(UPDATED) Police fire tear gas at Joplin MO counter protesters during Obama visit

It's an old one, but a good one, TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT. Fighting ignorance with violence is never productive. Arguing about whether Obama is on our side or not is as productive as my nipples. He's the president. Bitching about it won't change it, just like bitching about Bush didn't change a thing. The medias use of Obama in the title is ratings driven in the first place, and the after effect of doing so has derailed the issue, at least here, and pitted people against each other who probably, actually, agree on many important points. What I take from this story is that some despicable people, with an awful belief system, showed up somewhere inappropriate, and some other people, with a good moral compass, but bad decision skills, put themselves on the radar right next to them. If you don't like who these people are, and you want to do something about it, use YOUR right to protest. Make their lives a living hell with your voice. How far are they gonna get with their hate if every time they open their door there is 1000 gay people in drag, PEACEFULLY existing, in the place that hurts them the worst, right in there neighborhood

I pray every day for the death of these evil fake christians of the Westboro Baptist Church....that the spirit of their god smite them.

this article annoys me because its not about protesting President Obama as the title indicates its about Westboro Baptist Church protestors. That and the actual article says the police used pepper spray on one protestor from each side that got a little too rowdy and the whole thing only lasted a few seconds.

I mean I agree WBC are assholes and have no business protesting in Joplin other than to just be assholes and continue to get their 15 minutes but I just wish people would quit giving them media coverage so their 15 minutes would finally be up already too ya know?

The congregation of Westboro baptist have no idea of what comon decency is. maybe the people should see how they feel if hundreds of protesters showed up at their church every time they were invoved with a sadness in their congregation.

That will teach you. Next time you go out to counter protest the WBC, bring a baseball bat and gas mask. In fact it might be a good idea to bring paint ball guns so you can shoot back at the pigs, i mean the people who are paid with by tax dollars to protect and to serve. Do you think there is anyway to get those pigs, i mean police to take that stupid slogan off of their cars....you know the one
that says "to protect and to serve" because we, I mean they are not going to protect you unless you are a elected (he,he) official or a banker.

I take some comfort in observing that speech is becoming more irrelevant as we move towards making our words meaningless, e.g. America is a democracy, "fair and balanced," Christian and on and on. It's down the rabbit hole in the wasteland of the free. When you think you have an idea, just remember, Einstein and a few others had ideas, the rest of us have ill formed opinions. Or as our Nazi brothers and sisters new all to well.... All you have to do is repeat something often enough and the foolish masses will believe it, e.g. this is the greatest county on earth, our soldiers die to keep us free.... ad nauseum.

Free Speech is guaranted so long as we remain civil in our use of it. Unfortunately there are groops like WBC that are uncivil and abuse that guaranted freedom that we all enjoy. Violence is the reaction that they expect and want. All we can do is drown them out with our own exersize of free speech.

whys this in music??

Tear gas fired . . . that sounds like a riot.
Therefore . . Westboro Baptist should be charged with inciting a riot.

They are clearly inciting violence by mocking the dead in front of grieving families, sure they are inciting the violence towards themselves, but that shouldn't translate into cash settlements in their favor.

Free Speech has it's limits - you can't yell fire in a crowded theater.
And if you do yell fire in a crowded theater you certainly should not be able to sue that theater when you get trampled by the crowd you just panicked.

Sad day when protesters can only find an evil way to be destructive instead of a helping hand!!!!

I love free speech. Don't get me wrong, I know it's necessary to be able to say whatever you want to say without limitation...

But after reading this... this again affirms why I support Reasonable Limits in Canada. This just isn't even free speech anymore. This is border-line hate speech - targeting a group of people based solely on sexual preferences - where you just bring constant misery and suffering to the individual, to the community, and to the country as a whole. These "Christians" don't even speak freely anymore, it's just memorized lines that some of them are indoctrinated into speaking without even being given the ability to reason on their own, without ANY form of independent thought.

