Anonymous Publishes Personal Information of Westboro Church Group

[dirtsurfr]

http://mashable.com/2012/12/16/westboro-hate-group/
UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect the different petitions that aim to classify the Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group.
Hacktivist group Anonymous published the personal information of members of the Westboro Baptist Church after the group announced on Saturday it would picket Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut where 26 children and adults were killed.
Anonymous published private email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses of various members, and teased the group about the hack on Twitter. Anonymous also posted a video condemning the group for "breeding hatred" and adding, "We will destroy you. We are coming.”

The Westboro group holds protests at military funerals, and targets various cultures and demographics, particularly gay people.
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The Westboro group holds protests at military funerals, and targets various cultures and demographics, particularly gay people. The group blames them for tragedies such as shootings, saying it's God's punishment for their actions.
The Westboro Baptist Church has previously been warned by Anonymous, who in February 2011 told the group to "Cease and desist" its protest campaign in 2011, or face damage to its website. "The damage incurred will be irreversible, and neither your institution nor your congregation will ever be able to fully recover," Anonymous wrote.
And the group may be forced to stop picketing if several new petitions gain enough momentum.
Two White House petitions, both published on Friday, aim to classify the Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group. "Legally recognize Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group" currently has close to 67,000 signatures, while another called "Define the Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group due to promoting animosity against differing cultural demographics" clocks in at 16,000 signatures.
Petitions that gain 25,000 signatures by Jan. 13, 2013 will be viewed by the Obama Administration, and a response will be issued.
The American Bar Association defines hate speech as "speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits."
Do you think the Westboro Baptist Church is exercising its right to free speech, or does this classify as hate speech? Tell us in the comments.
Photo via Getty Images, Kelly Glasscock

 

[dirtsurfr]

These are the sickest people on the earth!!!!

 

[eye exaggerate]

...I've read that other Christians protest them back, even so far as to create human barricades between them (wb) and funerals. No one should have the gall to express opinions at funerals, dignity should reign there.

 

[kinetic]

If they show up there will most likely be a wall of people like the Maroon wall the college students in Alabama created. Other groups have doned angel wings to help shield these sick fucks from funerals

 

[rocpilefsj]

I don't know how something hasn't happened to these assholes yet, could you imagine trying to bury a loved one with those fucks outside protesting? Why couldn't some crazy shoot them instead of a bunch of innocent children?

 

[obijohn]

So why do they plan to protest a school shooting funeral?

 

[rocpilefsj]

So why do they plan to protest a school shooting funeral?

They will say it was gods way of punishing them for sinning... Somehow those poor children deserved to be gunned down as a message from god for any sins. I say let them show up and invite all the family members, hand out bats at the entrance.

 

[Surfr]

They are a bunch of lawyers. They do it to create law suits and win a shit load of money. No joke. They are just WAITING for someone to assault them.

 

[DonPepe]

These are the sickest people on the earth!!!!

yeah i used to support the idea of Anonymous, but lately they have lost focus and derailed into a series of misguided personal attacks focused on personal bias, rather then principle and freedom. But it was to be expected when operating a system as powerful and uncontrollable as the Low Orbit Ion Cannon.

not saying i support the actions of the church, but they are not breaking any laws, and the idea of attacking individuals just because you disagree with them is in every way the opposite of everything the original Anonymous stood for. You must be above such petty things if you wish to be a visionary.

 

[rocpilefsj]

This is one area where I do support Anonymous. If you picket at the site where many people were just gunned down, most of whom were innocent little children, you deserve to die a death worse than they did. What kind of human being could even bring themselves to do such a thing?

 

[Dislexicmidget2021]

Wow those people are f$#%ed up.They cause more prejudice with their cult ideals than anything, what they are doing is a farce to what freedom of speech is suppose to provide.

 

[Total Head]

just an FYI for people who are only familiar with WBC's publicity stunts...

it's a farce church. their only agenda is to piss people off to the point someone throws a punch, then they sue. most of them have "law degrees" from some laughingstock school. it's all about getting enough attention to lure an angry citizen into their trap so they can sue for money. nothing more.

don't fall into their trap and throw stuff, assault them, etc. it's a setup for a get rich quick scheme. don't be a mark.

 

[dirtsurfr]

Give an assault weapon and I'll send them all to hell.

 

[Dislexicmidget2021]

Go up to them dressed as Jesus whereing boxing gloves and start knockin muther f%$ers out!