Not sure if there is a thread on this anywhere but now that it is mandatory to look at a petition in the united states if it has over 25,000 signatures there is a movement to classify the Westboro baptist church as a hate group. This will remove their tax exempt status from the government and overall will help stop the stupid things that they do.
Currently there are over 200,000 signatures but I encourage all of you to sign here.
Now that I've said that, what do you guys even think about this stupid organisation? The things they do I think even normal religious people are against and is just terrible.
This will remove their tax exempt status from the government and overall will help stop the stupid things that they do.
But, they aren't a hate group.
*going by the definition given by Wikipedia*
They aren't advocating violence. They aren't threatening people's lives. They aren't rallying people to destroy property. All they're doing is saying hateful things.
They shouldn't be exempt from paying any taxes, but they shouldn't be labeled as a hate group either (because, by the legal definition, they aren't).
Did they say why they are picketing the sandy hook funerals? For gays they say because homosexuality is bad same for vets, but what about these kids? what did they do?
I never said I hate freedom. Why do you assume that? They can say whatever the hell they want but they're not going to be tax exempt because they're a "Religion".
They shouldn't be exempt from paying any taxes, but they shouldn't be labeled as a hate group either (because, by the legal definition, they aren't).
Alright, if we're going to go by definition they aren't a hate group. However, what do you suggest they should be labeled as?
Hate group definitions:
Definition 1 :
an organization whose purpose is to promote animosity, hostility and malice against persons belonging to a different race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity or national origin which differs from that of the members of the organization.
Definition 2:
A hate group is an organized group or movement that advocates and practices hate, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other designated sector of society.
Also did anyone hear about the hacker that sent gay pornography to the group's leader's television? I gave a bit of a laugh when I saw that.
Alright, if we're going to go by definition they aren't a hate group. However, what do you suggest they should be labeled as?
The government shouldn't label them as anything.
Hate group definitions:
We're not just attaching labels here. For the government to attach the label hate group to a bunch of people is a pretty big deal. It suggests that those people are demanding we use violence against others.
There's a fine line between, say, the KKK who demands we use violence against other races and WBC, who simply state how much they (and God) hate everyone else.
hey can say whatever the hell they want but they're not going to be tax exempt because they're a "Religion".
I'm not exactly sure what their situation is with taxes. However, I don't think we should place WBC at the same level as other (actual violent) hate groups just to force them to pay taxes.
As soon as WBC says, "we need to kill all the ***s," I'll consider them a hate group. I can't recall the group demanding we act violently against others, only that we change our ways and that we deserve all the bad that happens to us. If WBC did suggest we kill others, then I will stand corrected.
a politician in my country was not saying people should kill foreigners. but he was inciting hate. and was to taken to court for it. was he nothing setting people up to hate and racism?
There's a difference between hate and hate groups. To be considered a hate group, you need to do more than simply "hate". I can start a club for everyone who hates peanut butter, that doesn't make us a hate group.
We can't simply label WBC as a hate group at the federal level without understand what it means for the government to apply such a label. As far as I'm concerned, they're a hate group, but they haven't reached the point in which the government should attach such a label.
a politician in my country was not saying people should kill foreigners. but he was inciting hate. and was to taken to court for it. was he nothing setting people up to hate and racism?
Politicians influence the laws that we must abide by. A politician who speaks against foreigners likely has a political agenda which involves taking away the rights of foreigners in some way. This is reason enough to remove this politician from power. Should he be taken to court for having racist opinions? No. If he's taken to court, it should be for conspiring against foreigners.
Should he be taken to court for having racist opinions? No
he wasn't taken to court for racist opinions. but for inciting hate and racism.
As far as I'm concerned, they're a hate group, but they haven't reached the point in which the government should attach such a label.
the government can't put that label on whitout violence? hate is more then just violence. if everyone (most) outside westboro thinks they are a hate group why shouldn't the government label them as that aswell? afterall the government should be the voice of the public.
I can start a club for everyone who hates peanut butter, that doesn't make us a hate group.
it doesn't? because they dont use violence against peanut butter or...?
