A new era?

So it's about time. Westboro Baptist LOST a court case and was fined $10.9 million dollars for one of their protests. Is it enough to shut them down? Will they appeal? Here's info from Queerty where I heard it today.

Despite being in throes of a multi-million dollar guilty verdict for picketing a dead soldier’s funeral (they were found guilty yesterday), about ten Westboro Baptist Church members spread their hate at the Matthew Shepard Awards in Los Angeles Saturday. Those zealots sure are tenacious!
According to one eye witness account, no one really gave a shit about the tacky picketing: “No one paid much attention other than a few homeless people”.
Meanwhile, Fred Phelps and his spawn Shirley plan to appeal yesterday’s ruling,, which left them with a $10.9 million bill. In this horror of a pdf press release, they write,
Not only did you fail to stop our preaching, but our message has gone forth to the entire world on this very day, because of your folly, like never before! Thank God for the $10.9 million verdict.

Interesting that the Phelps clan is thankful for the ruling - and for the publicity. Sick.

Shirley Phelps-Roper Charged With Child Abuse Over Anti-Gay Military Funeral Demo

From 365gay.com:

(Omaha, Nebraska) The daughter of homophobic preacher Fred Phelps has been formally charged with negligent child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, flag mutilation and disturbing the peace over an anti-gay protest at the funeral of a soldier last month.

The indictment was filed Thursday. Shirley Phelps-Roper, 49, was arrested last month in Bellevue, Nebraska, after her 10-year-old son stomped on an American flag during a protest at the funeral of a National Guardsman killed in Iraq.

Full story here.

Justice? We'll see. It's an interesting array of charges they've brought against her. Who knows how many will stick - or if the ACLU will take the case.

Anti-Gay Church Must Pay Marine's Family

From a reader:

BALTIMORE -- A Kansas church has been ordered to pay $3,150 for costs and fees associated with a summons and complaint filed by the father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by the extremist group.

Albert Snyder, of York, Pa., is suing the Rev. Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church after church members demonstrated at the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, of Westminster, and posted pictures of the protest on their Web site.

Lance Snyder was killed in Iraq in March. Members of the Topeka church claim U.S. soldiers are killed as God's punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality.

Click here for the full story.