Mitch wrote:
"I don't care how old he is. If he showed up at the funeral of a member of my family with his "rump ranger" graphic signs, I'd not quit beating on him when he fell down, I'd make sure he'd do serious hospital time. (and I don't think a jury would convict me in my hometowm) Mitch." You theory was tested a few years in Topeka (where Fred Phelps lives and practices his evil). An older woman drove on a sidewalk for almost 100 yards crashing through his protest trying to run him over. I think he was barely clipped. During her trial, the judge concluded that it was a mechanical failure of the accelerator and dismissed all charges. The judge made this determination without anyone even offering this sort of evidence. I am sure it would have been different if anyone had been really hurt. But, I don't think Phelps would ever find a jury of peers in Topeka. To complicate matters, Mr. Phelps is an attorney (he was disbarred quite a while ago. Every law student in Kansas studies the decisions of the Kansas Supreme Court disbarring him during the required ethics and professional responsibility course). He graduated from Washburn Law School (the same law school I graduated from). He has 13 children. 11 of them are attorneys and 10 of them graduated from Washburn. 1 was not admitted, so he protests the law school also. He protested at my graduation (he goes to all the law school graduations). His granddaughter worked in the law library while I was there. She didn't seem evil. But, I saw her protesting at all of his places in Topeka, so I am sure being around him and all of his hate-mongering has warped her. Donald H. Snook