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Fred Phelps

Westboro Baptist Church

FBI Invited Westboro Baptist Church To Agent Training Sessions


Terry Jones and Westboro Baptist Protestors

The FBI confirmed Wednesday that it invited members of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church to speak at counterterrorism training sessions, to teach new agents about domestic terrorists.

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Topics: FBI, Fred Phelps, Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptists Not Big On Obama's Call To Dial Down The Rhetoric


Shirley Phelps-Roper

There's a least one group not taking kindly to President Barack Obama's call for civility this week in the wake of the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ): the Westboro Baptist Church.

Not surprisingly, a spokesperson from the infamous congregation (best known for protesting the funerals of soldiers killed in action with anti-gay signs) blew off Obama's plea to bring it down a notch in a phone interview with TPM on Friday.

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Topics: Barack Obama, Fred Phelps, Gabby Giffords, Gabrielle Giffords, Gun Control, Gun Rights, Guns, Sarah Palin, Shirley Phelps Roper, Tucson Shootings, Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptists Thank God For Giffords Shooting, Will Picket Funerals

Members of the hate group known as the Westboro Baptists Church, infamous for their inflammatory anti-gay protests celebrating the deaths of American soldiers, plan to show up to the funerals of those killed in the Tucson, AZ shootings which killed six and severely injured Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ).

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Topics: Arizona, Fred Phelps, Gabby Giffords, Gabrielle Giffords, Giffords Shooting, Jared Lee Loughner, Jared Loughner, Tucson Shootings, Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church To Picket Elizabeth Edwards Funeral


A member of the Westboro Baptist Church protests at a military funeral.

A Kansas-based church known for its high-profile protests of service members' funerals is planning to show up at the memorial service for the late Elizabeth Edwards, the group said Thursday.

The Westboro Baptist Church's website said the group will hold a protest on Saturday from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. at a memorial for the Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Senator and 2004 vice presidential candidate John Edwards. Edwards, a lawyer and health care advocate, died Tuesday after a six-year battle with breast cancer.

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Topics: Elizabeth Edwards, Fred Phelps, John Edwards, Westboro Baptist Church

'Ground Zero Mosque'

Westboro Baptist Church Lawyer: Opposing Cordoba House Is 'Un-American'


Margie Phelps

A member of the Westboro Baptist Church who represented the fringe church before the Supreme Court in a freedom of speech case on Wednesday tells TPMMuckraker that they support the right of Muslims to build an Islamic cultural center two blocks from Ground Zero.

"Of course" Muslims should be able to build the Cordoba House Islamic cultural center in New York City, Margie J. Phelps told TPMMuckraker in an interview Thursday. She said it would be hypocritical for the United States to not allow construction to proceed, and called opponents of the mosque un-American.

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Topics: 'Ground Zero Mosque', Fred Phelps, Margie J. Phelps, Supreme Court, Westboro Baptist Church