I know there are people who disagree with me. I know there are probably still others who will neg my comment. But I know that WBC, and other such hate-filled individuals and organizations, are perverting free speech to attempt - in their case, very poorly - to form a world where everything works according to their twisted logic. Where THEY feel content at the expense of everyone else.

As much as I would love to, I simply can't trust any human to be given absolute freedom of speech. There has to be limits somewhere, or else people like these guys will keep popping up more and more, with apparently less and less resistance to stop them. I stopped trying to imagine why the police would target the protesters instead of WBC, as rational thought, evidence-based arguments, and logic seems to be dying in the parts of the world that actually impacts our lives.

And in case anyone does wish to argue that we can't keep limiting the rights of the people, I will add that Reasonable Limits works in both ways: it defines limits of a government and of its citizens.

/ two cents.

From what I was told from a biker that was there, they mased the wbc protester, not the bikers.

Weird. I would be more apt to believe the claim that the tornado, which devastated parts of Joplin a week ago, was God's wrath for America tolerating the Phelps clan. I think they're confused.

WTF ? I know WTF and here it is according to Thom Hartman on his radio talk show . The devil preachers daughter studied law and learned that they could sue both individuals for agressively reacting , and sue the city town municipality where some infringement of rights or an angry punch in the nose occurs . They sue on the basis that authority failed to protect them . It is wild to the brink of insaneity that any court would uphold thier contention . But they only need an occasional successful dip into the deep pockets of a city or town to win big . These sick scoundrels are playing a sick type of lottery wherein the worse they act the better thier chances are to cash a ticket. The police get charged by the city fathers to try to protect the local coffers from these raiders . That is why the creeps are geting the special protection . The biggest mystery is why the courts uphold the claim of free speach. there are several posibilities . All of them are based on the wyms of people who have a special controling relationship with the courts includeing the supreme court . These are members of the ruleing " ownership " class who get exactly what they want from the courts all the time . And I really mean all the time. From national security matters to high level international drug dealing and assasination , and genocide...etc etc . Standard everyday business of the Bush Boys. A ll they have to do is make a phone call and lean alittle or simply give instruct ions. The motive from on high is to try to establish a history of incidents that can be " interpreted " as evidence that " christians " are under fire or abused or somehow at odds with other americans at a religious level. The aim is devision . And confusion. The Bush Boys standard self serving chaos developement method of operation . They want outraged people to be angry and misstrusting of the courts and authority in general . And they would really like to make as many " christians " as possible see violence and anger on TV accompanied by seemingly anti religious words. The best way to deal with this menace is to ignore them . Admitedly not easy to do. A Gandi style non violent isolation of the offenders . No garantee of success because the Bush Boys can reset thier tac and try to catch the last little bit of wind in thier sails. We have to know the full design of the problem . And give it no fertile ground to grow in.

Palin, paid the protesters!

now who thinks that would be called storm trooper tatics?? Who here still says But They are our Brothers and Sisters Our Mothers and Fathers. They would never fire upon their own. They are trained to Follow. Not think Just Do.

someone REALLY needs to let these people know the rapture is coming tmw and they have to drink their "koolaid" right away....its what god wants...

Gotta love the Patriot Guard!

There is no reason for Fred Phelps and inbreed cult to be in Joplin. He is there only to deliver his hate and intolerance.

WTF! is right! How come the tear gas wasn't directed at the WBC gang for their vile actions against people who have suffered so much already?! There is free speech on both sides of the road here and the Joplin people had a right to be pissed. "Church" wins out even if it's hate speech. That is just wrong! And one more thing that is just wrong....these Joplin cops are real pieces of work to throw tear gas at their own suffering citizens.

Another WTF moment.

All I can say is that these people are completely and utterly insane. Somebody should drill a hole in their heads and let the water out. Or alternatively kick the crap out of them.

Nothing surprises me anymore!

Its getting so no one knows who's side their on

Free speech for all, or free speech for none.

AS much as I hate the WBC and what they do, if we close them down, then who is next?

They were shooting at the wrong group unless these despicable alledged christians brought their own police force. this is so wrong.