their religion. Preach to your own parishes and congregations and leave us alone. We want nothing to do with your religion or your beliefs so keep them to yourself.
Let them protest. Just get a bunch of drag queens on crotch rockets to drown them out. It will be hilarious.
Get a LIFE westboro church
stop referring to them as a “church”. thank you
They’re sad and pathetic. Their entire existence is based on hate of people who don’t even care what they think. They’re also disgusting for picketing funerals. They’re asking for a fight that they can’t even spell correctly on signs or put into articulate sentences.
WBC, do yourselves a favor and shut the fuck up.
As if they can stop us with their sticks and cardboard…all they are proving is how nuts they are. They know nothing of love that is not connected to a cousin….and I agree with Steven, the press need to stop referring to them as a church!
fuck westboro baptist cult, not a church, its a hate cult
Were all GODs children! GOD is LOVE, hate has to be taught.WBC teaches hate.
Protest them since they are a “HATE GROUP”! and GOD HATES WESTBORO KLAN!
To those of you who want to ignore them: Really??! These folks will foever be the face of anti gay rights but in adition they will also FOREVER be know as the idiots who protest childrens funerals in Newtown. These people need to be plastered all over every freakin news site in the country! The world needs to know who they are and the people against gay rights need to see the face of those they are fighting along side of. Next time somone eats a Chick Fila they need to know that this is the typeof people they support. That is the bottom line. The more the rest of the world knows about these folks the better for us the victums of their hate.
I know they won’t agree with this – but it’s this kind of radical, in your face hate that is helping Gay marriage in America – be sure to post it on beltway media sites – no one will want to agree with these people publicly.
…and yes they are a church.
WBC is SATAN!
when will this end? so called good people? but yet they say ‘God hates f*gs’ in my book god loves you all.
now is the time for any gay bikers, singers and such to gather, and drown out these losers. They thrive off of lawsuit money, they are just trying to get attention, so what better way to sting them then by doing what we gays can do best and steal the show.
@ Mac -lol you may be gay but you still need to be smacked. *Smack smack smack*
I think they become more irrelevant every day. But does anyone know if their “church” has a tax exempt status? That would fry my furry butt because that means they are, in essence, using my money to spout this hatred.
And we’re supposed to be surprised. Each one of their protests over the last few years has watered down so much – they’re SO lame. I hope everyone ignores them.
Let them do what they want we all know they are going to hell for what they do!!!!!!
How pathetic
Wow, and they teach their children this? shame on them.
I can’t stand these people.
let them go to the weddings and when all those children get older Im betting some would rather leave because of the hate in their family and the things they do, several people have already left you can find interviews with them on youtube
BOO HOO…who cares what these terrorists think?
OMG!!! R we surprised!????
wow im surprised
Sooo if i had diahrea and a kilt would the police arrest me for aiming my explosive accident at twbc protesters.
So if we all wore kilts around them and let loose with the explosive diarrhea only nasty mexican food can cause could we get away with it.
why have the law not taken these morons out yet???? it is about time in my Reckoning… they do nothing to enhance the lives of others….
Fuck Westboro !!!!
I Love the Lord so I won’t swear or speak hatred toward these westboro people, I will pray harder, I will support gay rights he groups financially, I will vote for politicians that support our agenda and I will not hide who I am.