Walt Whitman, Webcomics and the WBC

[izzfan]

While surfing the web, I happened to find an article about the latest activities of the Westboro Baptist "Church". Apparently, they were protesting outside a high school in the US just because it was named after Walt Whitman - Luckily, the school staged a huge counter-protest.

The article about it can be found here: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Walt_Whitman_H.S._students_shout_down_0424.html

Anyway, after reading this, I felt in a rather satirical mood and decided to continue working on an as-yet-unpublished webcomic (called "Deck Trouble") which I have been drawing over the past couple of weeks. If I draw enough of them then I might think of putting it on the internet but this is about my 3rd (unpublished) attempt at starting a webcomic. I wasn't intending for it to be too topical but this story seemed too interesting for me not to write about. Apologies about the badly-drawn characters (for some reason, they seem to be quite short in this one) and obscure jokes (based on my rather limited knowledge about Walt Whitman) but I thought it was quite funny.

If anyone is confused about why there is a plant in it then look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamus_(poem)

Enjoy

[FalconAngel]

That story is just too much.

I particularly liked the part where Driving Equality wants to send Phelps a thank you card for their Phelps-a-thon for the school.

[12voltman59]

Those Phelps people are definitely a bit off---that guy they mentioned in the article has it right----those people do have WWWWWAYYYY TOOOO MUCH time on their hands!!

You wonder what they do that they can afford both the time and money to travel all over the place to stage their little protests----I wonder if they try to right off such trips on their taxes (???) since apparently it is their "business" to go around being the voice of anti-faggotry. Maybe Uncle Sam needs to do a major tax audit on these folks!!! :bigrin::bigrin:

I used to get pissed at the Phelps crowd---but when you look close at them---you actually have to feel sorry for them---that they allow such deep and unabiding hate to rule their lives-a hatred that is all consuming--the thing that is saddest in that----an adult can chose freely to live life that way--but to force your kids to do so----that should be a crime!!!!

Talk about not creating a caring, loving home to bring up children in----the Phelps gang ironically enough, is the poster child for being negative role models for raising children.

The other thing that is sorta sad about them---with their craziness----from the perspective of their self-appointed place in "the culture war"---they are losing it big freakin' time---and sending more people "over to the other side!"

They don't realize they are sort of a joke--and that with their extremist views and ways----they are leading people who might otherwise might have leaned their way to some degree--to actually be sympathetic to the "faggot side."

They are the butt of one big joke and they don't even know it--and they are doing their "side" more harm than good!!!!

But---actually----that they are out there doing what they do----it actually is a good thing since they are so stupid and are one big joke---I say--let 'em rage---they are the best PR tool "our side" has ironically enough!!!!

I think I will try to send them an email and point that out to them!!

[rissababynta]

I was reading some of the comments about how they have been behaving at funerals. Some of them were so heartfelt, I became so angry. Tony is going to be leaving in a few months, and although he is going to a somewhat quite area in Iraq, you still just simply never know...

I've got to tell you, if ANYONE...EVER...came to protest at my husbands funeral...I doubt that anyone could seriously hold my ass back...I would probably rip someone's cheek off with my teeth...and if I got in trouble and was sent to prison for biting someone in the face...I would be fuckin THRILLED...

How fucked up can people get...protesting a FUNERAL...*gah!*

[12voltman59]

I was reading some of the comments about how they have been behaving at funerals. Some of them were so heartfelt, I became so angry. Tony is going to be leaving in a few months, and although he is going to a somewhat quite area in Iraq, you still just simply never know...

I've got to tell you, if ANYONE...EVER...came to protest at my husbands funeral...I doubt that anyone could seriously hold my ass back...I would probably rip someone's cheek off with my teeth...and if I got in trouble and was sent to prison for biting someone in the face...I would be fuckin THRILLED...

How fucked up can people get...protesting a FUNERAL...*gah!*

Rissa----while it is a natural way to want to respond to those numbnuts when they protest at military funerals----I like it when the Patriot bike riders are there---they don't acknowledge those jerks in anyway--in fact-they turn their back on them---I have seen it and it is great--even though I wanted to go bash the Phelpsheads myself!!!!

That was one time I wished I had an AK-47 or an AR-15--modified to full bore auto and plenty of ammo!!! I would have made good use of one of those weapons!!!!! It sure woulda done what it was made to do!! :eek::eek::eek:

As much as we might like to go bash their nearly burnt out lightbulb filled heads in ----the best response to them is really no response----they really don't deserve any sort of response since they are so stupid and hate filled!! You only go down to their VERY SHALLOW end of the gene pool should you respond with negativity.

[zman64]

when those idiots...ooopps bastions of religion...ooops again...i mean protestors that have too much money and time came to my city, once for a funeral of a soldier who came home from iraq the wrong way(also a former co-worker)..the police had to restrain a couple of the volunteer firemen that the soldier was also one of...they had the truck decked out with flag, etc, and as they passed where the westboro morons were, they turned the hose in that direction...too bad the cops were a bit too quick..they also attempted to protest near a high school here...can't remember what for...but as it heated up..the cops told them they couldn't guarantee their safety...so they left...personally, i would love to see a scandal arise showing old mr phelps being caught at a rest stop restroom soliciting men, or a glory hole meeting of some kind....

[zman64]

also, several states have enacted legislation barring them from being within a certain distance of funeral services. they were sued by a man from pennsylvania for emotional suffering, etc, and they were charged here in my state with desecration of the flag, when a grandson of phelps' was made to stomp on the flag by his mother..in view of the funeral procession. i'm not sure of the outcome.

[rissababynta]

As much as we might like to go bash their nearly burnt out lightbulb filled heads in ----the best response to them is really no response----they really don't deserve any sort of response since they are so stupid and hate filled!! You only go down to their VERY SHALLOW end of the gene pool should you respond with negativity.

That's all well and good if you can think straight enough to respond that way...I'd be too nuts and I would end up making them eat through a straw :-(

[FalconAngel]

I see them as terrorists and traitors. They should be treated accordingly.

[Lonewolf76]

Ya know it's one thing to protest outside of a school - because the school is named in honor of a gay man (and an American Icon!!) - But to stoop so low as to protest at an American hero's funeral - that's lower than scum on a pond bottom. When I was a kid gowing up there was a popular saying "AMERICA - LOVE OR LEAVE IT. I agree with Falcon - they are traitors AND terrorists - Maybe we shouldn't be so hasty about closing Guantanamo Bay - terrorists aren't only of Arab decent ya know. I'm a retired veteran of 24 years - I'm afraid I'd have as much difficulty as Rissa in maintaining my composure if they disrespected a soldiers funeral. Just my :2cents: Wolfie