Oh hell yes. Fred Phelps and his equally deranged daughter won’t be picketing any performances of The Laramie Project in Britain anytime soon. They’ve been banned from the country.
They had announced that they would picket the play, which is due to be held at a school arts centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire, on Friday.
But the pair will now be stopped by immigration officials if they arrive and placed straight on a flight back to the US.
I had recommended a public orgy, but having your government tell these bigots to fuck away off is also a pretty great way to go on this one.
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February 19, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I’m actually against this. Richard Reid and Sajid Badat are both from Britain. The UK is keeping out anti-gay and anti-Islam extremists, but allowing home grown extremism under the guise of multiculturalism. I know free speech is different there than here, but even so this strikes me as hypocritical. Don’t misunderstanding me as supporting the Westboro Baptist Church. They’re hateful people, who are promoting bigotry and violence. I’m only saying that the UK is being inconsistent, and should take a position against separatist Islamic education within their borders.
February 19, 2009 at 2:28 pm
exactly, just a few days ago a dutch politician was denied access because he critisized islam.
the uk is not heading in the right direction
February 19, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Cheers to Britain for taking a stand on this. I’m not against the freedom of speech, but I am against hateful ignorance and speech that purposely hurts and deeply offends others -especially those who are mourning the recent loss of loved ones. These people are monsters.
I do hope that Britain will be consistent in their disapproval of such vapid hatred. Criticizing is one thing, what Fred Phelps does is unconscionable.
February 19, 2009 at 5:24 pm
These are hate-mongers. I’d prefer that they were put on the next plane out of the country without regard to destination (as is sometimes done by immigration) and had to make their own way home.
February 19, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I don’t know anything about free speech laws in the UK, but this just feels wrong to me. It leaves the judgment of what is considered offensive to whoever is currently in charge. I wouldn’t want to set the precedent that people that don’t agree with the majority or government in the UK aren’t allowed inside the country.
Another thought about this, if the church is hindered from expressing their (hate-mongering) opinions, their opponents could lose the moral high ground. We don’t want to turn them into the victims.
February 20, 2009 at 7:40 am
There is quite a difference between holding an idea and to actively harass others. “They had announced that they would picket the play”. They themselves announced that they would come to the UK to disturb a play!
I think the UK is correct in not letting people in who only come to *actively* and *actually* cause problems, not just have some lunatic idea.
That the UK prevented Geert Wilders from entering the country is quite something else since he only has ideas. However idiotic, simplistic, narrowminded and wrond those might be.
February 20, 2009 at 8:40 am
As a Brit I’m very happy that this shower of shit has been denied access. I don’t think this is anything to do with freedom of speech; Bigot Phelps and his batshit crazy daughter openly stated that they planned to enter the country with the intention of doing something that violates the law (basically, the hate crimes and/or incitement laws) and *that* is why they’ve been told they’ll have to take their shit down the street.
February 24, 2009 at 3:43 am
[...] America’s Sweetheart Fred Phelps and company have not allowed their recent Epic Fail (UK Edition) to dampen their spirits one iota. Phelpsypoo has done what any good, red-blooded American cowboy [...]
February 24, 2009 at 10:28 am
Blerp. Did it do that because I linked to this entry in that one? I AM SO CONFUSED TECHNOLOGY ACK EEEEE etc.
Delete this. And that. When you notice. <3