Financial documents show Westboro church has $1M in assets
BALTIMORE - A Kansas church and three members have nearly $1 million in assets, with about a third in church property, far less than the $10.9 million a federal jury ordered them to pay for protesting at the funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq, according to court records. The Westboro Baptist Church, known for carrying signs that read “God Hates Fags,” and “Thank God for dead soldiers” at military funerals nationwide, lists $442,800 in real estate holdings, an $86,696 mortgage and about $50,000 in personal property and cash, according to the filing. Church members believe soldiers are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan as punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality and argued during the trial that their protests should be allowed under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.
Though I wonder about the wisdom of muzzling speech, even speech as offensive as that spewed by Fred Phelps and his merry band of hatered-fueled trolls, I can’t say I’m crying in my beer about their current predicament. With an $11 million judgement against them and perhaps $1 million in assets, it looks like a certain group of pseudo-Christians (yes, if the Westboro Baptist Church trolls are Christians, I’m the Queen of England) are in a world of hurt. Normally, I wouldn’t be one to find solace and comfort in the suffering of others, but Phelps and his fellow knuckle-draggers hardly cut sympathetic figures.
OK, I’ll admit it. I would happily dance (or piss) on the WBC’s metaphorical grave. There; I said it. Does that make me a bad person? No, just a realistic one.
I do admire Albert Snyder for having the balls to go after Fred Phelps and his merry band of inbreds in the only manner they might understand- their wallets. Granted, WBC members are hardly members of the international Jewish financial conspiracy, so any financial gains might be symbolic at best. That and $1.75 might get you a venti latte at your local Starbucks, but victory always taste sweet, no?. Even so, the fact that Phelps and the vast WBC financial empire might be forced to liquidate in order to satisfy the judgement against it does fill me with a feeling somewhat akin to glee. Schadenfreude? Hell, yeah….
Even if nothing else comes of Snyder’s legal triumph, Phelps and his merry band of inbreds should find their attention focused on something other than hatred and vitriol directed against people who frankly deserve better. In the end, nothing may stop these maroons from directing their pitiful excuse for Christianity at the pain and suffering of those merely looking to grieve in peace. Still, if something- anything- can throw them off the tracks, even if only for a little while, it will be worthwhile.
So, Fred…how’s that whole “Christian charity” thing working out for you??
