Westboro Baptist Church targeted by Anonymous

[theVOID]

That's what Anonymous is doing, are you in favour of their taking the sites down?

Interesting question, answer...I don't know.

Technically speaking freedom of speech is freedom to say ANYTHING.

But does that allow slander? Death threats, insults? Afterall incitement to hate is an offence in some places, and WBC is nothing BUT incitement to hatred of anything that Phelps doesn't like. And that includes just about everything.

I know the line of reasoning, you can't yell bomb on an airplane etc, but this is a slightly different issue with their websites, these are not invasive and direct attacks towards individuals like say calling abuse at a funeral or using lawsuits to entice fear, someone would have to willingly visit these websites as far as these kinds of websites go the WBC probably aren't even near the worst - It becomes an issue of:

1) Do we take down these websites because they offend people?
2) Do we take down these websites because of their relationship to an organisation who uses hate speech?
3) Do we allow the websites to remain but condemn them when they directly attack people?

And if we are going to be okay with websites like WBC being taken down where do we draw the line? Is it okay to take down the websites of homophobic churches? White power affiliates? An old racist white man with a blog full of hate speech?

There is also the question of: Who are we to determine what messages are to be allowed and denied to people who themselves are in charge of the content they see on this medium?

It's a rather slippery slope, and for that reason I think it's best to stay clear. Websites and magazines being indirect should be allowed, lest we become an authoritarian cesspool censoring the web.

OK, it would be wrong for anonymous to bring down the WBC, but I wouldn't be able to suppress a little shiver of pleasure at the knowledge that a turd like Phelps had been inconvenienced and pissed off.

Glad we agree, but I can't say I find it amusing, Phelps is going to milk it and come out better of and with more rabid supporters.

Anyhow, what about the mechanic who refused to serve him after his tyres were slashed? That's something that would have inconvenienced and pissed him off too, would you also get a shiver of pleasure from that?

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He has to FIND the face that is Anonymous..THEN litigation can commence. ATM there is NO face or persons to bring charges against...Phelps may as well say that goddidit and take that to court in regards to Anonymous. For any of the protests that they get persecuted about there is cause for complaint and perhaps this is where they get their funds. I am not up on the legalities of the American system.

I didn't mean ammo in terms of litigation, I meant in terms of the vigour of his supporters. He's clearly good at milking the spotlight, he's one of those strange creatures who is best left in a dark corner and ignored.